Kuwait Human Rights Committee at the Ministry of Justice

Last week, there was an article in the newspaper praising the human rights committee of the Ministry of Justice for holding its 12th meeting. While reading the article, I remembered that every year the same ministry dismisses the US State Department annual report on human rights violations in Kuwait as unsubstantiated claims put together to tarnish the reputation of Kuwait.

For years, Ahmed Baker Minister of Justice has claimed that Kuwait has a clean human rights record despite the overwhelming evidences of abuse taking place right under his nose. After the State Department human rights report for 2004 was issued the same ministry worked really hard to put together a list of Kuwaiti laws that are supposed to protect the rights of every one in Kuwait. Arab Times published the Ministry of Justice's response to the report which was nothing but an enumeration of laws. As usual, the ministry did not address the fact that the laws they were trying to impress us with are rarely enforced and too often the offenders enjoy impunity. I just wonder what good can the human rights committee of a ministry can do when the Minister himself insists that Kuwait has a clean record.

The following is a comment published by Arab Times on October 21st, 2003:

"A MEMBER of the Kuwait Human Rights Committee at the Ministry of Justice and Kuwait's representative to the Human Rights Forum, held recently in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, told the Forum Kuwait has a clean record in the field of human rights. He added Kuwait deals with these rights according to the teachings of Islam and fair Kuwaiti laws," columnist and professor of Kuwait University Dr Ahmed Al-Baghdadi wrote for Al-Seyassah daily Monday.
"This meaningless 'confession' at the Forum does not portray what is currently happening in Kuwait with regards to the human rights issue and leads one to believe this official is living on another planet. He is no different from his minister and the government at large, that neither recognize the UN Human Rights Declaration nor respect human rights.
"It is obvious this official has read nothing on the topic of human rights in Kuwait. As such, I have decided to draw the attention of this official to what has been written by our respectable Dr Badriya Al-Awadhi who has unequivocally exposed the violations committed by 'fair' Kuwaiti laws against human rights in general and the bedoun (stateless persons) and women in particular.
"In an article penned for Al-Qabas daily on Oct 16,2003, Dr Awadhi said, 'The former senior officials of the ministry (Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour) fully realize the International Labour Organisation (ILO) was not convinced of Kuwait's political address which had indicated Kuwait's new labour law will consider all observations set forth by the ILO's Legal Experts Committee. And this per se constitutes a gross violation of human rights in Kuwait.'
"This means, Mr Member of the Human Rights Committee, workers human rights have been grossly violated by Kuwait's 'fair' labour laws. I do not know Mr Member how you described Kuwait's 'unjust law' as fair. "Everyone knows Kuwait's laws are unfair, particularly while dealing within the framework of human rights. The law is 'unfair' indeed in its dealings with Kuwaiti women's rights, the rights of expatriates, the menial workforce in general and bedouns in particular.
"In addition the Kuwait Nationality, Election and Press & Publication laws are unfair. These laws not only contradict with International Declaration of Human Rights but also the Islamic teachings. "Mr Member, have you read the article about the Muslim Somali citizen, identified as Abdullah, published by Al-Rai Al-Aam daily on Oct 2, 2003? This man died at the Mubarak Al-Kabeer Hospital because officials at this hospital refused to admit him just because he was a poor man and could not pay KD 700 to renew his residence as stipulated by Kuwaiti 'fair' laws. In other words he was killed by Kuwait's 'fair' laws.
"Mr Member, I think you will agree with me that residence laws do not keep abreast with the Islamic Sharia. In spite of this fact, we have not heard of any Islamists opposing these laws."