Reinforces principles of social justice
KUWAIT CITY: State Minister for Planning and Development and State Minister for National Assembly Dr Rola Dashti has welcomed the government decision to appoint women as judges.
She appealed to everyone not to incite religious feud or fan flames of fire at a time when doors of hope are initiated for people to enjoy prosperity in a democratic country based on the foundations of social justice and equality.
She said the decision of the Higher Judiciary Council to accept women in the Public Prosecution (for graduates of Faculties of Law and Sharia) "is in the framework of reinforcing the principle of social justice and putting emphasis on the principles of the Constitution in a country that embraces democracy and seeks to compete with developed nations through the talent."
She explained the Kuwaiti women would have not advanced in the arena of politics, social and economic fields without struggle and hard work. They have the aptitude to establish their position as active elements and supporter of achievements in various fields.
She stressed the entry of women into the judicial institution may remove discrimination against them which they have suffered for decades "especially that in the ranks of Kuwaiti women there are those with higher qualification and scientific capabilities and knowledge that qualify them to participate in judicial positions similar to the legislative and executive institutions.
"They won franchise as a result of their long fight and their tireless demand for equality and equal opportunity on the basis of merit and efficiency for being true partner to their male counterpart in citizenship, rights and duties."
She said the current stage requires concerted efforts from everyone to take part in the process of building and developing the country "by taking full responsibilities toward our beloved Kuwait, because we have hope for a promising and greater future than the approach for frustration and surrender.
Achievement
"So from here everyone is required to work towards achievement because our energies, capabilities and creations must be exploited to raise the name of Kuwait and improve its international ranking in all areas of economic and social, political and judicial arenas," she added.
She stressed the need for openness to constructive dialogue and meet one another on a single goal which is the love of Kuwait to build its future on solid foundations and pillars to ensure sustainability of goodness and prosperity.
On the other hand, the Head of Ittejahat Studies and Research Center Khaled Al-Mudahakah said the government move to allow women to take up the judiciary post in Kuwait is not in the right direction because every society and every state has its cultural, social and religious structures, and this step violates Islamic Sharia law and violates the Kuwaiti social culture because it does not take into account the privacy and peculiarity of our culture."
He argued this is not called development or advancement to imitate the West in formal matters, but the real progress is in the development of institutions and achievement of human development of individuals.
He wondered after granting women the right to participate in the Municipal Council and giving them their franchise and appointment as ministers in the government, now they will be appointed as judges, "Does that mean we are waiting for a woman to be head of government or minister of defense or interior or foreign affairs?" he queried.
He added Kuwait has its social peculiarities "And we had never heard about a woman, for example, from descendant of Mubarak (Al-Sabah) demanding to take up the leadership of the emirate. This is sufficient proof that we have our peculiarity in our identity and we should not seek to demolish it and build identity similar to the West."
Meanwhile, Islamist MP Mubarak Al-Walan urged the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Monday to hold an emergency meeting to reject constant threats by the Islamic Republic of Iran against Gulf nations. He said the frequency of statements by Tehran's public figures threatening the stability of the region reveal their malicious intentions towards neighboring countries, especially the GCC.
Al-Walan added those statement indicate Iran's blatant interference in the internal affairs of the State of Kuwait, its expansionist plans in the region, and ill-intentions towards Gulf-Arab countries. "These statements confirm day after day the doctrine of (Iran's leaders) and their raging and burning desire for revenge. We must constantly be cautious and vigilant and fully prepared for any possible scenario," he stated.
According to news reports, head of Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps General Mohammad Ali Jafari warned that if Iran is attacked by Israel, it will retaliate at Gulf's strategic Strait of Hormuz, US bases in the Middle East including Kuwait and Israel.
Furthermore, ex-member of the Iranian Parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee Mohammed Kareem Abedi has reportedly said that the committee is reviewing measures to protect Kuwaiti Shiites if need be. But his statements were denied by the committee's president Alaeddin Boroujerdi.
© Arab Times 2012
