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Kuwaiti riot police use water cannons to disperse stateless protesters (AFP, Yasser al-Zayyat).
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There are at least 120,000 Bidun jinsiyya (without nationality) in
Kuwait today suffering from the lack of human rights. They cannot
legally obtain birth, death, marriage or divorce certificates. The same
applies to driving licenses, identification cards, and passports. They
do not have access to public education, health care, housing or
employment. And while they face some of the state’s harshest
discrimination policies, they have no recourse to the law and its
courts. Simply stated, the Bidun, who are equal to about 10% of the
Kuwaiti population, do not exist. They have been dehumanized and
rendered invisible by government policies coupled with pervasive social
stigmatization.
Last February and March, Hundreds of the stateless community in
Kuwait protested demanding their rights of documentation, education,
health care, employment, and naturalization. The protests were brutally
dispersed by riot police and tens of young men were arrested for a week
or so. Riot Police used water cannons, teargas, smoke bombs, and
concussion grenades to disperse the protesters. According to Human Rights Watch, over 30 people were injured and 120 were detained by state security in the first day of Bidun protests.
On the 12th of December, the stateless attempted to protest again to
state their demands and to show support for those who were going on
trials for protesting. Around 31 men were in court for ‘illegal
protesting’ and were released as the judge decided to adjourn the case
to the 23rd of January. Kuwaiti and stateless activists showed up to the
court hearing to show support as the interior ministry refused to give
permissions for any sit-ins. Kuwait Human Rights Association issued
a statement condemning the trials and stating that the Kuwait
constitution grants the rights to peaceful protesting and thus none
should be prosecuted. Parliament members did not have a say in this and
the only political bloc to have issued a statement in solidarity was the
leftist Taqadomi movement. According to their lawyer Mousaed Al-Shammari, the 31 men might get 3 to 5 years jail sentences.
On the 14th, three other stateless men faced another trial for
illegal protesting: Abdulhakim Al-Fadhli, Tariq Al-Otaibi, and Ridha
Al-Fadhli. On Sunday the 18th, other 45 stateless men will face another
trial and this time charged with violence against police men. The
charges in the first two trials were submitted by the public
prosecution, but in the coming trial, charges were submitted by the
state security police. According to Kuwait Human Rights Association’s
spokesman Taher Al-Baghli, state police did not charge the stateless for
‘illegal protesting’ only because such a charge will most probably be
dismissed by the higher court.
Since the first trial started, the stateless community had several
attempts to protest again. Activists tried to get permissions to protest
in Erada square, in front of the parliament, where protests took place
in the past two months against former prime minister Nasser Al-Mohammed
which led to his resignation. The interior ministry refused to give such
permission which made some of the stateless protest in their
poorly-conditioned areas. The number was not large and protesters left
in response to calls from some activists to avoid clashes.
This Friday, as reported by activists, tweeps, and news agencies,
riot police used violence against stateless protesters and more than 20
men were arrested, among them two journalists who were later released
(Fahad Al-Mayah and Hamad Al-Sharhan). According to a report by
AFP: “Kuwaiti riot police used tear gas and water cannons on Friday to
scatter hundreds of stateless protesters demanding citizenship. The
police sought to break up a crowd of 400 people gathered after noon
prayers in Jahra, raising Kuwaiti flags and banners that read: We demand
Kuwaiti citizenship.” Stateless activist Mousaed Al-Shammari was
reportedly arrested as he was trying to convince protesters to leave.
Some wrote that he is now on hunger strike protesting his detention.
According to a report by Reuters, there were also minors beaten and arrested in Friday protest.
* Published in MidEast Youth
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