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Kuwaiti Islamists form first political party
 Kuwait takes on the ME conventional wisdom and authorizes its first political party! Congratulations, I guess.
Kuwaiti Islamists announced Saturday, January 29, the creation of the first political party not only in the emirate but also the Gulf region, with political reforms high on the agenda. | Kuwait looking for change! No longer bound by the status quo! Viral democracy breaks out as they watch their Arab brothers in Iraq break free from the chains of centuries of tyranny! |
"We will work to set up a society ruled by the teachings of Islam. It will seek the implementation of Islamic Shari`ah laws in all political, economic, legislative and social sectors," the nascent Ummah (Nation) Party's spokesman Jaber al-Murri said in a statement reported by Reuters. | (sound of screaching brakes) Or not. |
Women's legitimate rights will be guaranteed, in addition to backing political pluralism, peaceful transition of power, commitment to majority rule and rejection of all forms of political tyranny, added the statement. | No! To political tyranny! Yes! To glorious submission to the will of Allan, as interpreted by His worthy holy men (and a couple of shaykhs and a smattering of Emirs...and one big, gleaming, bejeweled curlytoed Turban...) |
Kuwait is the only Gulf country to have an elected parliament, but women are not allowed to vote or stand for public office. The country's 1962 constitution says that both men and women are equal. But an all-male parliament, in seeming direct opposition to the constitutional edict, has adopted laws barring women from voting. In 1999, the country's ruler, Sheikh Jabir Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, issued a decree giving women full political rights. But the move was defeated in the National Assembly by 32 votes to 30. In January 2001, Kuwaiti court rejected a request by women rights advocates granting women the right to vote in parliamentary elections. | I'm not fully sure how an Islamist party plans to change this... |
The Ummah party said it would endeavor to achieve political, economic and military unity among the Gulf countries to protect the region and to dispense with the infidel foreign military presence which threatens its sovereignty and independence. There are thousands of US forces deployed in Gulf countries, including 30,000 in Kuwait alone. | Threatening Kuwait's sovereignty each and every day. |
The fledging party further added that the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the world's largest Muslim body, must be revamped to support the Palestinians and other Islamic causes. | Cos the Arab League is always taking Israel's side, y'see... |
Women's legitimate rights will be guaranteed, in addition to backing political pluralism, peaceful transition of power, commitment to majority rule and rejection of all forms of political tyranny, the statement added. | Only in Islam can wimmin have "legitimate" and "illegitimate" rights. |
"This is the first party in the Gulf region," al-Murri told Reuters. "It presents the concept of political pluralism through popular participation," he said. | "Yepper! All male Moose limbs from the right familiies are hereby included in the Ummah Party. Everyone else can just...give us money and stay out of sight. Unless we need coffee or a massage." |
Letters had been sent to Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, the parliament speaker and lawmakers to amend laws to allow formation of political parties, Mutairi added. "We hope that your government will amend laws restricting freedom in order to enable peaceful parties and political groups to operate freely," read the letter sent to the Kuwaiti premier. Mutairi said it is not expected that the government, which backs political pluralism and rotation of power in war-torn Iraq, will refuse to license this particular the party's formation. Political parties are not allowed in Gulf countries. There are some political groups operating in Kuwait, including a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamic Constitutional Movement and the Salafist Movement. There are also 15 Islamists in the 50-member Kuwaiti parliament. | Anyone can see that the Allenists are certainly under-represented in Kuwait. Perhaps the Ummah Party can convince one of the lions of Enezi tribe to stand for Parliament. |
The launching ceremony of the new party were attended by officials from the US embassy in Kuwait. | Gah. I expect better of Condi... |
Posted by: Seafarious 2005-01-31 |
