Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05KUWAIT36
2005-01-04 03:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:  

SHI'A INFORMATION MINISTER RESIGNS AMID SCANDAL;

Tags:  PGOV KISL KPAO PINR KU 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 000036 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/29/2014
TAGS: PGOV KISL KPAO PINR KU
SUBJECT: SHI'A INFORMATION MINISTER RESIGNS AMID SCANDAL;
ISLAMISTS CLAIM VICTORY, BUT LIBERAL OUTRAGE LED TO HIS
OUSTER

REF: A. 04 KUWAIT 4540

B. 04 KUWAIT 1519

C. 04 KUWAIT 0949

Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 000036

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/29/2014
TAGS: PGOV KISL KPAO PINR KU
SUBJECT: SHI'A INFORMATION MINISTER RESIGNS AMID SCANDAL;
ISLAMISTS CLAIM VICTORY, BUT LIBERAL OUTRAGE LED TO HIS
OUSTER

REF: A. 04 KUWAIT 4540

B. 04 KUWAIT 1519

C. 04 KUWAIT 0949

Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b)


1. (C) Summary: Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah accepted, on
January 2, the resignation of Information Minister Mohammed
Abulhassan, preempting what was certain to be a difficult
grilling of Abulhassan during the January 3 session of
Parliament. Although Islamists were preparing to grill the
Information Minister for a number of "moral" shortcomings, it
was a recent and controversial decision by Abulhassan --
which some assert came from the Prime Minister -- to nullify
a Supreme Court ruling calling for the liquidation of the
assets of a prominent Kuwait daily that galvanized many
non-Islamists against him, ultimately leading to his
downfall. This resignation, despite being driven in part by
liberals, is a victory for the Sunni Islamists and highlights
their ability to influence the GOK. Speculation about the
extent of the cabinet reshuffle is growing as press contacts
also shared unconfirmed rumors reporting the acceptance of
Finance Minister Mahmoud Al-Nouri's resignation -- Al-Nouri
tendered his resignation in early 2004, however, it was never
accepted by Shaykh Sabah. Social Affairs and Labor Minister
Faisal Al-Hajji will temporarily assume the Information
Ministry portfolio. End Summary.

A Political Win for the Islamists
--------------


2. (SBU) Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah accepted the resignation
of Information Minister Mohammed Abulhassan on January 2.
Abulhassan wrote in his resignation letter that he was
stepping down to end political infighting and to preserve
national unity. In resigning, Abulhassan has avoided what
was certain to be a damaging grilling for the PM's cabinet
and a possible upsurge in sectarian arguments -- something PM
Shaykh Sabah was keen to avoid. News dailies and pundits, of
all political stripes, including some who previously called
for the Minister's resignation, hailed the decision as
"courageous" and a "brave step," arguing his departure
removed a point of contention from Islamists and liberals

alike. Social Affairs and Labor Minister Faisal Al-Hajji is
expected to act as the interim Information Minister until a
permanent replacement is made.


3. (SBU) Although it was not the rhetorical attacks from
Islamists that finally led to Abulhassan's resignation, his
stepping down is clearly seen as a victory for the Islamic
bloc. Several Salafi Islamist MPs have been colluding to
grill Abulhassan, a liberal and the only Shi'a in the
Cabinet, since he assumed his post in the summer of 2003 (ref
B). Their efforts, mostly along sectarian lines, increased
after a series of television programs such as 'Star Academy'
and 'Super Star' were aired, reaching a fever pitch after a
May 2004 music concert in Kuwait featuring celebrities from
the Star Academy program. (Note: After extensive Islamist
pressure in 2004, the Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs
drafted new concert regulations which prohibit vulgar
language at concerts, bar women and men from mixing, and
prevent female musicians from singing in front of men and
from wearing "indecent" clothes. Additionally, the Ministry
of Information on January 1, 2005 issued a decree banning
live concerts in all hotels in Kuwait. Prior to the decree,
hotel venues were seen as a way to bypass the Islamist
concert prohibitions. End Note.)


4. (SBU) The most recent controversy surrounding the
Information Minister was his decision to ban local hotels
from holding New Year's celebrations, a clear concession to
the Islamists which came under fire from moderates and
liberals. (Note: Although GOK offices are closed on New
Year's day, public celebrations on New Year's eve are not
publicly acceptable. Most parties held by Kuwaitis and
expats are private functions designed to draw neither public
attention nor criticism. End Note.) In the press, some
Kuwaiti liberals have accused the GOK of making "secret deals
with the Islamists at the cost of freedoms guaranteed by the
Kuwaiti constitution."

