KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION: DEMISE OF THE AMIR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 000124 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN USAID/ANE/MEA LONDON FOR TSOU PARIS FOR ZEYA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KPAO PREL KDEM IZ KMDR KU SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION: DEMISE OF THE AMIR ¶1. Summary: The death of the Amir dominated all daily newspapers in Kuwaiti today. The Embassy's message of condolence was reprinted in all English and Arabic dailies. Al-Qabas, one of the five major Arabic language newspapers distributed today's edition free of charge, with the trademark blue logo appearing in black and white in honor of the occasion. Photos of the Amir during his life, the burial procession, and people's reactions during the ceremony, filled the pages of all the papers. The newspapers published condolences offered by individuals, families, associations, banks, television stations, law offices, embassies, firms, public authorities, charities, restaurants, and private firms. Headlines announced the cancellation of the celebrations of National Day and Liberation Day as the nation fell into a state of deep mourning. Editorial commentary contained poignant expresses of loss, written mostly by editors-in-chief. End Summary. Selected Headlines -------------- ¶2. Monday, January 16, 2006 -- Al-Qabas front page "Kuwait bid farewell to Jaber and pledged allegiance to Al-Saad as Amir" -- Al-Qabas p. 6 "Kuwait bid farewell to Jaber Al Khair" [Translation: "Supporter of Virtue]; "Shaykh Saad is Amir" -- Al-Qabas p. 8 "Kuwait cries over Jaber Al-Ahmed, the Amir and the founder of its triumph" -- Al-Qabas p. 11 "The memory of Jaber Al Khair [Supporter of Virtue] remains after his death" -- Al-Qabas p. 13 "Al-Kharafi: We will carry on the path of our departed Amir's directions and will stand as one behind our government and constitution" -- Al-Qabas p. 14 "Saad Al-Abdullah is the 14th Amir of Kuwait" -- Al-Qabas p. 15 "Al-Shamlan: His touch is apparent in supporting scientists and scientific research" -- Al-Qabas p. 18 "Sadness overwhelms Kuwait University" -- Al-Qabas p. 24 "Academics: The departed Amir's path shines with achievements" -- Al-Qabas p. 108 "Kuwaiti women: We shall not forget the advocate for women and the one who ratified their rights" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam front page "Shaykh Saad Amir.Al-Kharafi assures the unity of Kuwait" 
 -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 18 "Kuwait cried over its Jaber" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 19 "Crying, tears, and drops of mist. Time to bid farewell" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 22 "Council of Ministers announces His Highness Shaykh Saad as Amir of the State; Council of Ministers mourned the Amir Shaykh Jaber Al-Ahmed" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 125 "Kuwait University: We need millions of pages written with blood to come close to describing our pain of losing His Highness the Amir" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 129 "He bore the burden of a country until he returned Kuwait to its people" -- Al-Rai Al-Aam p. 134 "Women mourn Jaber Al Khair and remember his hands helping women and building the modern prosperity" -- Al-Watan front page "God Bless you and we mourn" -- Al-Watan p. 4 "Saad of Kuwait bid farewell to Jaber of Kuwait, the ruler of the country for 28 years and 14 days" KUWAIT 00000124 002 OF 003 -- Al-Watan p. 8 "Arab and Muslim leaders shared Kuwait's sorrow for its great loss" -- Al-Watan p. 15 "The representatives of the people sadly mourn `Jaber the man'" -- Al-Watan p. 155 "The body has died but the soul remains" -- Al-Seyassah front page "News of a death of this magnitude deserves all this sorrow" -- Al-Seyassah p. 2 "Saad Al-Abdullah the 14th Amir of Kuwait" -- Al-Seyassah p. 16 "World leaders: Jaber Al-Ahmed is a leader and a wise man who dedicated his life to serving his people and humankind as a whole" -- Al-Seyassah p. 20 "Citizens: What words could express our sorrow over the death of our father?" -- Al-Seyassah p. 31 "Syndicates: He left us comfortable that Kuwait has become a cultural beacon" -- Al-Seyassah p. 52 "Academics: Prince of wisdom led Kuwait's ship peacefully through rough seas" Block Quotes -------------- ¶3. Monday, January 16, 2006 -- Al-Qabas daily Arabic newspaper editorialized on the front page under the title "God save Kuwait": "Yesterday Kuwaitis walked behind the coffin of His Highness the Amir Shaykh Jaber Al-Ahmed crying over their leader who ruled for three decades. At the same time, Kuwait was praying for God to save its Amir His Highness Shaykh Saad Al-Abdullah Al- Salem Al-Sabah in order to carry on. God bless our departed Amir Jaber Al-Ahmed and help our Amir Saad Al-Abdullah and our Prime Minister Sabah Al-Ahmed and may our country remain safe, stable, and prosperous." -- Jasem Boodai, the editor-in-chief of Al-Rai Al-Aam daily newspaper wrote on the front page under the title "Peace be upon you Amir": "When one writes about Jaber Al-Ahmed one cannot use ink, rather one uses tears. With loyalty, sadness, and a feeling of being orphaned one writes about a photo on Kuwait's walls drawn, the details of which have been compiled by daily events that entail pride, greatness, and pain. And how could one write about Jaber Al Khair to start with, in which language, and in what manner?" -- Al-Watan staff wrote on the front page under the title "We are sad for your departure": "Did the prince of hearts really depart? Is it true that we woke up for the first time since 1977 to find Shaykh Jaber not amongst us? Did that big heart really stop beating after 79 years of loving Kuwait, its people, and working for them? Did the prince of hearts depart? Yes, death is a right and every soul shall taste death but the great ones although they depart with their bodies they never leave our minds, our hearts, or our memories. They stay within us with their wonderful memory." -- Ahmed Al-Baghdady wrote in the pro-government daily Al- Seyassah under the title "And the father for rights and forgiveness has gone". "His era, God bless him and forgive him and make heaven his home, was one of chaos opposite to that of his calm nature. His era witnessed what Kuwait never witnessed in its ancient or modern history, be it the assassination attempt on him or the invasion by Iraq. His Highness has gone to the final resting place after leaving behind him a stable state and a safe society despite all the political storms that have hit the country." -- Faisal Al-Qanaei wrote in the pro-government daily Al- Seyassah under the title "A day for the hearts to mourn": "It is a sad day in Kuwait's history, a heavy day on the hearts of Kuwaitis, and a day unlike other days that has no color. How does Kuwait awake without Jaber Al-Ahmed!! How do we go through a day when the leader and father, the Amir leaves Dasman Palace never to return!! We loved, as KUWAIT 00000124 003.2 OF 003 Kuwaitis, our ruler Jaber Al-Ahmed, the man, and he loved us back with a greater love. We must return the favor to Jaber Al-Ahmed by sticking together as members of one Kuwaiti family in the face of this great loss, and to be supportive to the ruling family in all of its decisions." -- Dr. Shamlan Al-Eisa wrote in the pro-government daily Al- Seyassah under the title "Jaber's departure": "With the death of Kuwait's Amir Jaber the country lost a fine statesman who played an exceptional role during his reign which extended for more than a quarter of a century. We did not only lose Jaber as a ruler, but as a human who excelled beyond his counterparts of Arab rulers with his humility and the simplicity of his life. He excelled with his great achievements domestically and internationally. He preferred to work quietly and not boast of his own accomplishments. We all remember how he was kind and did not want to make a display of Kuwait's aid to Arab, Muslim, and Third World countries in general. Our heartfelt condolences to Al-Sabah family and we especially make our offering to the siblings and offspring of the departed as we offer our condolences to the Kuwaiti people and the Arab nation for losing a great Arab leader." LEBARON