GRILLING OF JUSTICE MINISTER UNEVENTFUL; PERSONAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000214

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KISL KPAO PINR KU
SUBJECT: GRILLING OF JUSTICE MINISTER UNEVENTFUL; PERSONAL
FEUD LIKELY BEHIND ALLEGATIONS

REF: A. KUWAIT 0036

B. 04 KUWAIT 04219


1. Summary: In what is being described as the most bland
grilling yet, Justice Minister and MP Ahmed Baqer, the only
Salafi in the cabinet, was grilled by liberal MP Jamal
Al-Omar on January 10 for nine hours. Al-Omar is known to
have a personal feud with the Justice Minister and this is
likely to have influenced his decision to grill the minister.
The grilling ended in a fashion similar to the previous
inquiry against Minister of State Sharar, with a
recommendation to initiate a study to look into the alleged
irregularities, this time, at the Public Authority for
Minor's Affairs (PAMA). End Summary.

Grilling Results in Trivial Committee "Investigation"
-------------- --------------


2. The grilling of Justice Minister and MP Ahmed Baqer by
liberal MP Jamal Al-Omar, the fifth in the current National
Assembly which began July 2003, was described as drab and
unconvincing and was also the most poorly attended as most
MPs departed to their offices or a common room to follow the
proceedings on TV. (Note: Justice Minister and MP Ahmed
Baqer, the only Salafi in the cabinet, is one of three
Islamist ministers. The other two Islamists in the cabinet
are Health Minister Dr. Mohammed Al-Jarallah and Minister of
Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Dr. Abdullah Al-Maatouq. End Note.)
At one point, only 12 MPs were present in the session and
most were talking among themselves apparently paying little
attention to the deliberations.


3. The debate lasted over nine hours during which Al-Omar
charged that serious violations in the Public Authority for
Minor's Affairs (PAMA) took place and that the Justice
Minister refused to attest marriage contracts to bidoon
couples (stateless Arabs),allegedly a ploy to get bidoon to
give up their pursuit of Kuwaiti citizenship. Al-Omar
described this as a violation of Islamic teachings and human
rights principles. In his 122 page motion, Al-Omar also
accused Baqer of taking no action against investments that
involved trading in pork and accepting interest -- both
actions are forbidden in Islam -- by the Public Authority for
Minor Affairs (PAMA),which falls under Baqer's ministerial
authority. In his presentation of PAMA's irregularities,
Al-Omar also claimed the public authority cheated some
recipients from funds entitled to them.


4. Baqer defended his position saying the grilling was a
personal attack because most of the accusations took place
before he became Justice Minister. Baqer also defended
himself against the pork allegations saying immediately after
hearing about the matter, a decision was issued by the
cabinet to tighten measures against the entry of pork
products. Baqer challenged Al-Omar in the discussions to
produce any substantiated violations or irregularities
committed by PAMA officials saying the authority had been
praised by the GOK and the independent audit bureau. Baqer
also stated there is no official policy to ban the
attestation of marriage contracts of bidoon couples or
marriages involving bidoons. The grilling ended uneventfully
when 11 MPs called for the formation of a committee by the
Ministry of Justice to investigate the allegations.
(Comment: The decision to investigate the allegations is most
likely a face-saving measure designed to pacify MPs on both
sides of the argument and is unlikely to lead to any
meaningful resolution of the allegations. End Comment.)

Liberals vs. Islamists or Personal Feud?
--------------


5. All three mainstream Sunni Islamic groups supported the
Justice Minister's case. The Sunni Islamic Bloc held a
meeting on January 9 to publicly defend Baqer's "clean
record" as an MP and minister. Despite MP Al-Omar's
accusations, none of the charges gained much traction during
the session. Many observers saw this inquiry as a
tit-for-tat response by liberals to the Islamist's
unrelenting attacks on non-Sunni-Islamist cabinet ministers.



6. (Comment: This grilling more likely rose from a personal
feud between Al-Omar and Baqer. In 2004, Baqer was known to
have accused Al-Omar of corruptly buying his parliamentary
seat. Al-Omar responded to the attack inquiring how Baqer
was ever appointed a minister and saying that he was not even
fit to be a teaboy in a ministry. End Comment)

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