Kuwait: Cabinet Ministers Resign
March 31st, 2011 by Alec
Kuwait’s cabinet submitted its resignation on Thursday in order to avoid a questioning session from parliament members. Members of the parliament had asked to question three ministers, all of whom are members of the ruling al-Sabah family. In Kuwaiti politics, parliamentary questioning of ministers has triggered several cabinet reshuffles and is seen as a direct challenge to the individual minister and the ruling Emir Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah. Cabinet Member Roudhan al-Roudhan said the cabinet made its decision following recent local developments, “and their relevant negative aftershocks on the country’s national unity, security, and stability.” Kuwait recently experienced clashes between protesters and security forces where most of the protesters were longtime resident non-citizens demanding greater rights. Kuwait is believed to have 100,000 non-citizen residents.
Posted in Kuwait | Comment »
McCall Returns from Trip to Middle East
March 29th, 2011 by Naureen
Dawn McCall, State Department’s Bureau of International Information Programs Coordinator, concluded a trip to the Middle East during which she met with media and telecommunications industry executives and journalists as well as senior Embassy officials to discuss media trends and audience usage patterns in today’s changing media environment. McCall traveled to the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq.
Posted in Diplomacy, Iraq, Journalism, Kuwait, Middle Eastern Media, Qatar, UAE | Comment »
Bahrain: Government Denies Kuwaiti Mediation Role
March 28th, 2011 by Alec
Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa has denied reports that the country had agreed to let Kuwait mediate an agreement with protesters and the opposition. On Sunday, news reports indicated that Kuwait had offered to mediate the crisis and that Bahrain’s main Shia opposition party, al-Wefaq , had agreed.
Posted in Bahrain, Diplomacy, Kuwait, Protests | Comment »
The Guardian’s Map of the Arab Spring
March 22nd, 2011 by Kyle
Click on image for hyperlink.
Posted in Algeria, Bahrain, Democracy Promotion, Egypt, Events, Human Rights, Iran, Iraq, Islam and Democracy, Islamist movements, Israel, Jordan, Journalism, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Military, Morocco, Multilateralism, Muslim Brotherhood, NATO, Palestine, Political Islam, Political Parties, Protests, Public Opinion, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE, United Nations, US foreign policy, Yemen | Comment »
Kuwait: Watermelon is Latest Symbol of Protest
March 8th, 2011 by Kyle
Protesters outside of Kuwait’s Parliament handed watermelons to lawmakers as they entered the building as a symbol of their discontent with the prime minister and the actions of parliament. The watermelon is a symbol of a person that “has a lack of understanding or holds an unrealistic point of view” in Kuwait according to Reuters. This was the first action that took place amidst plans for greater youth protests throughout the day to demand the removal of Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah along with calls for greater political freedom.
Posted in Kuwait, Protests, Reform, Tunisia | Comment »
Reform for Gulf Monarchies Will Lead to Family Feud
March 7th, 2011 by Naureen
F. Gregory Gause III, writing in Foreign Policy, discusses the difficulties of the reform process in the Gulf countries given the large number of ruling family members in important government posts. Prior to the uprisings in Bahrain, the prime minister, three out of the four deputy prime ministers, and 10 out of the 23 cabinet ministers were from the al-Khalifa family. Similar proportions of ruling family members can be found in the cabinets of Kuwait, Saudia Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. In Oman, the Sultan holds the portfolios of prime minister, minister of defense, minister of foreign affairs, minister of finance, and governor of the central bank, Gause notes. He states that while the dynastic nature of the Gulf monarchies helped them survive regional political upheavals in the 1950s and 1960s, it constrains them now as concessions to protesters’ demands will require removing family members from power. Gause argues that by proposing reforms Gulf leaders risk inciting internal opposition to their own rule. “It would take a strong figure to bring his family to heel and accept such a reduced political role” which is not the case in either Bahrain and Kuwait where neither King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa nor Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah have a reputation as uncontested leader of his extended family. Thus, for Gulf monarchies, reform will likely come with family feuds.
Posted in Bahrain, Gulf, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Protests, Qatar, Reform, Saudi Arabia, UAE | Comment »
Kuwait: Protests Set For Tuesday
March 7th, 2011 by Alec
Kuwaiti youth groups Kafi (Enough) and al-Soor al-Khames (Fifth Fence) are organizing protests to coincide as the Kuwait Parliament convenes on Tuesday. Organizers say they want the current Prime Minister, Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammed al-Sabah to be replaced with someone outside the ruling al-Sabah family. The Prime Minister is the nephew of the Emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah. Opposition blocs within the parliament, including the Democratic Forum and the Ummah Party have also called for the appointment of a non-al-Sabah premier. The youth groups plan to stage a sit-in in front of parliament and hand out watermelons to lawmakers as they enter Parliament as a “symbol of chaos and discontent.”
