US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT2172

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002172 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREL, KJUS, KU, ISLAMISTS 
SUBJECT: POLITICAL REFORMERS CRITICIZE GOK FOR CRACKDOWN ON 
ISLAMIST PARTY 
 
REF: KUWAIT 405 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Richard LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
1. (C) Summary:  The GOK has come under criticism from 
prominent Kuwaitis for actions taken against members of the 
recently established Salafi, Islamist Nation's Party (Hezb 
Al-Ummah).  All fifteen party founders were charged on May 2 
with attempting to overthrow the government, violating laws 
governing public gatherings, and violating press law.  As the 
party has openly called for the peaceful rotation of power, 
the charges are widely viewed as warnings from the GOK to 
those who would attempt to organize political parties that 
the ruling Sabah family will not tolerate the dimunition of 
its authority.  End Summary. 
 
2. (U) On May 2, more than three months after a 
much-criticized press conference announcing the establishment 
of the Nation's Party (reftel), the GOK brought charges 
against the fifteen founding members for violating the Press 
and Publications Law, violating the Public Gatherings Law, 
and for forming a political party aimed at ultimately 
overthrowing the state.  The charge of attempting to 
overthrow the state is a felony punishable by up to fifteen 
years in prison. (Note:  The press conference was held in the 
diwaniya, or gathering room, of a party member.  Such 
meetings are specifically exempted from the Public Gatherings 
Law.  End Note.) 
 
3. (U) The party's founders had been the focus of intense GOK 
scrutiny since late January, when they were initially 
summoned for questioning by Kuwait State Security and the 
Public Prosecutor's office on grounds that they had not 
requested a permit for their January 29 press conference. 
The misdemeanor charge of violating the Press and 
Publications Law  was leveled because the group had sent a 
letter to Prime Minister Shaykh Sabah requesting that he 
enact political reforms.  Upon release after the first 
interrogation, all were temporarily prohibited from traveling 
outside Kuwait.  Nine members were subsequently interrogated 
on May 3 for a reported nine hours and were freed only after 
each paid KD 300 (approx. $1700) bail. 
 
Liberals and Islamists Unite 
----------------------------- 
 
4. (SBU) The GOK's actions, seen by many as a power play 
aimed as much at stopping reform efforts as countering 
Islamists, have been criticized by conservatives and 
liberals.  On May 4, a coalition of eight Liberal and Islamic 
political groupings issued a joint statement accusing the GOK 
of engaging in "oppressive action" against the party's 
founders.  "The groups affirm their rejection of these 
oppressive measures and express their indignation at attempts 
to restrict the party's political activity, which aims at 
pushing forward the process of political reforms."  Writing 
in the local Arabic daily Al-Watan on May 7, columnist Nahar 
Al-Mekrad called the GOK pursuit of the Nation's Party 
founders "unjustifiable."  While taking pains to point out he 
does not condone the party's Islamist platform, he called on 
the GOK to "deal with the popular political reality through 
forbearance and an open mind. 
 
5. (C) Notable liberals confirmed this point of view during 
meetings with Poloff.  Liberal columnist Ahmed Al-Deyain 
noted that political parties were not illegal in Kuwait, 
despite their prohibition by the GOK.  He said that although 
the State Security Law prohibits activities to overthrow the 
state, charges by the GOK that the Nation,s Party had 
undertaken any such activity were "weak accusations."  Deyain 
said the GOK had brought charges against the party,s members 
after they had hosted seminars examining a number of current 
political issues.  Despite his personal misgivings about the 
Nation,s Party platform, he said the party founders were 
"courageous" in pushing for political reform in Kuwait. 
Former Information Minister Sa'ad Bin Tefleh agreed, adding 
that the legalization of parties and the rotation of power 
were "essential" elements to any real democracy. 
 
Nation's Party Claims it is Open to All 
--------------------------------------- 
 
6. (U) The Nation's Party platform calls for the 
establishment of an Islamic state, political pluralism and 
the peaceful rotation of power.  A statement issued by party 
spokesman Ali Al-Qatani after the GOK leveled its charges 
calls for political groupings to "reject these oppressive 
measures and to work together towards political reform." 
Although the party is comprised primarily of Salafi 
Islamists, party founders, including former Secretary General 
of the Salafi Movement Hakem Al-Mutairi, have claimed that 
membership is non-sectarian and based solely upon ideological 
agreement with the party platform.  The party has reportedly 
written a draft law governing the establishment of political 
parties in Kuwait, and hopes to introduce in in the National 
Assembly with the support of conservative MPs. 
 
7. (U) Neither Kuwait's constitution nor its electoral law 
ban political parties, and many de facto parties operate 
freely and openly, often under the monikers 'forum,' 'bloc,' 
'grouping,' or 'alliance.' 
 
8. (C) Comment:  Despite their democratic rhetoric to the 
contrary, the Nation's Party is an ultra-conservative 
organization that seeks to reestablish a Muslim caliphate 
governed by religious law, and is decidedly anti-western.  As 
with other such organizations, it is unclear to what extent 
it would adhere to its own calls for political tolerance 
should it ever come to power.  This, most likely, is the 
reason that the GOK has dealt severely with the party to 
date.  End Comment. 
 
********************************************* 
Visit Embassy Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
 
You can also access this site through the 
State Department's Classified SIPRNET website 
********************************************* 
LEBARON