KUWAIT CITY, Feb 20: Hundreds of stateless Arabs demonstrated for the third day running on Sunday to press for basic rights and citizenship of the oil-rich Gulf state.

Up to 300 protesters took to the streets in Jahra, west of Kuwait City and around 200 demonstrated in Sulaibiya, south west of the capital, and the two protests remained peaceful unlike the previous two days.
Stateless Arabs, who are locally known as Bedouns, claim entitlement to Kuwaiti citizenship, but the government calls them “illegal residents.”

The New York-based Human Rights Watch on Sunday called on Kuwait to free all Bedouns arrested during the protests and to find a swift solution to their problem.

A number of MPs, meanwhile, filed a request that part of a regular session of Parliament on March 8 be allocated to debate and approve draft laws granting Bedouns their basic rights.
Human Rights Affairs Committee Chairman, MP Faisal Al-Duwaisan, announced that the discussions will revolve around the Bedoun Committee’s report on the social and civil rights of the stateless residents, in light of recent demonstrations.

“We regret that the population has been called Baathists, even though they have relatives who are Kuwaiti. The information Saleh Al-Fadalah has received on the demonstrators is incorrect,” he said.

Speaking to KUNA on Saturday, head of the Central Agency to Address the Situation of Illegal Residents, Saleh Al-Fadalah, said that the state of Kuwait has not and will not hold back on providing all the humanitarian and civil services for the Bedoun.

He said that the majority can acquire documentation if they meet the legal requirements and that a state charity fund was created that helped educate up to 12,000 Bedoun children. Funds established for the education of the Bedoun population amounts to about KD 6 million per year, he said.

Al-Duwaisan denied those claims and said that the majority of the Bedoun were not part of the charity fund. He requested the Bedoun to halt their demonstrations, saying that the message has been received.
Al-Duwaisan requested the release of all the detainees.

Opposition MP Hassan Jowhar said he had information that a number of bidoon detainees were tortured by police and some were taken to the military hospital for treatment.

No deaths
However, the Minister of Interior, Sheikh Ahmed Al-Hamad, announced that Bedoun detainees will be released after investigations are completed. The Interior Ministry denied reports of deaths and serious injuries by the media, local newspapers and social networking sites, during the events that occurred in the past two days.
On his part, MP Askar Al-Enezi said that the Bedoun have served Kuwait and sacrificed their lives for the country. He urged the launching of a campaign comprising of practical procedures in order to lighten the burden of the Bedoun while acquiring their rights.

“It is necessary to grant citizenship to all those who deserve it from the Bedoun. Most have participated and sacrificed to liberate Kuwait from the occupation as well as other Arab wars. Some were also originals of Kuwait in 1965,” he said.

Meanwhile, a number of MPs, including MPs Jamaan Al-Harabah and Shuaib Al-Muwaizri, condemned the demonstrations. Al-Harbash said that he supports holding a special session for the benefit of stateless residents.

In a statement to the press, the National Action Bloc condemned the throwing of stones towards Security Forces by some protesters. The statement said that the central agency responsible for the Bedoun is giving all efforts to ensure that the population acquires all its rights and that the Bedoun need to remain patient.
“We emphasize that the granting of nationality is one of the most prominent works of the state. It is inappropriate to grant citizenship to those who are not entitled to it by law,” the statement added.

On his part, MP Adel Al-Sarawwy said that Kuwait has been granting stateless residents their civil and social rights. “Islamic charity organization, Bayt Al-Zakat, has given support to 20,000 families. 89,000 Bedoun individuals have received KD 62 million and 12,000 families, who comprise 58 percent of the registered in the central agency, have benefited from this support as well,” he said.

Reports published by some media outfits earlier on the alleged death of two Bedouns — 18-year-old Mohammad Musaed Al-Enezi and 23-year-old Dawash Ahmad Abdulwahab Al-Enezi who participated in the two-day protest action in Taima and Sulaibiya — prompted about 600 Bedouns to gather inside Jahra Cemetery amid heavy security presence on Sunday.

The protesters performed funeral prayers (salah al’ghaeb) in the absence of the dead bodies. They later marched peacefully towards Block Two in Taima, singing the national anthem and chanting praises for HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, while others called for the ouster of MPs Saleh Al-Fadalah and Ahmad Al-Mulaifi.

