KUWAIT CITY, Nov 21: Thousands of Kuwaitis rallied on Monday for a change of government and the dissolution of parliament a day after the Amir said he will not bow to pressure to change the prime minister.
Organisers estimated a crowd of 15,000 people braved rain to gather opposite the parliament building in Kuwait City, where they also called for the premier to face questioning over graft allegations.
“We have come here to demand changing the government. This is part of our constitutional rights,” lawyer Osama Al-Shaheen told the opposition-sponsored rally.
The protest rally dubbed “Don’t Breach the Treaty” demanded the resignation of the prime minister, an end to corruption, dissolution of Parliament and an elected government. The rally was attended by 20 opposition lawmakers and political youths and activists.
The gathering came less than a week after opposition protesters including a number of MPs fought running battles with security personnel on the streets which resulted in their storming of the National Assembly building. The incident, now known as “Black Wednesday”, triggered lots of criticisms from the government as well as many political activist and blocs. The Amir of Kuwait also condemned such action and told opposition that he would not remove the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed, adding that even if the PM tenders his resignation he would not accept it. The Opposition also vowed to go on with more protest rallies until their demands are met.
Prior to Monday’s rally the “Nahaj” youth group issued a statement urging citizens to attend the rally, stressing that the recent incident involving protesters and security personnel was a violation of the constitution, adding that the cancellation of the grilling request and removing it from the Parliament’s agenda was a dangerous precedent in the history of Kuwait. “So we are demanding a new prime minister, a new government with a new approach”, added the statement.
The Chairman of Freedom Youth, Rasheed Al-Hajiri said in his speech that their group demands an elected government because the corruption in the country cannot end if the Prime Minister and the government are appointed by the Amir and that what is needed now is a complete change of the system.
On his part, Dr Fahad Al-Khannah called on the Prime Minister to mount the podium and face the grilling request or quit his post , stressing that Parliament has no place for the bribe-taking MPs.
He added “We will continue until the Prime Minister and the bribed-parliament are gone. The Prime Minister should be indicted for his crime and the bribe-taking MPs should be prosecuted”.
The General-Secretary of National Democratic Alliance, Khalid Al-Fadallah called on the ruling family to endeavor to solve their family problems far from Kuwaiti people who are now suffering from tension in the family.
He added that last Wednesday was a black day because national security personnel launched attack on citizens.
Lawyer Al-Humaidi Al-Subaiei called on the youth to inform him if any of them is arrested by national security, disclosing that there are groups of lawyers ready to defend the opposition MPs and the youth activists.
Lawyers Abdullah Al-Ahmed warned that the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammed will hasten the demise of his political carrier if he dares attempt to prosecute MP Mussallam Al-Barrak. He called for the passage of judicial independent law in order to make the judiciary free from interferences of all sorts and forms from the powers that be.
He also called for the resignation of the prime minister adding “We are not scared of the threats of the government; we will continue to call for prime minister’s resignation”.
Chairman of the rally, Fuhaid Al-Hailam also called on the prime minister to stand on the grilling podium in an open session. He disclosed that there will be a sit-in and sleep at Erada Square on November 28th, the day before the multi-million Dinar deposits grilling session.
Veteran MP Ahmed Al-Sadoun warned that if any MP is imprisoned all Kuwaiti citizens will be in front of the prison to demand their release as it happened in 1990 when former MP Ahmed Al-Shuraiaan was arrested and MPs insisted to go with him in prison which resulted in his immediate release. He blamed the minister of Interior Sheikh Hamad Al-Hamoud for trying to turn the country into a police state, asserting that this issue will be one of the points in the grilling request that will be presented against him.
He added “we were and still are betting on the Kuwait people. The ruling system is democracy, where power is for the people, who in turn protect the Constitution , but the ruling family are those who trample down on the constitution “, he added.
MP D. Jaman Al-Harbash challenged the Prime Minister to mount the grilling podium and if he gets parliament’s confidence , then opposition MPs will resign to preserve their dignity instead of sitting with bribed MPs. “ I believe the attendance for this night is more than twenty thousand”, he added.
MP Khalid Al-Sultan called on youths of the ruling family to act and rescue Kuwait with an historic act by calling on the Prime minister to go because Kuwait deserves better.
MP Dr Daifullah Buramya on his part said the Prime minister has only two options, either to mount on grilling podium or resign, reminding the Amir that this government has put this country into a dark tunnel.
MP Dr. Waleed Al-Tabtabaie confirmed there will not be a match on the street after this rally but there will be a sit-in the day before the grilling session next week. He said he believed that more than 50,000 citizens will be participating in the coming sit-in which is scheduled on November 28th.
