A number of Al-Mutair tribesmen staged a peaceful demonstration Friday night at a public square opposite the State Security Build-ing in South Surra due to the arrest of their kinsman and former lawmaker Dr Daifallah Bouramiya, who was detained Thursday for criticizing a ruling family member. Special police forces were stationed in the area but there were no reports of any attempt to disrupt law and order. Police barricaded all roads leading to the square to prevent any untoward action from the crowd. Assistant Undersecretary for Operations Affairs at the Ministry of Interior Major General Khalil Al-Shemali, Director General of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Major General Abdul-Hamid Al-Awadhi and Director General of Rescue Patrol Department Brigadier Saud Al-Husseini successfully controlled the situation. The security officials addressed the protesters professionally, after which they left the place without fomenting trouble.
It will be recalled that the Prosecutor General ordered the arrest of Bouramiya preparatory to his prosecution by next Sunday. This led to the peaceful public demonstration embarked upon by his relatives from the Al-Mutair tribe. The protesters carried placards with various slogans to demand his release. They threatened to repeat the demonstration later if the authorities do not release the politician. Commenting on the incident, Municipal Council member Majed Mousa decried the detention of the former lawmaker, saying that several others had issued stronger and more sensitive statements but no legal action was taken. He said a minister who is not ready to accept criticisms should not occupy such sensitive government posts. He accused the Interior Ministry of taking selective action against citizens, asserting the ministry focuses on particular families while ignoring many others.
"It is unfortunate that the political terrain is heated up to this level, so the interim government should release Bouramiya immediately," Mousa asserted. Meanwhile, political tension escalated Friday in the country and was tremendously felt in Firdous -- the location of detained Bouramiya's diwaniya, Egaila the birthplace of aspiring MP from the Fifth Constituency Khalid Al-Tahous, and the State Security Office in South Surra, as the arrest of the two politicians provoked renowned politicians in the country to launch a scathing attack against the security operatives. Former lawmaker Mohammad Hayef has warned that demonstrators will prevent security operatives from clamping down on the Al-Mutair tribe.
In reaction to Hayef's statement, the Interior Ministry issued a press release Friday, stating "we will not allow any aspiring MP to break the law. The security operatives are on top of the situation and they will do anything within the confines of law to prevent electoral malpractices." Security sources also affirmed that the State Security Department ordered the arrest and detention of Hayef Friday night. On the ugly incidents in the political terrain which are detrimental to Kuwaiti unity, sources said prominent members of some tribes have dissociated themselves from anything that can put the country into unnecessary tribal and sectarian conflicts, affirming these people will issue a statement in this regard on Monday at the latest. They warned people to desist from confronting security agents while performing their duties. They have also requested a meeting with HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah on Wednesday to reaffirm their loyalty to the Amir and show him that they are not involved in anything that can tarnish his image.
The stand taken by tribal leaders did not go without reactions such that there were seminars organized to protest the detention of Bouramiya and Al-Tahous. In the diwaniya of Al-Tahous, numerous political activists and aspiring MPs called for his immediate release, arguing he did not commit any offense that warranted his detention. They claimed "there were many former lawmakers and journalists who deliberately quoted Al-Tahous out of context." Abdullah Al-Barghash, who was speaking at the diwaniya, said "we are not here to discuss Kuwaiti citizenship as what we are concerned about is justice and implementation of the Constitution on the entire society, particularly those who deliberately quoted Al-Tahous out of context in a seminar. The Ministry of Interior has no right to accuse anybody frivolously."
In Firdous, hundreds of Bouramiya supporters gathered in his diwaniya led by former lawmakers Hayef, Abdullah Akash and Mubarak Al-Waalan and aspiring MP Fayez Ghanem, who unanimously agreed that Bouramiya has not violated the law. A Fourth Constituency candidate, Faizal Al-Thuwaih, criticized activities of the Interior Ministry saying "if the outgoing government doesn't respect citizens, we will resort to the International Human Rights Organization and International Court of Justice (ICJ)." Consequently, sources said the Al-Ajmi tribe in the Fifth Constituency and Al-Mutair tribe in the Fourth Constituency also pruned the number of candidates to four.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM) urged everybody to refrain from transforming the electoral race or executive prerogatives into an avenue for settling scores or power play in the absence of the legislature.
"National unity, stability and protection of the constitutional provisions are paramount in the minds of Kuwaitis and they will not allow anybody to push them back to the Stone Age," the ICM was quoted as saying.
© Arab Times 2009
