YEMENI LABORERS BOOST GCC SECURITY; SAYS STUDY

By: Yahya Adhoubaibi

Edited into English by: Mahmoud Assamiee

SANA'A, March 27 (Saba)-A recent study recommended boosting communication between Yemen and countries of Gulf Coordination Council aiming at creating positive reaction reflecting effects on political, social and security conditions in the region.

The study was made by Professor of Constitutional Law and Politics in College of Commerce and Administration in Ebb University Trareq al-Mansoub last month.
The study affirmed that bringing Yemeni laborers to Gulf markets represent one of the most important communication pillars between Yemen and GCC countries and the most important benefit for both.

This benefit is represented in reducing sharp poverty and including increasing numbers of unemployed Yemenis, as well as reducing political and security dangerous posed by great foreign laborers existing in GCC countries.

The study focused on strengthening efforts between Yemen and Gulf Countries in all formal and social fields to carry out surveys and practical studies defining activities and merits of Yemeni laborers.

Entitled "Yemeni Labor in Gulf and its Role in Security Stability in GCC Countries", the study indicated that the great size of Yemeni population is economic force Gulf governments can use to reduce dangers caused by foreign laborers in their countries by replacing them with Yemenis. In addition, this great population is a security force to the whole gulf region.

The study noted that containing the increasing numbers of Yemeni laborers is included in the framework of GCC's efforts to integrating Yemen's economy with the organization, a matter which will realize benefit for both sides.

The study said that Yemeni labor's existence in gulf countries will realize a number of economic and social advantages, toped by maintaining economies and capabilities of gulf countries.

The study added that Yemeni laborers are characterized by flexibility and ability to receive necessary training required by scientific changes and new technology for they have psychological characteristics needed for active performance in industry field.

The study considered including Yemeni laborers in the GCC countries to replace foreign laborers of the important factors that would help in supporting Yemeni economy via supplying the treasury with hard currencies through their money transferring.

The study highlighted organizing labor and linking them to qualification programs and integration between Yemen and GCC countries and sudden abandoning as it was happened after 1990 crisis.

The study handled the main issues for cooperation between Yemen and GCC countries led by economic groupings which impose on the GCC countries including Yemen in their council and working on qualifying the country's economy and helping it to limit unemployment.

The study affirmed that creating strong society in the Arab and gulf region protect the wealth and require cooperation between the regional countries. It clarified that every gulf country has something to give to Yemen for cooperation and integration in all fields; economic, political, security and cultural.

The study indicated that the political location of Yemen has qualified it to play significant role in enhancing capabilities of GCC countries as Yemen represents the strategic depth of economy and security in the Gulf region due to the humanitarian force it has. Further, the country is rich in its variable natural resources like agriculture, fishery wealth, minerals, oil and tourism.

The study indicated that as Yemenis have played leading roles in rooting development and construction pillars in many gulf countries, Yemeni laborers can contribute more in supporting security in GCC countries as some of these laborers are currently working in sensitive places like the army, police, and productive sectors and recently in universities.

The study noted that GCC countries have limited human resources comparing to their available economic resources and their giant investment energy. This requires workforce making them to bring laborers from the whole world, 70 percent of them are from Asia with only 28 percent Arab to cover its need of qualified laborers.

The study made it clear that national laborers in GCC do not work in technical jobs and handcrafts because they look down upon them. They prefer only working in government offices like administrators as government job provides encouraging privileges.

The study said that nearly 12.5 million laborers have come to Gulf countries during 2006-2007. This number represented one third of the real populations.

" Despite GCC apprehend that dangers of influx of foreign laborers as a threat to the security and their efforts to realize inclusive development, they have not been able to create strategies and measures to limit their influx and reduce effects resulting on this or even providing the suitable alternatives during the past years," said the study.

According to statistics the study depended on, the total number of foreign laborers is 12.5 million representing 38.5 of the total population of the sixth gulf countries. Saudi Arabia alone hosts nearly 7 million of them; a figure represents 30 percent of the kingdom's population.

In United Arab Emirates, there are 2,1 million laborers, 80 percent of the population, 1,4 million in Kuwait, 63 percent of the population, 420 thousands in Qatar, 72 percent of the population, Bahrain 280 thousands, 36 percent of the population and 630 thousands laborers in Oman representing 26 percent of the population.

According to the study, foreign laborers in GCC were the main reason behind deterioration work ethics and aliening against handicrafts and products. It also created strong effect on population component; a matter put the area in danger and threatens its language and Arab values besides changing the culture of their societies.

The study affirmed the increase of foreign laborers has affected negatively the population component in some gulf countries to the interest of incoming laborers. This real situation has imposed additional challenges and dangers to the GCC countries. These challenges have security and political nature.

The study talked about possibilities of forming secret terrorist organizations from foreign laborers as it happened in the UAE where Indian system has been discovered planning to carry out sabotage acts.

Furthermore, a number of laborers have been involved in many social crimes like moral aggression, robbing or looting and trafficking banned substances like ammunitions, arms and drugs which affect the security and stability in Gulf countries.

The study affirmed keenness of GCC countries on taking into consideration its joint interests with Yemen, indicating that Saudi Arabia and all member countries have shown keenness on working closer with Yemen to qualify Yemen's economy and including it in the organization as political, security and economic supporter. It will also provide permanent security defender to their southern border against any infiltration or terrorist exportation could happen in the future.

The researcher who made the study concluded that investing Yemeni laborers by gulf countries needs firm attitude to qualify Yemeni laborers and solving problems they could face.

He affirmed that Yemeni laborer will not be easy solution to replace foreign laborers unless there are no coordination between efforts in Yemen and GCC countries in all formal and social fields and creating clear foundations to the process of replacement.

He affirmed that although this process will not be easy but it is possible.