TFKU01: IRAQI BEHAVIOR IN KUWAIT

UNCLAS MANAMA 04053 USIS USIA FOR NEA - EBERNIER E.O. 12356: N/A TAGS: PREL US IZ SUBJECT: TFKU01: IRAQI BEHAVIOR IN KUWAIT REF: STATE 272842 ¶1. SUMMARY: PEOPLE FLEEING FROM KUWAIT WERE INTERVIEWED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF LOCAL PRESS, BOTH IN BAHRAIN AND AT SAUDI-KUWAITI BORDERS. THOSE INTERVIEWED TALKED OF INHUMAN BEHAVIOR BY IRAQI TROOPS INCLUDING RAPES, THEFT AND TORTURE. THESE INTERVIEWS, AS WELL AS WIRE REPORTS, ON THE SAME SUBJECT, RECEIVED PROMINENT PLACEMENTS IN LOCAL PRESS. FOLLOWING IS SUMMARY OF PRESS TREATMENT ON THIS ISSUE. FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS WILL FOLLOW SEPTEL: - ¶2. SEMI OFFICIAL ARABIC DAILY, AKHBAR AL-KHALIJ, AUGUST 21 PROMINENTLY FRONTPAGED "KUWAITI PROFESSOR: IRAQI FORCES DESTROY THE HOUSES OF THE KUWAITIS." THE HEADLINE WAS FOLLOWED BY AN 'AP' REPORT OF AN INTERVIEW WITH A KUWAITI PROFESSOR WHO ESCAPED FROM KUWAIT. THE MAN REFUSED TO BE NAMED AS HE HAD LEFT HIS FAMILY MEMBERS BEHIND AND FEARED FOR THEIR SAFETY. THE PROFESSOR STATED THAT "IRAQI FORCES OPENED FIRE ON AN UNARMED DEMONSTRATION IN KUWAIT AND KILLED THREE GIRLS AND A 19-YEAR OLD BOY." HE ADDED: "IN ITS ENCOUNTER BY KUWAITI RESISTANCE FORCES, THE INVADING ARMY DESTROYED MANY KUWAITI HOMES." THE NEWSPAPER ALSO PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING REPORTS: -- AN INTERVIEW WITH A BRITISH FAMILY WHO FLED FROM KUWAIT, MS. KAREN DUCAL (TRANSLATION) WHO WAS A SINGER AT KUWAIT'S HOLIDAY INN SAID, "WE SAW IRAQI SOLDIERS REMOVING TIRES FROM KUWAITI CARS AND LOADING THEM IN A LARGE IRAQI TRUCK AND SENDING THEM TO BAGHDAD." SHE ADDED "WE HEARD A RUMOR THAT A BRITISH AND A GERMAN STEWARDESS WERE RAPED BY IRAQI FORCES." -- KUWAITI NEWSPAPER, AL-QABAS AL-DEWALI, PRINTED IN LONDON SAID THAT "EYE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT WHAT IS CALLED 'THE IRAQI POPULAR ARMY' USED TRUCKS TO MOVE STOLEN FURNITURE AND EXPENSIVE CARPETS TO BAGHDAD. THEY ALSO SAID IRAQI FORCES INVADED THE RESIDENCE OF THE NURSES IN AL-RUQEI (IN KUWAIT) AND RAPED 35 EGYPTIAN STEWARDESSES." - ¶3. ENGLISH LANGUAGE, GULF DAILY NEWS, AUGUST 21 PUBLISHED "TERRORIZED COUPLE DESCRIBE ORDEAL," FOLLOWED BY AN INTERVIEW WITH "TRANSPLANT SURGEON ARTHUR WHITE AND HIS KOREAN WIFE CHOI, DESCRIBING THEIR HORRIFIC ORDEAL AT THE HANDS OF IRAQI SOLDIERS." THEY SAID "THEIR HOME NEAR KUWAITI PORT WAS THE CENTER OF THE TROOPS MOVEMENT. 'THE FIRST TIME THEY KNOCKED, I COULD SEE THE SOLDIERS' LEGS AND GUNS THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE DOOR, SO I RAN AND HID UNDER A MATTRESS,' SAID 29- YEAR OLD CHOI. THE COUPLE MANAGED TO LEAVE THEIR FLAT, BUT ON A RETURN VISIT TO PICK UP THEIR BELONGINGS, THE FORMER KUWAITI AIRWAYS STEWARDESS WAS TERRORIZED BY AN IRAQI CAPTAIN. MR. WHITE SAID: 'HE ASKED ME ABOUT MY WIFE AND SAID: I WILL GIVE YOU WHISKEY AND BEER FOR HER. I TOLD HIM SHE WAS MY WIFE, AND HE EASED OFF. IT WAS FRIGHTENING AND DISTRESSING. WE WERE VERY LUCKY TO ESCAPE." ROBERTS