A small group of youths tried to match towards the Prime Minister’s house but they were blocked by the security. The organizers of the rally said they were not responsibly for such a group. On the other hand a small pro-government group attempted to storm the opposition rally which nearly resulted into a clash but for the timely intervention of security personnel who were around the place.
Pro-government MPs , civil societies, ministerial representatives who opposed the Black Wednesday’s event will hold a rally entitled “God Protect Kuwait’ at Erada Square today (Tuesday) in support of the Amir and the Prime Minister.
Mohammed Ahmed who said he doesn’t belong to any opposition group, but came there for the first time because of what he had heard about the police brutalities against the protesters, said the only democratic tool the people have here in Kuwait is the parliament and if the parliament is prevented from performing its functions then what’s the point? People need to speak and that’s why they are here. He added that the people don’t need to overturn the rule of law in Kuwait, all they need is their rights per their contract which is the constitution.”We need the constitution to be reinstated and effective, so we can be able to say to the corrupt politicians they are corrupt and its time for them to stop”. Ahmed continued that the people of Kuwait cannot allow this corruption to go on and that is not too much to ask.
“We are living in a dispensation where a few individuals have access to the resources of the state and do all they want with them while trying to keep the people from talking about it.” He said all the resources now go into the pockets of individuals. He added that it’s only 5 to 10 percent of the population who use the resources to buy media sympathy and influence.
Asked if all the grievances listed were enough for them to break into the National Assembly building, Ahmed said the protesters did not just march to the National Assembly to break into it, but what happened was that they only ran into the National Assembly building while being pursued by security personnel, adding that what the authorities need to do is look into the reasons protesters were out on the streets and not try to arrest them. He further said that what constitutes a crime is breaking the Constitution and not breaking a door, warning the authorities to refrain from arbitrary arrests of protesters, since every protester put in jail will result in more that a hundred others signing up for the cause.
The Group of 26 eminent citizens on Nov 1, 2011 issued a statement to express their vision over the worsening situation of events in the country, and the group predicted the state of affairs would become worse if the executive and legislative bodies continued to engage in power tussle.
The idea was borne out of the fact that the two authorities were flexing their muscles over the legislature, monitoring and executive issues. Based on this, the group recommended a new page must be opened by dissolving the National Assembly and sacking the Cabinet. It also stressed the need to organize fresh elections within the period stipulated in the Constitution.
The statement issued was the aftermath of reactions following the discovery of controversial deposits in the accounts of about a quarter of the lawmakers and the government failing to take a clear stand over the issue, as well as suspicious foreign money transfers that led to the resignation of former Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister.
True to their prediction, the situation in the country has degenerated to the extent of the National Assembly building being invaded by some lawmakers. The act was considered dangerous to the country’s stability. While we believe in the right of all blocs to freedom of expressing their opinions, we affirm that such actions should be done in a peaceful manner and within the purview of the law. Hence, the group denounces the invasion of the National Assembly and other unruly activities that are inimical to the image of the symbolic house of citizens.
The group calls on concerned parties to be sympathetic to the cause of the country, which it really deserves, rather than provoking tension that could lead to loss of more rights, God forbid! At the same time, the group urges fair and legal resolution without abusing security procedures and perpetrators of all crimes, including those involved in suspicious deposits and related corrupt issues should be brought to book without fear or favor. The group reiterates that condemnation trailing the invasion of the National Assembly should not be an excuse to cover up corrupt officials, and the need to clamp down on them.
Finally, the group wishes to reaffirm the previous demand for everlasting solution to the political problem by appointing a new government that is ready to work for national interests. It is also necessary to start revealing the intrigues behind the controversial deposits to begin the major war against corruption. The government must be shrewd on investing the national wealth and prevent embezzlement to save funds for incoming generations.
Also, the government should not compete with the proponents of embezzlement for selfish political gains. Rather, it should make accomplishment of the development plan the main objective and avoid any decision that can jeopardize the plan or distract it from the right track.
The group is also looking forward to a new National Assembly that will be totally committed to developing the national wealth rather than sharing or misappropriating it. The parliament should respect its responsibility and strive hard to uphold the rule of law by preserving national unity and stability to attain greatness for the country.
Meanwhile, the Criminal Investigation Department has started proceedings against persons who stormed the National Assembly. A case No 383/2011 has been filed with the Public Prosecution, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily.
Police investigations reveal 32 people including some current lawmakers and a former MP have so far been identified.
Sources say the prosecutors have seen the video recording of what happened inside the Abdullah Al-Salem hall and the corridors of the National Assembly leading to the offices of lawmakers and the offices of the Parliament Secretary-General and his assistants.
The tapes show a number of MPs, political activists and some familiar ‘faces’ in addition to young people (Kuwaitis, citizens of GCC state and bedoun) breaking into offices.
The sources say the prosecutors have also viewed the tapes of CCTV cameras which show scenes of what happened outside and inside the National Assembly building.
