US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT214

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 000214 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, KISL, KPAO, PINR, KU 
SUBJECT: GRILLING OF JUSTICE MINISTER UNEVENTFUL; PERSONAL 
FEUD LIKELY BEHIND ALLEGATIONS 
 
REF: A. KUWAIT 0036 
     B. 04 KUWAIT 04219 
 
1. Summary: In what is being described as the most bland 
grilling yet, Justice Minister and MP Ahmed Baqer, the only 
Salafi in the cabinet, was grilled by liberal MP Jamal 
Al-Omar on January 10 for nine hours.  Al-Omar is known to 
have a personal feud with the Justice Minister and this is 
likely to have influenced his decision to grill the minister. 
 The grilling ended in a fashion similar to the previous 
inquiry against Minister of State Sharar, with a 
recommendation to initiate a study to look into the alleged 
irregularities, this time, at the Public Authority for 
Minor's Affairs (PAMA). End Summary. 
 
Grilling Results in Trivial Committee "Investigation" 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
2. The grilling of Justice Minister and MP Ahmed Baqer by 
liberal MP Jamal Al-Omar, the fifth in the current National 
Assembly which began July 2003, was described as drab and 
unconvincing and was also the most poorly attended as most 
MPs departed to their offices or a common room to follow the 
proceedings on TV. (Note: Justice Minister and MP Ahmed 
Baqer, the only Salafi in the cabinet, is one of three 
Islamist ministers.  The other two Islamists in the cabinet 
are Health Minister Dr. Mohammed Al-Jarallah and Minister of 
Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Dr. Abdullah Al-Maatouq. End Note.) 
 At one point, only 12 MPs were present in the session and 
most were talking among themselves apparently paying little 
attention to the deliberations. 
 
3. The debate lasted over nine hours during which Al-Omar 
charged that serious violations in the Public Authority for 
Minor's Affairs (PAMA) took place and that the Justice 
Minister refused to attest marriage contracts to bidoon 
couples (stateless Arabs), allegedly a ploy to get bidoon to 
give up their pursuit of Kuwaiti citizenship.  Al-Omar 
described this as a violation of Islamic teachings and human 
rights principles.  In his 122 page motion, Al-Omar also 
accused Baqer of taking no action against investments that 
involved trading in pork and accepting interest -- both 
actions are forbidden in Islam -- by the Public Authority for 
Minor Affairs (PAMA), which falls under Baqer's ministerial 
authority.  In his presentation of PAMA's irregularities, 
Al-Omar also claimed the public authority cheated some 
recipients from funds entitled to them. 
 
4. Baqer defended his position saying the grilling was a 
personal attack because most of the accusations took place 
before he became Justice Minister.  Baqer also defended 
himself against the pork allegations saying immediately after 
hearing about the matter, a decision was issued by the 
cabinet to tighten measures against the entry of pork 
products. Baqer challenged Al-Omar in the discussions to 
produce any substantiated violations or irregularities 
committed by PAMA officials saying the authority had been 
praised by the GOK and the independent audit bureau. Baqer 
also stated there is no official policy to ban the 
attestation of marriage contracts of bidoon couples or 
marriages involving bidoons.  The grilling ended uneventfully 
when 11 MPs called for the formation of a committee by the 
Ministry of Justice to investigate the allegations. 
(Comment: The decision to investigate the allegations is most 
likely a face-saving measure designed to pacify MPs on both 
sides of the argument and is unlikely to lead to any 
meaningful resolution of the allegations. End Comment.) 
 
Liberals vs. Islamists or Personal Feud? 
---------------------------------------- 
 
5. All three mainstream Sunni Islamic groups supported the 
Justice Minister's case.  The Sunni Islamic Bloc held a 
meeting on January 9 to publicly defend Baqer's "clean 
record" as an MP and minister.  Despite MP Al-Omar's 
accusations, none of the charges gained much traction during 
the session.  Many observers saw this inquiry as a 
tit-for-tat response by liberals to the Islamist's 
unrelenting attacks on non-Sunni-Islamist cabinet ministers. 
 
 
6. (Comment: This grilling more likely rose from a personal 
feud between Al-Omar and Baqer.  In 2004, Baqer was known to 
have accused Al-Omar of corruptly buying his parliamentary 
seat.  Al-Omar responded to the attack inquiring how Baqer 
was ever appointed a minister and saying that he was not even 
fit to be a teaboy in a ministry. End Comment) 
 
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LEBARON