Qatar, the sponsor of ISIS, is using N. Korean slave labor to build a World Cup village
One North Korean worker helping to build the high-rise said: “People like us don’t usually get paid. The money does not come to the person directly. It’s nothing to do with me, it’s the [North Korean recruitment] company’s business.”
A project manager of the lavish development said the workers “don’t have a single rial themselves” and “borrow money from us if they need small things like cigarettes”.
“The descriptions of the conditions North Korean workers endure in Qatar – abuse of vulnerability, withholding of wages and excessive overtime – are highly indicative of state-sponsored trafficking for forced labour,” a modern form of slavery, said Aidan McQuade, the director of Anti-Slavery International.
Sources in Qatar estimate there may be as many as 3,000 North Koreans working on projects across the emirate. [The Guardian]
I realize that choosing the most loathesome friends imaginable is an established custom in Qatar, but does FIFA have any standards? Oh, right. But on the positive side, at least the presence of the North Koreans should make it easier for Qataris to sneak a drink now and then.
The Qatari Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs insists it takes the issue of worker payment very seriously, but says that no North Koreans have complained. No, I don’t suppose they have.
HT: Deadspin
Yes, Qatar has wonderful friends.
Do you think we should impose sanctions?
Once again, my link has failed. I suggest that the entire OFK community visit Wikipedia and look up “Qatar–United States relations”.
Qatar should be stripped of the World Cup.
Hey, if it makes you feel better, the IOC is just 8 1/2 months from awarding another Olympics to Beijing.
Qatar, the sponsor of ISIS and exploiter of North Korean slave labor, is also the host to important US bases. Shall we close those bases? Shall we end weapons sales to Qatar?
Um, yes.
Good. Explain that to your friends on Capitol Hill, at the Pentagon, and in the “lobby”. They will listen to reason.
The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, says he doesn’t support IS. Abdullah Rebhy has the big story.
If that link doesn’t work, try:
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/2c84918682d64132aad774d13985ebbb/qatar-emir-airstrikes-against-group-not-enough
And if that doesn’t work, look for “Qatar emir: Airstrikes against IS group not enough” at bigstory.ap.org
He’s hardly going to admit it is he? Come on now Glans.
Matthew, he lets us bomb ISIS from bases in his country.
Doesn’t mean anything, they have a history(Such as their link to Hamas). There’s more to the Qatars link to ISIS. And I’m sure it’ll all come out in time.
He lets us bomb ISIS. He lets his sheikhs finance ISIS. A classic double game.
By the way, Glans, did you try the plugin? It looks like ass, but does it at least work?
@Joshua
A foolish act at that too. When ISIS have been rendered irrelevant in the future, and they will be. The United States and its partners will come after each and every individual found to be supporting ISIS in the manner that they have been doing. It’s just a matter of time.
I have to think that as we speak, Treasury is hard at work making a case to block the assets of Qatari donors to ISIS before adding their names to the list of Specially Designated Nationals.
I’ll try the plugin now. Here’s Timothy Snyder at NY Books, discussing Putin’s retrospective support of the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, which enabled Hitler to start the Second World War.
Returning our gaze to Qatar, we see that it both supports and opposes terrorism. Just like our friends Sa’udi Arabia and Pakistan. Shall we sanction them, too?
The plugged-in link worked. Joshua Stanton is da man.
Yes, we should sanction anyone who provides material support to terrorism. In certain cases, it would also be appropriate to kill such people.
Funny, thing about you, Glans. One minute you’re telling me I’m no kingmaker, and the next minute, you seem to think I can summon and command the entire military-industrial complex.
When I say you are no kingmaker, I state a fact. When I ask you to speak to Congress, the military, and industry, I’m ironic. I don’t understand the source and cause of US foreign policy, and I hope you can help me figure it out.
The real decision makers worry more about Iran than about North Korea. Why? They don’t come down hard on Pakistan, Sa’udi Arabia, or Qatar. Why not?
Usually, humor is the signpost of irony, so I missed that. Anyway, you’re old enough to know that foreign policy involves a complex balancing of costs and benefits, and you’ve read this site enough to know that I often disagree with how our government strikes those balances.