The investigations have revealed that it was MP Waleed Tabtabaei who ordered the guards to open the main door of the Parliament building and when they hesitated seeing a large number of demonstrators, he reminded the guards that he is an MP and has the right to enter the Parliament building ‘at any time’. At this point the guards opened the gate and could not control the situation.
Some sources say the case file includes statements from three lawmakers who have publicly admitted through the media that they were the first who broke into the National Assembly. They are Faisal Al-Muslim, Jamaan Al-Harbish and Mubarak Wa’alan.
The same sources say it has now been decided to install electronic (digital) gates at the Parliament building and nobody will be allowed to enter the National Assembly premises unless at specific times.
Meanwhile, an unidentified lawmaker is preparing to file a formal complaint against a number of MPs who broke into his office along with other demonstrators, violated his privacy, destroyed his office and stole some of his belongings.
It has also been revealed that the Criminal Investigation Department has prepared a report on the incident and it includes the names of some prominent people including MPs Musallam Al-Barrak, Mubarak Wa’alan, Falah Al-Sawagh, Salem Al-Namlan and Waleed Tabtabaei in addition to a number of political activists and a former MP Fahd Al-Khanna, media personality Abbas Al-Sha’abi who works for an electronic media and another working for a TV satellite channel.
Meanwhile, the Public Prosecution has heard the testimonies of the Secretary-General of the National Assembly, Ghloma Al-Kandari and other witnesses.
The list of MPs involved in the Parliament building break-in on Wednesday has been forwarded to the Public Prosecution, which is currently conducting investigations into the case that warrants severe penalties like life imprisonment, reports Al-Watan Arabic daily quoting State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Ali Al-Rashid.
Al-Rashid affirmed Kuwait will not be lenient towards all those involved in the break-in due to the magnitude of the offense, which posed a grave threat to the security of the country. “We can easily identify those who stormed the legislative building and those who attacked the security officers through the surveillance camera tapes,” he added.
Admitting he was saddened by the violent turn of events in Wednesday’s public rally, Al-Rashid appealed to the lawmakers to protect the country and to stop brainwashing the youths. He lamented there seems to be no hope in finding a noble person like HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who resorted to the Public Prosecution when he was insulted by certain parties, amidst the abusive use of constitutional tools among lawmakers.
Al-Rashid also asked MP Musallam Al-Barrak to fear Allah the Almighty, pointing out many countries have been wishing to obtain even just half of the privileges the Kuwaiti nation is currently enjoying. He said the level of democracy, freedom and dignity granted to Kuwaitis are not enjoyed by the people of other democratic countries. He believes the Kuwaiti nation will make its voice heard in the next elections.
Urging the opposition to refrain from using the youths as tools for the realization of its personal objectives, Al-Rashid argued Ahmad Al-Khateeb, who is considered the ‘godfather’ of the opposition, did not submit any grilling request. He criticized the current opposition group for serving personal interests, unlike its predecessors, especially since it has formed the habit of presenting no-confidence motions prior to the submission of grilling requests.
On the other hand, sources said the Public Prosecution will soon ask the legislature to lift the parliamentary immunity of the lawmakers involved in the break-in, such as Al-Barrak, Mubarak Al-Waalan, Jamaan Al-Harbash, Salem Al-Namlan, Falah Al-Sawagh, Faisal Al-Muslim, Daifallah Buramiya and Waleed Al-Tabtabaei.
“The Kuwaiti constitution can no longer accommodate the movement on the street,” said Islamist lawmaker Jamaan al-Harbash, calling for an end to Kuwait’s ban on political parties.
“There must be a system of political parties in Kuwait so that it becomes a democracy that fosters state institutions rather than a clannish, tribal state,” he said.
“At a time when other Arab states are progressing, there is a dangerous regression taking place in Kuwait.”
The invasion of parliament by protesters came after the government and parliament blocked a request by some lawmakers to question Sheikh Nasser, a move opposition lawmakers decried as unconstitutional.
“Unless he steps up to the platform for questioning or resigns, there will be consequences,” Al-Barrak, who has wide popular support and is one of Sheikh Nasser’s most vocal critics.
Barrak says he invited protesters to enter parliament but distanced the opposition movement from the uprisings that have toppled autocratic leaders in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.
“Our spring is completely different. The Arab Spring is directed against the regimes. Our spring is directed against the prime minister and corruption, but we are devoted to the system of governance in Kuwait,” he said.
Pro-government Shi’ite MP Saleh Ashour denounced the opposition for taking its campaign to the streets.
“Political activity must take place under the roof of parliament. We must take notice of what is happening in other Arab states and safeguard the stability and security of our country,” he said.
“Hopes are one thing and political realities something else altogether”.