Irish Examiner view: Precarious situation of Kuwait's foreign labour

The arrest of a migrant worker in Kuwait for complaining about the weather shows the vulnerable situation that exists for foreign labour in the small sheikdom.

A US F18 aircraft struggles to land at its base in Kuwait after a mission over Iraq. As a sandstorm caused almost zero visibility.

It was Winston Churchill who once declared that democracy was the worst form of rule, until all others have been considered. His wise words still hold true, considering the latest edict from Kuwait, a small but wealthy country ruled by a sheik. If Ireland were subject to the same kind of authority as pertains in Kuwait, half the country would be in jail.

Police in Kuwait have arrested a resident, an Egyptian, for posting a video online in which he rants about bad weather and dust storms. The arrest underscored the country’s restrictions on expression and drew criticism on social media over his detention.

The tiny sheikhdom, which, like others in the Persian Gulf, depends on millions of low-paid migrants from Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, often faces criticism from human rights groups for its treatment of foreign workers, who remain vulnerable to deportation for minor offences.

Our treatment of foreign workers and asylum seekers may leave a lot to be desired, but arresting people for moaning about the weather is beyond heavy-handed, it’s insanity.