Kill rumors by its flames

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FROM 1963, Kuwait has gone through major changes, especially after the harsh and painful experience of the Iraqi invasion.

The most important lesson was the need to fortify the home front and unify ranks to confront any dangerous possibilities that could ravage the region and affect the country. This necessitates strengthening the power of the economy and society, and opening up to others.

However, the parliamentary and ministerial practices unfortunately contradicted ambitions and aspirations, and tended to undermine social and economic security through parliamentary-ministerial mashups, which represented the obstruction of development projects, and the increase of division between the people of Kuwait through the enactment of counterproductive laws.

Therefore, what was considered as reform somehow turned into venom that was injected into the society.

This was evident in the expression of allegiance to the sect and tribe with all impudence at the expense of national affiliation.

With the revolution of social media and press, palliative treatments have become useless, and the fragility of state institutions in the face of opinions issued through these means has become apparent.

As if it were a fateful threat to its existence, it can be said that after six decades of democratic experience with about 20 parliaments and 46 governments, the decision makers have failed to fortify the home front, and reform the society.

In fact, the surprise element was that it became more stringent in the face of some rumors that were broadcasted on social media via accounts either from abroad or under pseudo names, as if they were declaring war against Kuwait.

Nonetheless, what is important is to examine what is published and work to benefit from it, irrespective of whether they are positive or negative. This is what all democratic governments in the world have done, including the Gulf countries, which sought to build and develop without paying attention to those opinions.

Even if there are some that affect its leaders, there is no interest because the goal was and still is societal and developmental progress, without being distracted by skirmishes between parliamentarians and ministers, like the way it happens here.

That is why the scene seemed so painful when a government statement was issued with a police-like tone regarding what was published on social media about corruption without evidence.

It is as if the disease that is widespread in state institutions is not apparent to everyone. That is why the concerned agencies are like those fighting windmills instead of seeking serious reform.

This indicates our retreat from the democratic gains that Kuwait achieved when it declared its Constitution in 1962. When the Council of Ministers tried to stop the so-called rumors in the media, some of them turned out to be true. This is because “There is no smoke without fire”, as the saying goes. Either no work is being done to correct it, or the MPs in some of the national assemblies proceeded to enact legislation that prevented citizens from expressing their opinion.

They themselves reach the point of obscenity in their opinions in the parliament, and undermine the dignity of ministers, which undoubtedly represents a duality of personality.

We are not revealing a secret when we say that the country is full of devastation. This cannot be covered with a fig leaf of oppression. What should be done is that an official spokesman must refute what is published, and the Prime Minister and his ministerial team must work with complete transparency, so that this leads to reforming what has been corrupted over time because of some half-educated people who came by chance to the parliament or the ministry, and continued with their practices that confirm they are not qualified to run a country like Kuwait.

By Ahmed Al-Jarallah

Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times

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