Latest news with #Bedouns
Arab Times
03-06-2025
- Business
- Arab Times
Kuwait has lived for 400 years with the slogan, ‘The Best Always Makes It Easy'
YOUR HIGHNESS, the Prime Minister, certain questions are being raised among citizens. Is everyone required to be disinterested -- whether they are affected by the recent measures or not? Should things be allowed to happen, even if they are on the wrong track, or is it better to prioritize essential issues? These questions are also directed to the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, who is responsible for various matters. I ask Allah to grant him the strength to continue this activity in a way that serves the interests of the State, which are inseparable from the interests of the people. Everyone sees that the Cabinet and the ministers are preoccupied with trivial matters. This is not beneficial for the future, especially at a time when all other countries are working tirelessly to establish a foothold in the new global order that is beginning to take shape. Any country that does not occupy a place in the current global order will not have an effective role in the future. On several occasions, you have spoken about the citizens' demands, particularly regarding the purification of national identity, which is a matter of belongingness before anything else. Everyone supported the measures taken against those who forged citizenship and held dual citizenship. However, there are still calls to hold accountable those who facilitated the commission of these crimes and participated in manipulating this sensitive issue, because the consequences are serious and thorny. I, along with many others, also pointed out the need to study the repercussions of these measures on society as a whole. For example, what is the fault of the children and grandchildren in a forgery case committed by a grandfather who died and whose children had nothing to do with this crime? On the other hand, this undoubtedly led to obstacles that the official executive branch must resolve, such as those related to the real estate properties of those whose citizenship was revoked, their social status, like marriage and childbirth, among others, their jobs and livelihoods. The Council of Ministers has indeed allowed some of them to travel on passports valid for some months, but not all countries grant visas to those whose passports will expire within a year or six months. What is the Council of Ministers' plan to resolve this problem? Your Excellency, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, I hope you understand the true pulse of the people and how they react to these measures. You have the tools to do so. You have the candor and courage to speak the truth. This is how we have known you since you assumed your position, as you have never deviated from the truth. Today, we have a significant percentage of those who have become illegal residents (Bedouns). In the past, solutions to this issue were easy, such as granting them limited-term passports, which allowed them to travel to countries that valued their skills. Many Bedouns want to serve Kuwait, as they have never known any other homeland but Kuwait. Without a doubt, such people deserve appreciation. What is the fault of the mother who raised and educated her children born to a Kuwaiti father and a non-Kuwaiti mother? What about those who became Bedouns after the revocation of their citizenship? Your Excellency, the First Deputy Prime Minister, daily newspapers reflect the people's voice, especially on the issue of revoking citizenship. Your Excellency, you are undoubtedly aware that local and international forums have begun to discuss this issue, particularly the revocation of the citizenship of those who acquired it through dependency. I said it before and I repeat it now: 'No soul shall bear the burden of another.' The important questions now are: Were these measures carefully considered? How can society emerge from this cycle? Your Excellency, the Prime Minister and Your Excellency the First Deputy Prime Minister, the Kuwaiti society is interconnected. It always supports the government in doing what is right and highlights the errors, if any. This is how Kuwait has operated for more than 400 years. There have always been milestones at which people pause. Kuwaitis have become accustomed to fighting corruption and holding the corrupt and bribed accountable, even before the establishment of oversight and auditing institutions. So, when the government began to vigorously combat corruption, Kuwaitis supported it and stood by the ruler. Today, people are confused about their position regarding the repercussions of revoking citizenship. Therefore, we present the matter to the Council of Ministers, His Highness the Prime Minister and His Excellency the First Deputy Prime Minister, so that effective solutions are reached in order to end this emerging crisis. The press is the mirror of society and the news it conveys should comfort readers, so the situation can improve and Kuwait can emerge from the cycle of preoccupation with trivial matters and focus on more important and priority issues; such as how to boost the gross domestic product (GDP), which brings prosperity and stability. Your Highness, the Prime Minister, I invite you to visit Shuwaikh Industrial Area to witness the scale of economic activity there and its contribution to the GDP. Behind this congestion, noise, and economy with largely unlimited income, are welcome expatriates, of course. The important thing to ask is: Who benefits? The beneficiaries are the landowner and the tenant, while the State gets nothing. The 'Bedoun' issue is complex, in addition to those whose citizenship was revoked. Strangely, this is happening in Kuwait, a country of goodness and generosity, and whose ruler is the benefactor of goodness and giving. Your Highness, the Prime Minister, Your Excellency the First Deputy Prime Minister, thank you for returning the passports of the wives of Kuwaitis whose passports were revoked. Thank you for restoring the benefits and salaries they were denied earlier. This is a step in the right direction. We will say thank you... And thank you again once the relevant committee meets and decides to reinstate the citizenship of those who were wronged.
