Qatar-GCC crisis is breaking up families
Qatari nationals ordered to leave Saudi, Bahrain and UAE within 14 days of the announcement
Deep ties between GCC countries and Qatar have resulted in a huge number of families where one spouse is Qatari and the other is a national of a GCC country. These families are to be split up following the crisis. The most affected would be Qatari women married to men of and residing in Saudi, UAE and Bahrain who will be forced to leave their children behind. The children only have their father’s citizenship, according to laws of the Gulf countries.
Zeid Ra ad Al Hussein, the UN human rights chief, has told Qatari officials that there are continuous attempts under way to address the humanitarian situation resulting from the blockade imposed on Qatar by several Gulf countries.
Before the crisis, citizens of the six Gulf states (Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and UAE) enjoyed a great deal of freedom of movement which meant that over the generations, several intermarriages have taken place between Qatar and other GCC countries.
The consequences faced by families of these nationals are complicated because of the practice of several Gulf countries where the children can only inherit the nationality of the father.
As reported by Al-Jazeera, Nouf*, a Qatari whose late husband was Saudi, had been ordered by Saudi authorities to leave the kingdom immediately. Nouf was told that she would not be able to take her children as they are citizens of Saudi Arabia, not Qatar. Nouf is being forced to leave her children behind, including her disabled son who needs round-the-clock care.
Mohammed*, a Saudi man married to a Qatari woman, has been living and working in Qatar for many years. He was informed that he would have to go, along with their children, back to Saudi Arabia, leaving his wife behind.
Several other families will also bear the brunt of this decision. The NHRC said it was alarmed over the "violation of human rights". Amnesty International criticised Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain, accusing the Gulf States of toying with the lives of thousands of people in their dispute with Qatar.
*Names have been changed.
