KUWAIT CITY, April 26: The Kuwait Human Rights Society (KHRS) has criticized the Interior Ministry’s handling of the Sri Lankan national day celebrations which were reportedly stalled despite obtaining an official permit due to pressure mounted by an Islamic lawmaker.
In a press statement, KHRS said the incident highlights the executive authority’s inability to respect decisions like the issuance of permit to hold such an event. This is not the first time the ministry succumbed to pressures of Islamist lawmakers who violate people’s right to celebrate, it added.
“The incident shows that Kuwait is now under the control of certain groups which do not respect the rights of human beings to celebrate and express their feelings on occasions like the national days, just like the Sri Lankans were doing at Jahra. We want the Interior Ministry to respect citizens and expatriates’ right to express their feelings and celebrate important events within the ambit of law and without trampling the rights of others. The ministry should also respect its own decisions and permits and should not succumb to oppressors anymore.”