Sheikh Saad promoted equality
A leader with strong sense of duty
This is the seventh in a series of articles on His Highness Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Al Salem Mubarak Al Sabah (1930-2008), Father Amir, former Crown Prince and Prime Minister.
TPolicy
— Editor
By Lidia Qattan
he British promptly honored their commitment with initiating the so called “Operation Vantage”, moving their frigates, commando carriers and aircraft carriers in the Gulf towards Kuwait and to stop any Iraqi encroachment at the frontier they deployed their battalions along the 1,000 mile long border with Iraq.
In the meantime to silence all Arab protesting against a foreign force in Arab territory the Amir sought to gain the Arab League in his favor through membership, to replace the British Battalion with another from the Arab League. He also sent a delegation to the UN Security Council to present the just cause of his country and gain recognition for Kuwait as a free state on an international scale.
The Amir’s shrewd foreign policy won the day. Though the Soviets Veto prevented the UN Council from passing a resolution against Iraq, Kuwait gained its first diplomatic victory in the international recognition as a free sovereign country. Incidentally, shortly after Kuwait emerged into a full democratic state with a constitutional government, it became the 111th member of the United Nations.
For Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah the 1961, crisis was an unforgettable experience that broadened his awareness of politics and inclined him to remain in constant vigilance against any Iraqi intention on his land; for though the coup d’état in Iraq ,in which Abdul Karim Qasem met his fate and diplomatic relations between the two country were reassumed, he remained skeptical of the new regime’s intention. As he expected Iraq remained a source of tension and great trouble for Kuwait that materialized in the following decades reaching its climate in the 1990-1991 invasion!
The crisis of 1961, spurred the development of Kuwait into a new political entity of international status with a foreign policy aimed at strengthening friendly relations on a global scale.
Henceforth Kuwait channeled its assistance program for the development aid, financial subsidies and foreign investments to achieve its political goal and safeguard its national security.
In internal affairs, political reforms started in all earnest leading to the emergence of Kuwait into a modern democratic state with a representative government. Various committees were formed in which Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah took part. The first was the Mejless Al Mushtarak (Participating Council) formed in the fall of 1961, consisting of ten members chosen among the most trustworthy men in the country, headed by the Crown Prince, Sheikh Sabah Al Salem Mubarak Al Sabah. The function of this council was to draw the electoral law for the Mejless Al Ta’assees (the Founding Council), whose job was to draw the Constitution on modern democratic principles.
On the 17th of January 1962, the first Kuwaiti government was formed and Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs (later known as the Minister of Interior), as Minister Sheikh Saad became part of the Mejless Al Ta’assees consisting of ten members chosen among the most trustworthy of the men in town and eleven others according to their position in government affairs.
Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah was then 32 years old, in the prime of his youth, full of ebullient energy, a cultured and broadminded young man endowed with a keen analytical mind and a strong sense of duty. In the process of drawing up the Constitution, he put forth many farsighted suggestions, which were taken into serious consideration by his colleagues and implemented in the draft of the Constitution. Among his suggestions was to grant equality of duty and privileges to both men and women, an issue fully supported by his cousins HH Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad and HH Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad.
Though the suggestion was implemented in the Constitution, it was dismissed by the first Parliament elected in 1963, and repeatedly
Lidia Qattan
role of the Parliament marginal, reserving the state’s foreign policy for the executive branch.
Campaign
All through the electoral campaign and during the election, Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah made sure that everything was going smoothly. Extra precaution was taken to maintain security and order; hence, when on the 23rd of January, the voters crowded at the schools where the balloting was being held, the voting was carried out peacefully and in a friendly atmosphere.
On the next day, the first Kuwaiti Assembly was formed with Abdul Aziz Hammed Al Saker chosen as Speaker. From that historical moment the modern form of democracy began in Kuwait.
For the Amir, Sheikh Abdullah Al Salem it was the realization of a long standing dream, for he believed that “A democratic life is the way a people can honor its commitment in a free life.”
Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah also believed that democracy in spite of some drawbacks in the Parliament, would live up to its promises and spur the full developments of his country, because of the greater interaction of ideas and opinions, which if respected and put to serious consideration for the welfare of the whole community would have indeed been beneficial . However he soon realized that freedom of expression in the Parliament without a feeling of responsibility and consideration or respect for others opinion was becoming a source of drag in decision making, halting all progressive strides.
To be continued