SPLITS EMERGING IN PARLIAMENT'S 17-MEMBER ISLAMIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 004205

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR WALLER

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2016
TAGS: PGOV KISL KDEM KU ISLAMISTS NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
SUBJECT: SPLITS EMERGING IN PARLIAMENT'S 17-MEMBER ISLAMIC
BLOC

REF: KUWAIT 3826

Classified By: CDA Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C/NF) Summary and comment: Splits within the 17-member
Islamic Bloc have recently surfaced. The tensions are
largely between independent Islamists and those affiliated
with a political association outside Parliament. While the
two groups agree on fundamental issues, they differ over
proposed "grillings" of ministers. According to one Islamist
parliamentarian (MP),these tensions have always existed
within the bloc and are not particularly serious. Another
Islamist MP differed with this view, arguing that the
disagreements were more strident than reported in the press.
Despite their differences, Islamists are likely to remain a
strong, vocal opposition in Parliament. The Islamic Bloc's
adoption of a "majority rules" decision-making system may
increase the influence in Parliament of the Islamic
Constitutional Movement (ICM),the political arm of the
Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood, whose six MPs are all members of
the Islamic Bloc. End summary and comment.

Splits in Islamic Bloc (Re-)Emerge
--------------


2. (C/NF) Splits have emerged recently in the 17-member
Islamic Bloc in Parliament. Although Islamist
parliamentarians (MPs) have publicly denied the reports, they
have privately admitted that there are significant
differences within the bloc over certain issues, primarily
ministerial "grillings." The tensions seem exacerbated in
part by the bloc's recent establishment of an Executive
Bureau, headed by former Minister of Justice Ahmed Al-Baqer,
and adoption of a "majority rules" system, requiring its
members to vote in Parliament with the majority in the bloc.
This is not the first time feuds within the bloc have become
public. In February, local press speculated that Khaled
Al-Adwa, Hussein Mezyid, and former MP Mekhled Al-Azmi might
leave the bloc, a split that never materialized.


3. (C/NF) The rifts surfaced publicly at the beginning of
October when members of the Islamic Constitutional Movement
(ICM),the political arm of the Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood,
threatened to grill Minister of Commerce and Industry Falah
Al-Hajeri over alleged corruption in the Public Authority for
Industry (PAI). (Note: Al-Hajeri, an independent Islamist,
was appointed Commerce Minister after being elected to
Parliament for the first time in June. End note.) MP Khaled
Al-Adwa, an independent Islamist from the same area as
Al-Hajeri, defended the Minister and called on other members
of the Islamic Bloc to give him more time to address their
concerns. ICM MP Jaman Al-Hirbish, who like the other five
ICM MPs in Parliament is a member of the Islamic Bloc, lashed
out at Al-Adwa in statements to the press, accusing him of
"being ignorant and resorting to cheap tricks to please the
minister." Several other Islamic Bloc members similarly
criticized Al-Adwa, saying he had become "a burden," and
threatened to expel him for making public statements on key
issues without coordinating with the bloc in advance.
Al-Adwa reportedly later "apologized" to the bloc for his
statements. (Comment: Some observers have suggested the
ICM's real purpose in grilling the Minister is to force the
Government to replace him with one of their own. End
comment.)

Differences Over Loyalties, Not Issues
--------------


4. (C/NF) ICM MP Dr. Nasser Al-Sane told Poloff October 10
that there have always been tensions in the Islamic Bloc
between independent Islamists and those affiliated with
political associations, which while technically not legal
operate as de facto political parties outside Parliament. He
explained that of the blocs' 17 members, six were from the
ICM, two were from the Salafi Movement, and three were
"close" to these associations, likely a reference to MPs Dr.
Waleed Al-Tabtabaei, Faisal Al-Mislim, and Abdullah Akkash.
Al-Sane said the other six IB members were independents who
did not want to go along with the majority when it ran
counter to their tribal or personal interests, which caused
rifts with the rest of the bloc. He noted, however, that
these MPs were under increasing pressure from their
constituents to be a part of and comply with the bloc. When
local newspapers reported they might be kicked out, they
agreed to accept the majority's position and asked the bloc
to issue statements confirming their membership. The only
cases where the majority opinion is not enforced are
ministerial "grillings" and issues the majority agrees should
be left to the MPs' discretion. An indirect result of this

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decision could be to increase the influence of the ICM within
the bloc and Parliament.


5. (C/NF) In an October 17 meeting, Adel Al-Sarawi, an
independent member of the Islamist Bloc, said the splits were
even more contentious than reported in the press. Echoing
Al-Sane, he attributed the differences to tensions between
independent, tribal Islamists and those affiliated with a
political association outside Parliament, rather than
disagreements over specific policy issues. He explained that
politically-affiliated members came to the bloc's meetings
with pre-determined positions decided by their organization's
leadership, something that frustrated the independent
Islamists. Al-Sarawi said independent Islamists' positions
were sometimes driven by familial or tribal considerations,
such as when a corruption case involved a relative or friend,
further fueling disagreements within the bloc. He also noted
that some members of the bloc or their organizations had
worked against each other during the June elections, creating
tensions that still remained. Al-Sarawi complained that the
bloc was "infiltrated by the Government," claiming some
members reported the contents of meetings to the Government.
He denied that any one group within the bloc was trying to
impose its agenda on the bloc's other members.

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For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s

Visit Kuwait's Classified Website:
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Tueller