Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KUWAIT2447
2006-06-21 15:20:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:
KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - ELECTIONS: REDISTRICTING,
how-toVZCZCXRO6333 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK DE RUEHKU #2447 1721520 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 211520Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5343 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RHWSMRC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA// IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS KUWAIT 002447
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA,
B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN
LONDON FOR TSOU
PARIS FOR ZEYA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO KDEM PGOV KU MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - ELECTIONS: REDISTRICTING,
CORRUPTION, ALLIANCES
Block Quotes
--------------
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
-- Under the headline "We Want It One" columnist Mr. Nabeel
Al-Fadhel wrote in the conservative Arabic daily Al-Watan: "Local
events make us believe more in the need to reduce the number of
electoral districts. What we hear and see locally makes us even more
determined to call for only one district. We want MPs that would
represent the nation, not just their small districts. We are asking
for one district to avoid going through a period of mistakes where
we would discover that ten or five were wrong and then have to have
another referendum to change from five to one. We need to take a
leap into the future and be proactive... If young people are the
ones who are leading the orange movement, as some people claim, then
let us lower the qualifying age to vote and let all youth decide
whom they want to represent them. It is also time to allow our
brothers in the armed forces to vote. Who is more qualified to vote
on national issues than those who put their lives at risk defending
this country? Some people are asking for ten; others want it five;
we say we want it one to represent one country."
-- In his daily column headlined "Slogan Merchants" Secretary
General of Kuwait's Journalists Association Mr. Faisal Al-Qanai
wrote in the pro-government Arabic daily Al-Seyassah: "The talk
about the spread of vote buying and political financing harms not
only the accused candidates, but it also ruins the image of the
whole country; this is unacceptable. When we talk about vote buying
then presumably there is a buyer and seller. If all the rumors are
correct, then we have amongst us thousands of people who are selling
their votes, and this is something that we can not accept. We are
against this shameful act. However, we do not want to hear baseless
accusations without any proof. Instead, we want to hear clear
agendas and election programs. People do not want food fests after
long speeches full of empty promises. The upcoming National Assembly
must be ready and equipped to serve the needs of the nation, not
become another arena to fight personal battles between MPs at the
cost of national interests."
-- Saud Al-Samaka, a liberal academic and columnist in the daily
moderate Al-Qabas, wrote an article under the headline "Let Us Say
It Again: This Is an Extraordinary Election" where he commented on
speeches at the election campaign of Mr. Ahmed Al-Sa'adoun. Mr.
Al-Samaka said: "Mr. Nasser Al-Sanai began his speech by reassuring
Mr. Al-Sa'adoun that the Islamic Constitutional Movement (Muslim
Brotherhood - ICM) is standing behind him all the way. Mr. Al-Sanai
was not speaking on behalf of all political Muslim groups in Kuwait.
He was only stating the position of his group. This I think is a
good indication. Because when the ICM declares its support to
reformists and people with good intentions, regardless of whether
the movement's ideology agreed with these reformist or not, then
this by itself is an achievement."
-- Conservative Arabic daily Al-Watan published an Op-Ed by Mr.
Hassan Ali Karam carrying the headline "The Stupidity of Liberals"
where he opined: "Perhaps the first and biggest mistake that
liberals have committed today is their coalition with Islamists in
the electoral district battle, and the fight against corruption and
reform. The demands of Islamists have never included a fight
against corruption. But they are now riding this wave with the
liberals after realizing that corruption and reconstruction of the
political system are the two most popular topics in this election.
Since Islamists and especially the Muslim Brotherhood group are
opportunists, they took advantage of the circumstances and adopted
fighting corruption and electoral redistricting as their main goal.
They even put on the orange shawl. Some people might excuse the
liberals for their coalition with the Islamists, based on the
premise that liberals feel a weakness in their public support in
some districts that are predominately controlled by Islamists and
where liberals stand no chance of gaining votes. This might be true,
but the liberal's fatal mistake was handing over the keys for this
election battle to the Islamists."