Abulhassan's Fatal Misstep...
--------------


5. (SBU) What was anticipated to be a feckless grilling of
the Information Minister by Islamists quickly turned into a
genuine imbroglio that led directly to Abulhassan's decision
to step down. The Minister's late 2004 decision to nullify a
Court of Cassation -- Kuwait's Supreme Court -- ruling
regarding the ownership of a Kuwait newspaper provoked
widespread outrage, especially among moderate and liberal
MPs. The controversial decision led to a lawsuit against the
Information Minister for his decision to overrule the Supreme
Court's judgment calling for liquidating the assets of the
publishing house of prominent Kuwait daily "Al-Rai Al-Aam."
The Minister's decision prevented the liquidation of the
company, which is required under Kuwaiti law in light of
ownership disputes between majority shareholder,
editor-in-chief Jassem Boodai, and the company's minority
shareholders.


6. (SBU) The Council of Ministers reportedly froze the
Information Minister's controversial decision, however, the
move by Abulhassan netted him many non-Islamist detractors
only weeks before his Parliamentary grilling was scheduled to
take place. Many non-Islamists, including prominent
liberals, spoke out against Abulhassan's actions. Because of
the scandal, there were likely to be enough MPs to call for a
vote of no-confidence and oust the minister. A number of
MPs, who had been prepared to defend Abulhassan from the
Islamist charges of "moral" corruption, shifted their stance
against him because of his decision.

...May Have Been PM's Mistake
--------------


7. (C) A senior contact at Al-Rai Al-Aam informed the Embassy
that PM Shaykh Sabah insisted that the paper remain
controlled by his close friend Jassem Boodai. The contact
regarded this information as well-known and also said that
the PM was growing tired of Abulhassan. (Comment: While we
cannot confirm Shaykh Sabah's role in this matter, many
Kuwaitis do believe, as PolOff was reminded by several
contacts during a January 3 visit to the National Assembly,
that the Information Minister would never have taken the
decision on his own to nullify a supreme court ruling and
that it was indeed directed by PM Shaykh Sabah. This belief
is feeding rumors throughout Kuwait that Shaykh Sabah
accepted Abulhassan's resignation to protect himself from his
own mistake. End Comment.)

Finance Minister Out and Other Rumors
--------------


8. (C) The turmoil caused by the Information Minister's
latest actions may have opened the door for other ministerial
changes. Press contacts claim, although we are unable to
confirm, that Finance Minister Mahmoud Al-Nouri's resignation
has also been accepted. Al-Nouri, after his grilling in
March 2004, reportedly tendered his resignation to PM Shaykh
Sabah, who refused to accept it. Al-Nouri, who narrowly
escaped being ousted (ref C),is very ill and Embassy
contacts report that he has wanted to step down for health
reasons, but has been unable to because of Shaykh Sabah's
request that he stay on.


9. (C) Word is also already spreading regarding the extent of
the possible cabinet changes. Some Embassy contacts expect
up to five ministers to be replaced in a reshuffle, including
Education Minister Dr. Rashid Al-Hamad. Another contact
mentioned three names as possible replacements for
Abulhassan: the PM's media advisor Sami Al-Nisf, Journalist
and university professor Dr. Anas Al-Rashid, and Secretary
General of the Kuwait Journalists Association Faisal
Al-Qinaei. Some news dailies have further speculated that
Shaykh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah, a young, but
influential ruling-family member (ref A) and prominent
Kuwaiti intellectual and Professor of sociology Dr. Mohammed
Al-Rumaihi are also on the short-list for elevation to
cabinet posts.

Comment
--------------


10. (C) Shaykh Sabah, in allowing his Information Minister to
resign, most likely concluded that Abulhassan was
irredeemable. Even if he could have saved the Information
Minister from an almost certain vote of no-confidence, he is
likely to have determined that it would have cost too much
political capital to do so. Additionally, Abulhassan was his
only Shi'a Minister, and as such was under constant siege
from the Islamists, thereby drawing much unwanted attention
to all of his activities. The PM's decision to accept the
resignation may also be an indicator that he is tiring of the
unyielding efforts by the National Assembly to grill his
ministers.


11. (C) Even though it was liberal outrage -- outrage
possibly caused by the PM and not his minister --- that
clinched Abulhassan's political demise, Islamists are likely
to be emboldened to pursue an even greater social agenda as a
result. There is much speculation that Sabah Al-Ahmed also
feared that this grilling would lead to great sectarian
upheaval and chose to accept Abulhassan's resignation rather
than face a firestorm from Islamists and liberals in
Parliament, as well as avoiding a surge of arguments along
sectarian lines. Although many regard this resignation as
good for the country, it clearly must be viewed as a
political victory for the Islamists and it is unlikely that
the next information minister, unless an Islamist himself,
will escape the attacks of the conservative Islamists in
Parliament.

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