Posted in Kuwait, Protests, Reform | Comment »
Don’t Forget About Bahrain
February 28th, 2011 by Naureen
Writing at Foreign Policy, Mohammed Ayoob states that while Libya is important, we should not forget about Bahrain where regime change may, in the long run, be an even more momentous event. Bahrain is not only located in a region with around 60 percent of the world’s proven oil reserves and 40 percent of it’s natural gas reserves, it is also a member of the regional security organization, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), whose members share many characteristics of the Bahraini regime. All Gulf monarchies are to varying degrees rentier states whose regimes consider their natural resources family property and use their resources to buy support from “largely politically apathetic subjects.” With the exception of Oman, these regimes draw their legitimacy from Sunni Islam “bestowing upon them a sectarian character, potentially destabilizing for the regimes ” given the substantial Shia populations in these countries.
Ayoob argues that it is unsurprising that the “the first spark of the democratic movement in the Gulf be lit in Bahrain because it is the weakest link in the autocratic chain in that region.” He also states that the regime has mishandled the situation and there by escalated protesters’ demands. Lastly, he notes that if the pro-democracy movement succeeds in Bahrain it will not only have far reaching consequences on the autocratic Arab rulers as well as their external patrons and supporters, but will also tilt the regional balance of power in favor of Iran.
Posted in Bahrain, Gulf, Kuwait, Oman, Protests, Qatar, Reform, Saudi Arabia, Sectarianism, UAE | Comment »
Islamist Parties Choose Preservation Over Political Contestation
January 24th, 2011 by Kyle
In the new issue of the Journal of Democracy, Shadi Hamid argues that Islamist parties across the Arab world have a tendency to “lose elections on purpose.” He examines the behavior of Islamist opposition parties in six Arab countries and concludes that the roots of Islamist parties in broader social movements compel them to prioritize self-preservation over political contestation. However, “as Islamists have grown comfortable losing elections—and with much of the world comfortable watching them lose—Arab democracy has drifted further out of reach.”
Posted in Bahrain, Egypt, Elections, Islamist movements, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Reform, Yemen | Comment »
Kuwait: Prime Minister Survives No-Confidence Vote
January 6th, 2011 by Kyle
On Wednesday, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Ahmed al-Sabah, narrowly survived the no-confidence vote. Twenty-five MPs voted in support of al-Sabah while 22 voted against, with one abstention. Opposition politicians have vowed to continue efforts to unseat the premier, with Islamist MP Jamaan al-Harbash saying the “crisis will only end when this government reaches its end.” Elliott Abrams praised the vote as a strong signal for democracy in the region: “It’s a laudable effort, and sooner or later the parliament is going to get Sheik Nasser, the prime minister. And that will be a landmark day in the development of democracy and popular rule in Arab lands.”
Posted in Kuwait, Legislation, Reform | Comment »
Political Unrest in Arab Countries Demonstrates Need for Reform
January 5th, 2011 by Kyle
In response to recent political unrest in Jordan, Kuwait, Tunisia and Egypt, Marc Lynch argues that these events signal “the accelerating decay of the institutional foundations and fraying of the social fabric across many of the so-called ‘moderate’, pro-Western Arab regimes.” He asserts that these events represent the rising tensions that are building within these countries due to “authoritarian retrenchment, unfulfilled economic promises, rising sectarianism at the popular level, and deep frustration among an increasingly tech-savvy rising generation.” Lynch suggests these events should serve as an impetus for reform within Arab governments, but “the tactical demands of holding on to power will likely continue to stand in the way of [Arab leaders] engaging in the kinds of strategic reforms needed for long-term stability.”
Posted in Egypt, Human Rights, Jordan, Kuwait, Protests, Reform, Tunisia | Comment »
Kuwait: Parliament Sets Date for PM No-Confidence Vote
December 29th, 2010 by Evan
Kuwait’s parliament filed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser Mohammad al-Ahmad Al Sabah on Tuesday. Opposition parliamentarians announced the move after questioning Al Sabah for eight hours about the recent crackdowns on opposition politicians and activists. The vote will take place on January 5. Habib Toumi writes that the motion may force Emir Sabah IV Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to reshuffle his cabinet or dissolve parliament.
Posted in Kuwait, Protests, Reform | Comment »
Kuwait: Parliament Challenges the Prime Minister
December 23rd, 2010 by Evan
Bloomberg’s Fiona MacDonald and Dahlia Kholaif report on growing tension between Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammed al-Sabah and the Parliament. MPs recently summoned the Prime Minister to answer questions about the recent police crackdown on activists and opposition politicians. Al-Sabah, the nephew of Emir Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, has clashed with the Parliament before. In December 2009, he survived a no confidence vote and he has dissolved the Parliament twice. According to MacDonald and Kholaif, the recent clash indicates a greater willingness on the part of the opposition to challenge the regime. “The opposition is widening and gaining more support,” Kuwaiti economist Hajjaj Bu Khudour told the reporters.
