“AN EMPLOYEE at the Farwaniya Cooperative Society sustained injuries in different parts of his body after an Egyptian customer beat him when he refused to give the latter more than four bottles of Vimto.” The Egyptian customer was “infuriated when he saw the employee handing a carton of Vimto to a Kuwaiti, so he attacked the employee” (Arab Times August 2, 2010).
The alleged assault on the employee of a cooperative society for refusing to sell extra bottles of Vimto underlines a more serious moral dilemma a tiny minority of expatriates are facing in Kuwait. Such rare type of foreign individuals do not represent either their own compatriots or hard working expatriates.

Yet, such people continue to think that due to their apparent financial independence, their imagined courage to be vocal anytime to like to do so, they can actually encroach on the rights, privileges of the native population of this country, Kuwaiti citizens!
One cannot interpret the recent assault as mere envy, or feeling insulted due to unfair treatment, but it underlines an entrenched attitude against Kuwaiti citizens. In addition, such kind of noisy, disruptive, uncooperative and unappreciative foreign guests need to come to terms with the realities of their situation in our country: they will continue to be honored and respected in our country as long as they continue to show their utmost respect to our laws and customs.

The alleged culprit in the recent assault crime does not seem to accept the fact that he and other non-Kuwaitis continue to be respected yet ‘foreign’ guests in Kuwait. As such, they are not citizens, period. I would have made it clear to the person who alleged beat the cooperative’s employee, as soon as he arrived at Kuwait airport: “there is no way you can infringe or transgress on the cultural, national and social privileges of Kuwaiti citizens. As long as you show the greatest respect to our customs, heritage and national character as long as you will be able to guarantee that, no one will infringe on your rights as a decent human being.”

If such people decide otherwise, in other words, if some expats expect to receive a 100 percent equal treatment in all aspects of daily life like any citizen, will; those people need not come to Kuwait. It is better for such people with an already well-established attitude against us to remain in their home country. We have enough troubles on our hands to deal with such unappreciative foreign guests! Trespassing or transgressing on the rights and privileges of the Kuwaiti citizen will certainly not endear such people or encourage the native population to respect them. Attempting to encroach on the rights of citizens is certainly a taboo that rational beings must make sure to avoid, as far as possible.

Your View:
“It gives me such a delight reading your article. I was born in this country, being an Indian. We out here do not need mighty things from the people of Kuwait just acknowledgement and respect. A good word of appreciation will inspire our hearts to work more for Kuwait. I have been here for 44 years of my life, did my schooling out here. When I speak in Arabic some Kuwaitis are lost, but at the end of the day they are going to say I am a Hindi and they don’t care. I do feel hurt hearing this” (DC).

khaledaljenfawi@yahoo.com