‘Need to build bridges of trust’

‘Boost in people-to-people ties vital’

“FROM a realistic point of view it is inevitable that the government seriously translate the purport of the speech of HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad, the speech he delivered during the inauguration of the Kuwait International Conference for the Reconstruction of Iraq (KICRI), particularly since he has stressed that ‘the stability of Iraq is part and parcel of the security and stability of the State of Kuwait,” columnist Khaled Ahmad Al-Tarrah wrote for Al-Qabas daily.

“The second phase which is presumably to be followed by KICRI should be confined to supporting of Iraq and help it to confront both the internal and external terrorist schemes in addition to assisting Baghdad to encounter the plight which comes in the form of sectarian quota and political corruption in order to enable Iraq to return as unified nation basking in security and political stability.

“There is no doubt that among the mechanisms that can play an important and influential role towards achieving these objectives is the role to be played by the Kuwaiti society institutions to establish strong bases for relations between the two peoples, Kuwaitis and Iraqis, with mutual understanding and partnership to rescue Iraq from the current schemes that target and conspire against its national unity.

“Besides the Kuwaiti communal institutions can play a role in terms of handling the opinions and the attitudes of some Iraqi forces which still are enemies of Kuwait and every now and then hostile voices can be heard against Kuwait. Perhaps some of the voices with hostile notes have coincided with the conference to reconstruct Iraq confirms the absence of the Iraqi street of minds mistakenly branded and remain unsoundly poisoned by the Saddamist informational machinery.

“In other words, we need a joint and intensified action between the community institutions of the two countries, particularly since we know that injuries caused by the Saddamist invasion of the State of Kuwait remain deep-rooted in the Kuwaiti hearts and bodies.

“We are in need of joint and intensive work between the institutions of society in both countries. The wounds of the Saddam invasion are still deep-rooted in the hearts and bodies of Kuwaitis. However, after the liberation of Kuwait and after the fall and execution of the tyrant of Baghdad even the Iraqi songs had been listed in the list of prohibited things and not allowed to enter into Kuwait.

“The State of Kuwait supported by the international community except the Muslim neighbor Iran, has actually succeeded in its international conference, given the fact Iran has not contributed to anything even the value of a ticket for the reconstruction of Iraq and may be because Tehran will be one of those which will benefit from the instability of Iraq by penetrating into the Iraqi community through the windows of the reconstruction of Iraq process and eventually take some of the money that has been endorsed by the conference through some pro-Tehran powers or through pro-Iranian influence in Iraq.

“Iraq, as it is known, is not a poor country. It has huge wealth of oil, gas and sea ports that Baghdad can invest in an unprecedented economic and developmental renaissance in the history of Iraq, but the bloody political and sectarian conflicts that Iraq has been suffering from for years have prevented security and stability, the sovereignty over sectarian, isolationist and racist ideology that is still tearing the fabric of the Iraqi society.

“Given the above, we suggest the billions of dollars that have been allocated by KICRI for the reconstruction of Iraq, will not save Iraqi society of all its sects and sectarianism and corruption, but support the basics of the ‘Iraqi National Initiative’ and any similar initiative that would consolidate national unity in Iraq and create a real partnership between Kuwait and Iraq, particularly at the popular level as well as at the level of the communal institutions of the two countries and this will help establish a good neighborly relationship built on strong foundations that shall benefit both the State of Kuwait and Iraq at various levels.

“In other words, the process of reconstruction between the Kuwaiti and the Iraqi peoples will not be in need of funds, rather build bridges of popular, effective and impactful communication that should be officially blessed by the two countries.”

Also:

Al-Tarrah

“The Kuwait International Conference for the Reconstruction of Iraq (KICRI) ended about a week ago, but the echoes can still be heard along the streets of Kuwait,” columnist Waleed Ibrahim Al-Ahmad wrote for Al-Rai daily.

“The echoes range between acceptance and disapproval. Moreover, we see the methodical and unfair attack that has been waged by some people against the charity societies because of their contribution to humanity in Iraq.

“This happened although these societies have repeatedly said the money of the donors is safe safety and will not be touched and will not go to Iraq, unless the donor himself/herself request so.

“However, if we discuss the reasons behind this fear among the Kuwaitis, and not the government, we shall find that the same can be ascribed to many indicators and the first is a big question as to who will receive this money.

“In this context, one we say many consecutive Iraqi governments were responsible for implanting sectarianism to such an extent they even formed militias and the latter tore apart the Iraqi social fabric.

“This is in addition to embezzling and looting money instead of this money finding its way to the needy and the poor according to what has been said by the Iraqis themselves. According to these Iraqis the money found its way to Iraqi parties which supported the relevant governments.

“Such being the case, the donated money will go with the wind and the basic objective for which the money was collected (the reconstruction of Iraq) no longer exists.

“Besides, we found many Iraqis — ordinary citizens and officials — were involved in attacking the State of Kuwait to such an extent they even branded Kuwait as the biggest country that sill constitutes a danger to them.

“Some other Iraqis consider $30 billion donated for the reconstruction of Iraq during the KICRI as ‘ordinary’ and will not meet the target or may be this money was given to blackmail them (the Iraqis) through the implementation of some projects in favor of the relevant donors.”

“There have been over five generations of Bedouns among the participants of the 1965 census and those who were present before independence. All of them worked diligently in various state institutions, especially the military and oil sectors,” Hassan Al-Hadad Al-Shammari wrote for Al-Anba daily.

“Today, pressure is mounting on this category under various names under the pretext that they are connected to specific nationalities without verifying the truth behind the assertion! Bedouns going to the concerned department to renew their security cards are compelled by officials to sign and affirm nationalities created as their origins.

“I am sure their identities will eventually be detected if they are truly guilty, but the truth of the matter is they do not own the purported documents. The issue requires looking into all relevant corners, because it’s improper to judge people solely on their origins, tribes or sects.

“Bedouns are Kuwaitis, as they belong to the fifth or sixth generations, and their level of patriotism is unmistakable. They deserve the nationality more than anybody else.”

“I wonder the source of traffic congestion when students are in school and employees are in various ministries? Who are those behind the heavy congestion we observe everywhere in Kuwait?,” Talal Al-Sa’eed wrote for Al-Seyassah daily.

“These questions run in the minds of road users whenever they waste the better part of their day trying to get around the traffic snarl in one area only to encounter another one before reaching their destinations. We all know the majority of people in Kuwait are employees, and retirees constituting one-third of the population hardly leave their homes in the day, because their movement is restricted to the cooperative stores, clinics and senior citizens diwaniyas.

“All Kuwaitis unanimously agree that the problem is with General Traffic Department, and the lapse is technical or administrative in nature. Technically, all Kuwaiti roads have remained the same for several years without improvement, and the same error of nepotism and wasta is repeated in terms of administration.

“Drivers licenses are issued to applicants who do not deserve, and the process is so fast that applicants receive the license while their files are still on the desks. Unjustifiable exemptions have led to instances where many people that are not really qualified obtain the license to drive.”

— Compiled by Zaki Taleb