********************************************* *
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
********************************************* *
TUELLER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA,
B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN
LONDON FOR TSOU
PARIS FOR ZEYA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO KDEM PGOV KU MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - ELECTIONS: REDISTRICTING,
CORRUPTION, ALLIANCES
Block Quotes
--------------
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
-- Under the headline "We Want It One" columnist Mr. Nabeel
Al-Fadhel wrote in the conservative Arabic daily Al-Watan: "Local
events make us believe more in the need to reduce the number of
electoral districts. What we hear and see locally makes us even more
determined to call for only one district. We want MPs that would
represent the nation, not just their small districts. We are asking
for one district to avoid going through a period of mistakes where
we would discover that ten or five were wrong and then have to have
another referendum to change from five to one. We need to take a
leap into the future and be proactive... If young people are the
ones who are leading the orange movement, as some people claim, then
let us lower the qualifying age to vote and let all youth decide
whom they want to represent them. It is also time to allow our
brothers in the armed forces to vote. Who is more qualified to vote
on national issues than those who put their lives at risk defending
this country? Some people are asking for ten; others want it five;
we say we want it one to represent one country."
-- In his daily column headlined "Slogan Merchants" Secretary
General of Kuwait's Journalists Association Mr. Faisal Al-Qanai
wrote in the pro-government Arabic daily Al-Seyassah: "The talk
about the spread of vote buying and political financing harms not
only the accused candidates, but it also ruins the image of the
whole country; this is unacceptable. When we talk about vote buying
then presumably there is a buyer and seller. If all the rumors are
correct, then we have amongst us thousands of people who are selling
their votes, and this is something that we can not accept. We are
against this shameful act. However, we do not want to hear baseless
accusations without any proof. Instead, we want to hear clear
agendas and election programs. People do not want food fests after
long speeches full of empty promises. The upcoming National Assembly
must be ready and equipped to serve the needs of the nation, not
become another arena to fight personal battles between MPs at the
cost of national interests."
-- Saud Al-Samaka, a liberal academic and columnist in the daily
moderate Al-Qabas, wrote an article under the headline "Let Us Say
It Again: This Is an Extraordinary Election" where he commented on
speeches at the election campaign of Mr. Ahmed Al-Sa'adoun. Mr.
Al-Samaka said: "Mr. Nasser Al-Sanai began his speech by reassuring
Mr. Al-Sa'adoun that the Islamic Constitutional Movement (Muslim
Brotherhood - ICM) is standing behind him all the way. Mr. Al-Sanai
was not speaking on behalf of all political Muslim groups in Kuwait.
He was only stating the position of his group. This I think is a
good indication. Because when the ICM declares its support to
reformists and people with good intentions, regardless of whether
the movement's ideology agreed with these reformist or not, then
this by itself is an achievement."
-- Conservative Arabic daily Al-Watan published an Op-Ed by Mr.
Hassan Ali Karam carrying the headline "The Stupidity of Liberals"
where he opined: "Perhaps the first and biggest mistake that
liberals have committed today is their coalition with Islamists in
the electoral district battle, and the fight against corruption and
reform. The demands of Islamists have never included a fight
against corruption. But they are now riding this wave with the
liberals after realizing that corruption and reconstruction of the
political system are the two most popular topics in this election.
Since Islamists and especially the Muslim Brotherhood group are
opportunists, they took advantage of the circumstances and adopted
fighting corruption and electoral redistricting as their main goal.
They even put on the orange shawl. Some people might excuse the
liberals for their coalition with the Islamists, based on the
premise that liberals feel a weakness in their public support in
some districts that are predominately controlled by Islamists and
where liberals stand no chance of gaining votes. This might be true,
but the liberal's fatal mistake was handing over the keys for this
election battle to the Islamists."
********************************************* *
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/
********************************************* *
TUELLER