I received an email message saying: “I am a Qatari citizen who was born and raised in this good and safe country, which I am proud of; however, my rights are unfortunately curtailed because I married a naturalised citizen.
“At that time I didn’t know that there are several categories of Qatari nationals. I have a humane, honest, kind and gentle husband who has helped me after the loss of my father and made me very happy.”
On reading the message it became clear that she was writing about the housing law. She added: “Because my husband is a naturalised citizen, he was granted a housing loan but deprived of the land where we were supposed to build our house.
“It is not my husband’s fault because the guilt lies with those who created a law that distinguishes between Qataris without thinking of the consequence, which is repression of a certain category of people.”
Before concluding her message, she raised a few questions, to which I don’t have answers. She asked: “Why does a Qatari woman married to a foreigner not have the right to land and a loan? I am Qatari, so why don’t they consider my husband a Qatari citizen so that we may get a piece of land?
“Why does a Qatari man who marries a foreigner have all rights while a woman doesn’t?
“Why can a Qatari man build a house on land granted by the state with an easy-instalment loan, while the naturalised Qatari and his wife have to work hard to get a house or land?
“Why does our country build houses and send unsurpassed aid to foreign countries and not give us a dwelling in our own country?”
This tragic experience didn’t make her lose hope in God’s mercy, and she concluded her letter by saying: “Since I believe in God’s decrees and hope for His mercy, I entrust the Almighty with settling this matter.”
This citizen has also not lost faith in our leadership. She said: “I am confident that our young, humanitarian leader, the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, will put an end to our problems.”
I looked up Law No. 2 of 2007 regarding the housing scheme and found that Article 2 has a noble goal, which is to provide adequate housing to citizens. It didn’t specify “original Qatari” or “naturalised Qatari”, and included all citizens.
Thus, it is not specifically for those mentioned in Law No. 38 of 2005, which specifies who can get Qatari nationality:
1. Resident of Qatar since 1930.
2. Having proof of Qatari origin.
3. Those who have recovered their Qatari nationality.
4. Those born in Qatar or abroad to a Qatari father.
For provision of adequate housing to citizens, the law provides for:
1. Land for citizens through purchase or grant.
2. A housing loan (QR600,000, in addition to QR600,000 from the Council of Ministers).
3. A housing unit through purchase or lease.
Article 6 of the Housing Act contains a strange statement, in which the Council of Ministers “define the priorities and rules for using this scheme and to specify the conditions and rules of its benefit for naturalised citizens.”
Accordingly, the Council of Ministers issued Resolution No. 3 for 2008. Its first article grants “naturalised Qatari male or female, who has been a citizen for at least fifteen years, the amount for the housing loan specified in Article 2, Item 2 of Law No. 2 of 2007 or a suitable housing unit.”
This makes it clear that a naturalised citizen is only entitled to the housing loan of QR1.2m. Prior to 2008, a naturalised citizen was granted land and a loan, having been recognised as a full-fledged citizen.
In conclusion, it is not right to curtail the rights of any Qatari citizen and we must not allow those who formulate laws, whether consultants or others, to fragment the Qatari community by differentiating between citizens.
My simple question is: Why is a naturalised Qatari given citizenship if the government does not want to recognise his rights as set out by the constitution and established laws?
