Invest in brains, capabilities, get out of the shell of racism

This news has been read 22210 times!

GIVEN that creative people are the most valuable thing a country can have, the competition for scientific pioneership has become the goal of all societies that are striving for progress and development.

It is on this basis that the Saudi royal order was issued to open the door to naturalizing jurists, and medical, scientific, cultural, sports and technical competencies, in order to contribute to promoting development and progress, and to benefit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in various fields.

The first of these decisions was to grant citizenship to a group of scholars in various fields in order to continue rejuvenating and expanding the circle of competition locally and internationally.

Before Saudi Arabia, the UAE had also amended its citizenship law, allowing it to be granted to investors, scientists and doctors, in addition to granting golden residency permits to a large number of foreign talents.

These two countries and many others in the world seek to localize scientific competencies, and attract manpower by granting them citizenship because they see them as an added value to society.

The United States of America annually grants more than 250,000 citizenship. Therefore, it was not a surprise to see during the war for liberation of Kuwait tens of thousands of soldiers who hold American citizenship but are of Asian, Latin American, and Arab origins.

These countries make their progress by opening up to others, and not through isolation in accordance with the Nazi method that made the Aryan race a measure of belonging. Therefore, tens of thousands of university professors and experts who were not of Aryan origin were executed. Millions fled Germany and became the makers of the civilization of the countries in which they settled.

Unfortunately, Kuwait, which was a forerunner in opening up to the world, began to withdraw within itself when sparks of racism raged in an unprecedented manner in the past three decades. Instead of granting citizenship or permanent residency to those who served the country, it took a series of decisions that reflect ignorance, and even hostility towards the national interest.

The latest of such hostility was a ban on the renewal of residency permits for all expatriates over the age of sixty years under the pretext of not having high education certificates.

When the implementation of this decision began, we suddenly discovered the extent of our loss of many experiences. What was even worse was that there are those who look down on those who spent their lives serving this country. It has hence become normal to hear the phrase “Instead of granting him citizenship, give him a few dinars and wish him farewell” from someone or to read in an article, as if the country is full of scientists and experts, and does not need more experienced workforce.

The owners of this chauvinistic thought should see the progress and development that the other Gulf countries have achieved by abandoning their rigidity. This logic is what made about 120,000 people, I mean Bedoun residents, live on the margins, while they are the sons of this country by birth and affiliation. Most of them served or are serving in the police and army, yet the most basic human rights, such as education, medical care and others are denied to them. This issue has become a black mark for Kuwait in the world.

Isn’t preventing a Kuwaiti woman married to a foreigner from granting her nationality to her children who were born, lived and educated in Kuwait and know no other homeland, one of the most unjust laws? Wouldn’t it be more appropriate to grant her husband nationality because it would at least help reduce the rate of spinsterhood in the country?

The time has come to solve all these problems caused by visions based on the logic of racial and ethnic discrimination that the whole world has abandoned. It is time for Kuwait to start preparing for the future and follow the path of the other Gulf countries, and emerge from the darkness of the so-called purity of identity that causes more losses at all levels.

By Ahmed Al-Jarallah
Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times

This news has been read 22210 times!

Back to top button

Advt Blocker Detected

Kindly disable the Ad blocker

Verified by MonsterInsights