BAH HUMBUG! SALAFI MP SLAMS CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR

UNCLAS KUWAIT 004687

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV KISL KIRF KU ISLAMISTS
SUBJECT: BAH HUMBUG! SALAFI MP SLAMS CHRISTMAS PARTY FOR
ORPHANS

REF: 04 KUWAIT 4552


1. (U) Salafi MP Waleed Al-Tabtabaei sent a formal question
to the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor complaining about
the "irresponsible violations" that occurred when an American
army delegation delivered toys to an orphanage run by the
Ministry on December 10, reported the Arabic daily Al-Rai.
Gifts are distributed every year, according to the article,
but this year the Arab Muslim female supervisor of the
GOK-funded orphanage hung "Merry Christmas" signs and
pictures of Santa Claus on the walls in addition to giving
out flowers that had Santa Claus' picture and "Merry
Christmas" cards attached. The orphanage supervisor wrote a
speech for the American delegation and had one of the orphans
read it. According to the newspaper's account Tabtabaei
complained that the speech was filled with Christian
expressions, "with our respect to them of course," such as
"God bless you," which along with the lighted candles made
the room resemble a church.


2. (U) Several Kuwaitis responded to news of Tabtabaei's
complaint. A liberal Kuwaiti wrote in the Al-Qabas daily
that "Merry Christmas should be said with a loud voice to all
our Christian brothers without fear of MPs who lack the
spirit of tolerance. Merry Christmas to each senior officer
and junior soldier in the American and British armies and
other secular Christians who came 15 years ago to liberate
our country from the Iraqi occupation." Mohammad Baqer
Al-Mohri, Kuwait's most prominent Shi'a cleric, released a
press statement praising the prophet Jesus and saying there
was no reason not to wish Christians well on Christmas.
Several days ago, Mohri publicly criticized Tabtabaei for
anti-Shi'a remarks about events in Iraq.


3. (SBU) Comment: Each year at Christmas time there are
complaints from extremist Muslims about Christmas displays in
stores and warnings against wishing "Merry Christmas" to
people. In recent years, popular pressure led some stores to
remove public Christmas displays or Christmas trees for sale
(see reftel). This year, however, anti-Christmas sentiment
has been muted and Kuwaiti malls and stores have displayed
Christmas-related displays without problems. End Comment.


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