US embassy cable - 05KUWAIT4718

UNCLAS KUWAIT 004718 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DRL/SEA FOR PSAWCHYN, NEA/ARPI FOR BERNS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, KPAO, PGOV, ODIP, APER, KU 
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2005: QUOTE FROM KUWAIT ON THE 
MEANING OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOM 
 
REF: SECSTATE 202764 
 
In response to reftel, Post is pleased to submit a quote 
summarizing the sentiment of Kuwaiti women in the final 
months of the 40-year struggle for women's suffrage. Leading 
up to the historic May 16 National Assembly vote that granted 
Kuwaiti women full political rights, women and men alike 
rallied outside their parliament building holding banners, 
chanting slogans and wearing blue t-shirts emblazoned with 
the phrase "half a democracy is not democracy" in bold white 
letters. The Secretary, who monitored the suffrage movement 
closely, even repeated the Kuwaiti mantra during her welcome 
remarks at DRL's Human Rights and Democracy Officer 
conference in September. Referencing this quote while 
commemorating Human Rights Day would recognize the efforts of 
homegrown movements demanding greater democracy and freedom 
in the Middle East. 
 
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LEBARON