No one but me

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SPECIAL pardon or amnesty is an absolute constitutional right of the head of any state. It has its terms and conditions that are determined by law.

Therefore, the royal decree granted by His Highness the Amir to pardon some of those convicted of misdemeanors and felonies, some of which are related to issues of opinion and expression, and others related to the security of the state, and the confusion surrounding the decree calls for an urgent need for political stability. Therefore, everyone has to abide by the orders of the Amir of the country.

There is no doubt that harsh rulings have been imposed on some who were not included in the amnesty, including those who were sentenced to several years in prison because of Twitter messages they posted under the belief that they were defending Kuwait when attacked by Kuwaiti and non-Kuwaiti personalities who sought to disturb the social and political security for the same need.

However, instead of being honored, the law, which has many observations in this regard, criminalized them. Some of them left the country, while others are currently in prison.

Perhaps, the government should have been fair in dealing with this file, instead of prioritizing criminal convicts over opinion convicts without distinguishing between them, as it is ultimately responsible for drawing up the parameters of the settlement with a parliamentary bloc in this regard.

Irrespective of the outcome, the Amiri decree was aimed to eliminate one of the concerns that had turned out to be a burden on Kuwait. What is required today from the future government to be formed after accepting the resignation of the current one is to close this file so that the Kuwaitis’ joy over the return of all the people of the country to its fold is complete.

Today, a new page is being opened. In order for the country to avoid returning to what it was in the past years, it is necessary to reconsider all the circumstances that led to the emergence of conflict between some members of the ruling family.

At a time when everyone is bound by the constitution and the law, there is a need to stop the hand of those who helped ignite the political fire. This cannot be achieved if there are those who still consider burning of stages as a preferred way to achieve their goals. This undoubtedly weakens the ruling house, divides society, and allows some to dare to violate the national constants.

This should not render us to forget that our misunderstanding of democracy was the motive for an escalation that nearly ravaged the country, especially when some members of the ruling house resorted to seek strength from political and tribal groups, and others against their brothers in the ruling family. It is known that all the disputes in the ruling houses in the world remain within the walls of the royal council, and are handled by the body responsible for its affairs.

This is a common practice in Britain, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, and other European kingdoms, as well as in the Arabian Gulf states. The ruling family council takes measures against anyone who tries to tarnish its image or split its ranks. Sometimes, the matter reaches the extent of imprisonment, and stripping of privileges.

The ruling house is an institution that prepares the right people to assume the leadership and the mandate of the covenant until the seventh person, who has the ability to bear these heavy responsibilities. In this way, it establishes the stability of countries that do not accept the mentality of “no one but me, or else hell breaks loose”.

By Ahmed Al-Jarallah

Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times

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