Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KUWAIT2448
2006-06-22 18:16:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kuwait
Cable title:
KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - ELECTIONS: ELECTORAL DISTRICTS,
how-toVZCZCXRO7767 OO RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK DE RUEHKU #2448 1731816 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 221816Z JUN 06 FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5344 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RHWSMRC/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA// IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS KUWAIT 002448
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: ELECTORAL DISTRICTS,
WOMEN IN THE PARLIAMENT, ORGANIZED WORK, HOW TO CHOOSE
Block Quotes
--------------
Thursday, June 22, 2006
-- Under the headline "Hallucinating General," columnist Mr. Nabeel
Al-Fadhel wrote in conservative Arabic daily Al-Watan: "If many
former MPs were re-elected in the upcoming formation of the national
assembly, then this would be an indication that women's votes were
useless and ineffective. In that case, the opinion of Islamists who
were opposed to women's political participation, and who maintained
that women should not play a role in politics would be right. To
those who are in favor of this opinion we say: 'we have faith in the
wisdom and strong character of Kuwaiti women. We are confident that
their ability to make the right choice is far superior to that of
Kuwaiti men.' We are expecting women's votes to make the faces of
those who opposed her political freedom disappear from the national
assembly. Women will leave their fingerprint on this election.
June 29 will be the decisive measure of who was right or who was
wrong."
-- Conservative Arabic daily Al-Qabas published an Op-Ed by Mr.
Hamed Al-Hmoud, under the headline "Why do Kuwaitis want to reduce
the number of electoral districts?" Mr. Al-Hmoud opined, "The
current division of electoral districts ought to be taught at
universities on how to utilize democracy to fight democratic values.
Despite the fact that Kuwaitis in general enjoy a good life and
have one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, Kuwait
still suffers from hidden ethnic and tribal loyalties that become
vivid only during elections. These tribal, clan, family, and ethnic
divisions are re-enforced by the current political process. The
system has been set up to undermine any national or patriotic
sentiments among people. The aim of these divisions is to
strengthen tribal, clan, or family loyalties in small communities,
and weaken any collective feelings of a national identity. As proof
of this, we witnessed that 5 of the 25 districts have already
decided on who is going to win seats in these districts; the
decision has been reached even before Election Day."
-- Dr. Wael Al-Hasawi, a Shiite political activist and a columnist
in independent Arabic daily Al-Rai Al-Aam questioned how people
should chose the right candidate on Election Day. With the headline
"Tell me whom to chose?!" Dr. Al-Hasawi concluded, "We believe that
the ideal measure should be the candidate's religious commitment and
ethical conduct. These character norms will prevail on Election
Day. Many people these days are making claims that they are
righteous individuals. However, when making a choice we must take
into consideration character measures and evaluate the candidate's
behavior at home and work as well as how he or she treats people in
addition to whether or not they were honest and refused to be
involved in vote buying. How committed are they to their religion?"
-- In a commentary titled "The Beginning of Organized Work," that
appeared in the moderate Arabic daily Al-Qabas Dr. Abdul Mohsen
Yousef Jamal observed, "I see that political participation in Kuwait
has begun to take the form of organized work. This new development
is evident in the slogans and colors.... This is the first time
that Kuwait has witnessed young men and women carrying orange
symbols and banners with pride, and going door to door in Kuwait's
districts collecting votes for their candidates. These candidates
come from every walk of life. They are Sunnis and Shiites, rural
and urban. This is a novel phenomenon in Kuwait that we should
study and analyze."
********************************************* *
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: ELECTORAL DISTRICTS,
WOMEN IN THE PARLIAMENT, ORGANIZED WORK, HOW TO CHOOSE
Block Quotes
--------------
Thursday, June 22, 2006
-- Under the headline "Hallucinating General," columnist Mr. Nabeel
Al-Fadhel wrote in conservative Arabic daily Al-Watan: "If many
former MPs were re-elected in the upcoming formation of the national
assembly, then this would be an indication that women's votes were
useless and ineffective. In that case, the opinion of Islamists who
were opposed to women's political participation, and who maintained
that women should not play a role in politics would be right. To
those who are in favor of this opinion we say: 'we have faith in the
wisdom and strong character of Kuwaiti women. We are confident that
their ability to make the right choice is far superior to that of
Kuwaiti men.' We are expecting women's votes to make the faces of
those who opposed her political freedom disappear from the national
assembly. Women will leave their fingerprint on this election.
June 29 will be the decisive measure of who was right or who was
wrong."
-- Conservative Arabic daily Al-Qabas published an Op-Ed by Mr.
Hamed Al-Hmoud, under the headline "Why do Kuwaitis want to reduce
the number of electoral districts?" Mr. Al-Hmoud opined, "The
current division of electoral districts ought to be taught at
universities on how to utilize democracy to fight democratic values.
Despite the fact that Kuwaitis in general enjoy a good life and
have one of the highest per capita incomes in the world, Kuwait
still suffers from hidden ethnic and tribal loyalties that become
vivid only during elections. These tribal, clan, family, and ethnic
divisions are re-enforced by the current political process. The
system has been set up to undermine any national or patriotic
sentiments among people. The aim of these divisions is to
strengthen tribal, clan, or family loyalties in small communities,
and weaken any collective feelings of a national identity. As proof
of this, we witnessed that 5 of the 25 districts have already
decided on who is going to win seats in these districts; the
decision has been reached even before Election Day."
-- Dr. Wael Al-Hasawi, a Shiite political activist and a columnist
in independent Arabic daily Al-Rai Al-Aam questioned how people
should chose the right candidate on Election Day. With the headline
"Tell me whom to chose?!" Dr. Al-Hasawi concluded, "We believe that
the ideal measure should be the candidate's religious commitment and
ethical conduct. These character norms will prevail on Election
Day. Many people these days are making claims that they are
righteous individuals. However, when making a choice we must take
into consideration character measures and evaluate the candidate's
behavior at home and work as well as how he or she treats people in
addition to whether or not they were honest and refused to be
involved in vote buying. How committed are they to their religion?"
-- In a commentary titled "The Beginning of Organized Work," that
appeared in the moderate Arabic daily Al-Qabas Dr. Abdul Mohsen
Yousef Jamal observed, "I see that political participation in Kuwait
has begun to take the form of organized work. This new development
is evident in the slogans and colors.... This is the first time
that Kuwait has witnessed young men and women carrying orange
symbols and banners with pride, and going door to door in Kuwait's
districts collecting votes for their candidates. These candidates
come from every walk of life. They are Sunnis and Shiites, rural
and urban. This is a novel phenomenon in Kuwait that we should
study and analyze."
********************************************* *
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