SATELLITE TV ATTACK ON KUWAIT,S TRIBALS PROMPTS BACKLASH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001204

SIPDIS

NEA/ARP, NEA/RA, S/CT, AND INL/PC

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/22/2019
TAGS: PREL PTER PINR PGOV KU
SUBJECT: SATELLITE TV ATTACK ON KUWAIT,S TRIBALS PROMPTS
BACKLASH

REF: A. KUWAIT 1195

B. KUWAIT 1181

C. KUWAIT 1154

D. KUWAIT 244

Classified By: Acting Political Counselor Tom Rosenberger for reasons 1
.4 b and d

Summary
--------------


1. (C) In an apparent attempt to exploit the GoK's recent
spate of widely-perceived victories over parliamentary
Islamists and tribalists (refs A, B),former parliamentary
candidate and liberal urbanite Mohammed Al-Juwaihel launched
on December 18 a scathing media attack against Kuwaitis of
tribal origin via his new Al-Sour satellite channel. His
denigration of tribal figures -- many by name -- on Al-Sour
(Arabic - "the wall" -- aptly named to reflect what many of
the urbanite "hadhar" (Arabic - "settled") Kuwaitis view as
the class divide in Kuwaiti society between merchant and
bedouin),agitated Islamists and tribalists and prompted
rallies of support for those tribalist MPs who only recently
had failed in their efforts to secure a vote of
non-cooperation against the PM. On the receiving end of
death threats from enraged tribals, and now a warrant for his
arrest from the government, Al-Juwaihel has fled the country,
reportedly to the UAE. End summary.

Tripping Over the Class Divide
--------------


2. (C) Seeking to speak on behalf of the Kuwaiti hadhar,
Al-Juwaihel's December 18 diatribe hurled unprecedented
invective against tribes (the powerful Al-Mutairi) and
tribalist MPs, notably Minister of Interior griller Musallam
Al-Barrak (ref C). These insults castigated tribalists and
their followers as "dogs, unpatriotic, inconsequential, and
sexually ambiguous." The predictable response was that
thousands of Kuwaitis, including a number of prominent hadhar
MPs, rallied to show their support for the injured parties
(note: a large rally planned for the 21st evening was
postponed out of consideration for a highly anticipated local
soccer match between Barcelona and a Kuwaiti club). Tribal
MPs took the opportunity to renew calls to grill the PM, and
Ministers of Interior and Communications over Al-Juwaihel's
alleged abuse of Kuwait's press laws.

Conspiracies Abound
--------------


3. (C) Political scientist and liberal columnist Dr. Ali
Al-Zo'bi told poloff on December 22 that the Al-Juwaihel
affair would backfire against those trying to exploit
Kuwait's societal divide. Al-Juwaihel, he said, is a known
abuser of alcohol and drugs, and was "not capable mentally,
socially, financially, or politically" of independently
confronting the tribalists. Al-Zo'bi, like many other
Kuwaitis, consequently concludes Al-Juwaihel was put up to
the job by others -- and the conspiracy of choice points to
elements within the ruling Al Sabah family seeking to create
a crisis to diminish the PM (the latter riding high after his
successful handling of a closed parliamentary grilling
December 8). Unfortunately, while Al-Zo'bi believes the
attack on tribalists was intended to be more subtle in order
to accentuate societal differences, Al-Juwaihel botched the
job and used over-the-top language that far from dividing
society left even liberals to side with the aggrieved
tribalists. In the heat of the moment, some tribalists
suggested a possible need for a "tribal intifada" and at
least one independent MP urged concerned citizens to march on
the Ministry of Interior to protest Al-Juwaihel's efforts to
"disrupt Kuwaiti unity." However, as it has become clearer
that no one was prepared to defend Al-Juwaihel, tempers have
cooled, soothed also in part by Kuwait's Council of Ministers
calling for stiffer penalties for those who tamper with
national unity.

Restoring Order
--------------


4. (C) While the rhetoric emanating from the GoK has
somewhat mollified agitated tribalists, the government took a
big step forward December 22 by issuing a warrant for
Al-Juwaihel's arrest (in absentia -- he fled the country the
previous day, reportedly to the UAE) -- a move that signals
the GoK is prepared to take decisive action in this case
commensurate with actions previously taken against
outspoken Islamists and tribalists. This balanced approach

KUWAIT 00001204 002 OF 002


will likely further ease tensions, although tribalist MPs now
have a new and fresh issue for which to attack the government
-- and to demand further restrictions and penalties for
exercise of free speech, something that will help advance
their broader political agenda. Having reportedly had his
satellite channel dropped by Nilesat (perhaps as a result of
strong GoK pressure),Al-Juwaihel has allegedly moved Al-Sour
to Hotbird, a satellite largely inaccessible in Kuwait. End
note.)


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For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit:
visit Kuwait's Classified Website at:

http://www.intelink.sgov.gov/wiki/Portal:Kuwa it
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WILLIAMS