Posted in Kuwait, Legislation, Protests, Uncategorized | Comment »
Kuwait: MPs Protest Government Crackdown
December 22nd, 2010 by Evan
Kuwaiti opposition parliamentarians protested the ongoing detention of legal scholar Obaid al-Wasmi outside the Kuwaiti parliament Tuesday. Independent MP Mubarak al-Waalan told AFP “We condemn the government measures against Wasmi and the brutal police beating,” while opposition leader Mussallam al-Barrak accused members of the ruling Al-Sabah family of directly ordering the attack. Al-Wasmi was beaten and arrested December 8 (video here) following an opposition meeting in Kuwait City.
Posted in Human Rights, Kuwait, Protests | Comment »
Kuwait: Government Arrests Constitutional Scholar
December 20th, 2010 by Evan
Prominent Kuwaiti legal scholar Obaid al-Wasmi was detained last week after he gave a speech at an opposition gathering that was disrupted by security forces. The prosecutor’s office is reportedly holding al-Wasmi on charges that he had spread “false news abroad” and was actively working to undermine the emir. The detention is the latest development in a government crackdown on opposition groups and media in Kuwait.
Posted in Freedom, Human Rights, Judiciary, Kuwait | Comment »
Kuwait: Government Shutters Al Jazeera for Coverage of Police Crackdown
December 13th, 2010 by Evan
Kuwaiti officials have closed Al Jazeera’s bureau in Kuwait City in response to the channel’s coverage of opposition protests last week. The Information Ministry accused Al Jazeera of meddling in Kuwait’s internal affairs after it aired footage of police beating activists and interviewing members of the Kuwaiti opposition. Al Jazeera issued a statement saying that it “has adhered in its coverage of Kuwaiti affairs to hosting all parties, condemns considering its professional coverage an interference in Kuwaiti internal affairs. Al Jazeera vows to continue to cover Kuwaiti affairs with full professionalism and balance.”
Posted in Kuwait, Protests | Comment »
Kuwait: State Department Registers Concern about Journalist’s Detention
December 6th, 2010 by Evan
In response to a question about the case of Kuwaiti journalist Mohammad Abdul-Kader al-Jassem, who was recently imprisoned for defaming Prime Minister Shaikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah, State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley said that the U.S. is concerned about the case and continues to follow it closely. “Our view is the ability of citizens and journalists of any country to freely and vigorously discuss, debate, and critique the actions of government does not threaten national interest, and it strengthens civil society and makes governments better and more accountable,” Crowley said.
Posted in Human Rights, Journalism, Kuwait | Comment »
Kuwait: Amnesty Urges Release of Kuwaiti Journalist
November 29th, 2010 by Evan
Amnesty International issued a statement calling on Kuwaiti authorities to release Muhammad ‘Abd al-Qader al-Jasem, the Kuwaiti lawyer and journalist who was sentenced to one year in prison last week for a writing a blog post criticizing Prime Minister Shaikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah. Amnesty’s Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa Philip Luther said “Amnesty International believes that Muhammad ‘Abd al-Qader al-Jasem has been convicted and sentenced solely for non-violently exercising his right to freedom of expression and is therefore a prisoner of conscience. […] The authorities should release him immediately and unconditionally and, more broadly, cease their apparent attempts to stop him from airing his views on the government and Kuwait’s ruling family.” Al-Jasem was formally the editor-in-chief of Al-Watan Daily, a Kuwaiti newspaper, and editor-in-chief of Newsweek’s and Foreign Policy’s Arabic editions.
Posted in Journalism, Kuwait | Comment »
Kuwait: HRW Calls for Release of Blogger
November 26th, 2010 by Jason
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has called for the release of Kuwaiti writer Mohammad al-Jasim. The Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, Sarah Leah Whitson, called al-Jasim’s conviction “‘one more assault on freedom of expression in Kuwait,’” adding that the decision “‘flies in the face of human rights law, which prohibits governments from sending people to jail for nonviolent opinions.’” Al-Jasim was convicted of “publication of [a] statement causing damage to another person’s honor,” when he published an article on his blog accusing a businessman close to the Kuwaiti prime minister of “supporting Iranian intelligence interests.”
Posted in Freedom, Journalism, Kuwait | Comment »
Bloggers Under Fire in Kuwait, Iran, and Egypt
November 22nd, 2010 by Evan
Kuwaiti lawyer and blogger Mohammad Abdul Qadir Al Jasem was sentenced to one in year in prison after he was found guilty of defaming Kuwait’s Prime Minister Shaikh Nasser Al Mohammad Al Subah. Earlier this year, Al Jasem was detained for six weeks on charges that he had harmed Kuwait’s national interests by criticizing the Al-Sabah regime. Also, Reporters Without Borders recently released reports condemning the arrest and trial of 18-year-old blogger and women’s rights activist Navid Mohebbi in Iran and the court martial of blogger Ahmed Hassan Basiouny in Egypt.
Posted in Egypt, Human Rights, Iran, Journalism, Kuwait | Comment »