Jahra Security Chief Brigadier Mohammad Tanna and Area Commander Colonel Salah Al-Daas met the protesters when they reached Block Two. Tanna told them nobody died among the Bedouns who participated in the demonstrations, so they should disregard the rumors. He also informed them that the political leadership is not pleased with the situation but the government has started looking into their demands and is determined to resolve the issue. When he said, “You are an integral part of us and you love the Amir,” the protesters calmed down and dispersed on their own, hoping that everything will be alright after the national holidays.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Interior issued a statement vehemently denying reports on the purported death of two protesters, adding there were no dead bodies in the cemetery during the gathering of the Bedouns.
The ministry clarified some protesters sustained minor injuries and they were treated on the spot, while a few were taken to the hospital. The ministry appealed to the media to verify information before publication, particularly if it is related to national security because it might affect public affairs.

The ministry disclosed 16 of those arrested have been released and many others are still under investigation at the State Security Department, indicating those who will be proven guilty will be referred to the concerned authority for the necessary action. The ministry said a handful of those arrested are citizens of neighboring Gulf countries but they claimed they were not part of the demonstration and were arrested near their houses. The ministry confirmed the security officers have been dealing with those arrested, including doctors and teachers, in an appropriate manner without torture.

Meanwhile, many protesters gathered in Block Six and Seven in Sulaibiya but the securitymen did not take any steps to disperse them. They merely monitored the situation until the protesters ended the peaceful demonstration.

Some of the protesters affirmed they have agreed to hold demonstrations without any external influence, while others disclosed they made arrangements through Facebook and the website of a Bedoun activist in Britain.

Speaker
National Assembly Speaker Jassem Al-Khorafi on Sunday underscored keenness of Kuwait’s Amir, government and people to address the situation of illegal residents, adding that the recent demonstrations by those people is not the right way to solve the problem.

Al-Khorafi told reporters Sunday, “I do not think that the demonstrations in Jahra was the right way or method that will come out with desired results.” He noted in this context that “there are a category of illegal residents who deserve their case be resolved and there are many who do not deserve, expressing hope that those who deserve would not drift behind the non-eligible as such would result in negative reactions to them.” He explained that the State of Kuwait spares no effort in giving human rights to all residents on its territory, whether eligible or not eligible, “as Kuwait, its Amir, Government and its people are keen that humanitarian issues are resolved in humanitarian ways Kuwait is used to and it is not reasonable to help other countries and do not help people who live among us.

Al-Khorafi pointed out “I think that the journey of a thousand miles in the treatment of the conditions of this class has already begun, particularly that the Central Organ in charge of addressing the issue and its president Saleh Al-Fadhalah and its members have set a road map for action that must be taken in this regard to ensure that everyone gets his or her rights.” He lamented on those who insulted Al-Fadhalah “for whom we have all the appreciation and respect and I personally have confidence in him as he is one of the men of Kuwait who is very keen to address the issue with full transparency”.

In response to a question whether the Government had failed to solve the file of illegal residents, Al-Khorafi said, “I do not doubt that we were all late in the treatment of this subject and thus encourage those who do not deserve to continue his status and claim rights of others.”

“I think that there is a class of beneficiaries had been wronged and were lost among those who deserve and others who do not deserve .. but I think the keenness of everyone to solve the problem and give everyone his rights would lead to the solution of the problem”, he added.

US officer
The top US military officer arrived in the turbulent Gulf region on Sunday for a week-long visit to underscore US strategic ties with allies challenged by protest movements sweeping the Arab world.

Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. He will also stop in Djibouti, where demonstrators inspired by revolts that toppled leaders in Egypt and Tunisia have clashed with riot police.

“Though this trip was planned well before the recent unrest in the region, the chairman will be interested to gain the perspectives of leaders here about these protest movements,” said spokesman Capt John Kirby.
Mullen, he added, will also “make clear his desire to see that peaceful protest be allowed to continue without threats or violence from any quarter and that restraint is shown by all sides in these disputes.”
No further details on the trip were provided.

Mullen’s itinerary did not include Bahrain, a cornerstone of US military power in the Gulf and the site of deadly clashes between anti-government protesters and security forces last week. The United States regards Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, as a bulwark against Shi’ite power Iran across the Gulf.