Arab Times
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab Times
75% Surge In Kuwaiti-to-Kuwaiti Marriages After Nationality Law Amendment
KUWAIT CITY, June 2: The amendment of some provisions of the Amiri Decree on the Kuwaiti Nationality Law – which aims to strengthen national identity, maintain public order and abolish Article Eight stipulating that the marriage of a foreign woman to a Kuwaiti man does not entail her becoming a Kuwaiti – has led to a 75 percent increase in the number of Kuwaiti women marrying Kuwaiti men and a lower rate of foreign marriages. The newspaper obtained a copy of the recent statistics issued by the Department of Legal Documentation at the Ministry of Justice, indicating that the number of marriages between Kuwaiti men and Kuwaiti women reached 2,916 from the beginning of January until the end of April 2025. The statistics showed that 332 Kuwaiti men got married to non-Kuwaiti women, 133 Kuwaiti women got married to non-Kuwaitis, 44 Kuwaiti men got married to Bedouns and 10 Kuwaiti women got married to Bedouns. In addition, the number of divorces between Kuwaiti husbands and Kuwaiti wives reached 1,419; while the number of divorces between Kuwaiti husbands and non-Kuwaiti wives reached 332, and 141 Kuwaiti women were divorced from non-Kuwaiti men. Moreover, a statistical analysis of the achievements of the Sharia Documentation Department in April 2025 revealed that the number of documented marriages, by nationality, reached 1,149. The rate of marriages where both spouses are Kuwaiti nationals was 75 percent, while the percentage of marriages where both spouses are non-Kuwaiti nationals was 13.4 percent. The rate of marriages where the husband is Kuwaiti and the wife is non-Kuwaiti was 8.4 percent, while the percentage of marriages where the husband is non-Kuwaiti and the wife is Kuwaiti was 3.2 percent of the total marriages. The total number of documented authentication cases by nationality of husband and wife reached 117. The rate of documented authentication cases in which both spouses are Kuwaiti citizens was 4.3 percent, while the percentage of documented authentication cases in which both spouses are non-Kuwaiti citizens was 29.9 percent. The rate of documented authentication cases in which the husband is Kuwaiti and the wife is non-Kuwaiti was 60.7 percent, while the percentage of documented authentication cases in which the husband is non-Kuwaiti and the wife is Kuwaiti was 5.1 percent. The total number of documented divorces by nationality of the husband and wife was 754. The percentage of documented divorces in which both spouses are Kuwaiti citizens was 59.1 percent, while the percentage of divorces in which both spouses is non-Kuwaiti citizens was 18.4 percent. The rate of divorces in which the husband is Kuwaiti and the wife is non-Kuwaiti was 15.9 percent, while the percentage of divorces in which the husband is non-Kuwaiti and the wife is Kuwaiti was 6.5 percent.
Arab Times
18-05-2025
- Arab Times
4 Bedoun Drug Traffickers Arrested with Narcotics and Cash
KUWAIT CITY, May 18: As part of its ongoing efforts to combat the trafficking and promotion of narcotic and psychotropic substances, Kuwait's Ministry of Interior, through the Criminal Security Sector and the General Department for Combating Narcotics, has arrested four Bedouns (stateless). The suspects — Muhammad Duaij Shabl Al-Enezi, Ahmed Hussein Qate' Jabr, Suleiman Muhammad Salal, and Saad Abdul Rahman Salal — were found in possession of a significant quantity of illegal substances during the operation. Seized items included: 15,000 capsules of Lyrica 100 grams of cocaine 500 grams of chemical substances 250 grams of hashish 80 psychotropic pills A electronic scale used for weighing drugs KD 10,590 in cash, suspected to be proceeds from drug trafficking All necessary legal procedures have been initiated, and the suspects have been referred to the relevant authorities. The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to intensifying its security campaigns, pledging to take firm action against anyone involved in the import, distribution, or promotion of drugs to safeguard public safety and societal well-being.
Arab Times
13-05-2025
- Arab Times
Two arrested for smuggling drugs into Central Prison using drones
KUWAIT CITY, May 13: In a significant breakthrough in the fight against drug trafficking, the local anti-narcotics unit of the General Department for Drug Control has apprehended two suspects accused of smuggling narcotics into the Central Prison using drones. The suspects, both stateless residents (Bedouns), were arrested in the areas of Fintas and Saad Al-Abdullah. The arrests follow extensive investigations and surveillance that revealed the duo's method of operation. Authorities discovered that the suspects had used unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) to transport drugs to an inmate inside the Central Prison. The smuggling operation was carried out in exchange for financial compensation. The Ministry of Interior emphasized its unwavering commitment to combating all forms of criminal activity, particularly drug trafficking, which it described as a serious threat to public safety and the well-being of society. The Ministry also called on citizens and residents to support national security efforts by reporting any suspicious activities through official communication channels.
Arab Times
21-04-2025
- Arab Times
Five-Year Prison Sentence for Kidnapping, Narcotics, and Forgery Convicts
KUWAIT CITY, April 21: The Court of Appeal issued its ruling in a case involving a Kuwaiti citizen, a female Kuwaiti citizen, and residents, who were accused of unlawfully arresting and detaining a Lebanese doctor, kidnapping him, possessing narcotic and psychotropic substances, and forging an official document. The court overturned the first-instance ruling and imposed a five-year prison sentence on two Kuwaiti soldiers, a female doctor, two Bedouns, and an Iraqi female expat, along with a fine of 5,000 dinars. The defendants were convicted on charges of kidnapping, illegal detention, forgery, and possession of narcotics without intent to trade or use. The Public Prosecution revealed that two of the defendants, who were security personnel in the Ministry of Interior, stopped the victim, planted narcotic and psychotropic substances in his vehicle, and fabricated a false case to have him deported, with the involvement of the other defendants.
