Citizenship of Opposition Figure, 17 Others Revoked
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SUBSCRIPTION TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2014 THULHIJA 6, 1435 AH www.kuwaittimes.net No amnesty Obama admits Afghanistan Golden girl for illegal threat of swears in new Mirza does residents Islamic State leader amid it for India in Kuwait4 underestimated7 dispute,11 violence -20 again Citizenship of opposition Max 41º Min 24º figure, 17 others revoked High Tide 02:20 & 16:08 Low Tide Activists slam action as political vendetta 09:37 & 21:39 40 PAGES NO: 16301 150 FILS By B Izzak conspiracy theories KUWAIT: The Cabinet yesterday revoked the citizenship of 18 people, including the spokesman of a major oppo- The skills we sition group, which activists decried was a politically- motivated action. The Cabinet gave a number of rea- sons for the move, including obtaining citizenship on definitely need the basis of false documents, holding dual citizenship and for security reasons. It said that it revoked the citi- zenship of Saad Al-Ajmi, spokesman of the Popular Action Movement, the main opposition group, for carry- ing a second citizenship which is not allowed under the By Badrya Darwish Kuwaiti nationality law. Commenting on the decision on his Twitter account, Ajmi reiterated his loyalty and love for Kuwait. Before joining the opposition about two years ago, Ajmi [email protected] served as the manager of Al-Arabiya news channel office in Kuwait for several t was disturbing to see two videos in one week years. He resigned over a about mistreatment by officials of foreigners in conflict of interests. Ajmi IKuwait, regardless of nationality and religion. I’m is not the first opposition sure all of you have heard or seen the video clip of figure to have his citizen- the policeman forcing an expat to do pushups and ship revoked. In July, the being kicked and pushed by the police officer. I government withdrew the wonder why he allowed his actions to be video- citizenship of Ahmad Jabr Saad Al-Ajmi taped. And who was making the videotape? The MAKKAH: Members of the Saudi special police unit perform during a parade on Sunday as more than Al-Shemmari, the owner of room was not crowded, so it’s probable that he one million Muslims have arrived in the holy city in the lead-up to the annual hajj pilgrimage. — AFP the pro-opposition Al-Youm television and Al-Alam Al- knew he was being taped and this is the worse part. Youm newspaper, which were both shut down by the That means he was enjoying abusing and having it government. recorded. Pilgrims throng Makkah It also revoked the citizenship of former Islamist opposition MP Abdullah Al-Barghash, his children, The other video I saw on social networks the next MAKKAH: Their backs hunched, elderly Muslim pil- This year’s hajj comes as the authorities strive to protect brothers and sister. A month later, it withdrew the citi- day happened at the Social Affairs Ministry. A for- grims lean on walking sticks as others in wheelchairs pilgrims from two deadly viruses, Ebola and Middle zenship of Nabil Al-Awadhi, a senior Islamist cleric, and eigner was pushed around and cursed at with foul nudge their way into Makkah’s Grand Mosque where East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus or MERS. While a number of Islamist activists. So far, the government language by an official who pushed him out of the scores of people are encircling the holy Kaaba. “Allahu Ebola has hit Africa, most MERS cases worldwide have has revoked the citizenship of 30 people and their fami- office. I’m not defending the expat. Maybe his Akbar” (God is greater), they chant in unison. Most are been in Saudi Arabia itself, home to Islam’s holiest sites. ly members and some relatives. papers were wrong or insufficient or maybe he was Asian and African, among the hundreds of thousands Pilgrims from Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, the Former opposition MP Mohammad Al-Dallal said the not listening or maybe he was desperate. But you of faithful who have descended on Saudi Arabia’s holy three nations hardest-hit by Ebola which has killed continuation of the withdrawal of citizenship for politi- can hear in the video that the official is shouting in a city for the annual hajj pilgrimage starting on Thursday. more than 3,000 people in West Africa this year, have cal and subjective reasons will only worsen the political rude way while pushing him toward the door to “get The Grand Mosque, home of the cube-shaped Kaaba or not been allowed in for the hajj. However Nigeria, crisis in the country amid the absence of justice. Online out before I beat you with my slipper”, uttering foul “House of God” that Muslims believe was built by where Ebola has killed eight people, was granted per- activists expressed their total support and solidarity language. Abraham 4,000 years ago, was thronged Sunday for mission to send pilgrims to the world’s largest gather- with Ajmi and criticized the action as politically-moti- What kind of civil servants are these? We travel prayers and for the year-round minor pilgrimage or ing of Muslims. “There was this scare earlier that pil- vated. Former liberal opposition MP Abdulrahman Al- the whole world and never see this. You can walk in umrah. grims from Nigeria could not participate because of Anjari said revoking citizenship is cheap political any government office and if your papers are With the call to prayer the crowds fall silent, many Ebola,” Saeed Amisu tells AFP. Like others from Nigeria, vengeance that will sow the seeds of hatred and create wrong, they will tell you in a polite, decent manner spreading their prayer rugs on roads leading to the Amisu has had to complete two forms, one at home a rift in the society. He also questioned why no minister what to do and that they cannot help you anymore mosque. “I have never before witnessed such a feeling and another in Saudi, pledging that he had not visited has so far resigned in protest against the revocation of and that’s it. I’m not saying that all public employees of happiness,” says Aisha, 50, an Algerian pilgrim in a any Ebola-hit town or contacted a patient. citizenships. are doing this. But it takes only a few cases to spoil face mask walking hand-in-hand with her son Ahmed. Continued on Page 13 the reputation of Kuwait. For your information, such Continued on Page 13 incidents are regularly reported in regional media. Even the neighboring publication Gulf News in Dubai published on their website the video of the policeman abusing the resident. Gulf economic growth speeding up So what I’m asking is - do our civil servants receive any type of training on dealing with the DUBAI: Gulf Arab economies are likely to weeks. Both the 2015 and 2016 forecasts public like other advanced countries provide? Even grow slightly faster in 2015, propped up for Saudi Arabia’s real gross domestic if not, it’s not too late for the ministries to open by strong private business activity despite product growth are unchanged from the Heads we win for training centers for all those who deal directly with further falls in oil prices, a Reuters poll of previous Reuters poll on the region, con- the public - whether locals or foreigners - and offer analysts showed yesterday. Brent crude ducted in April. guidance and training on how to handle people in a oil, now at just above $96 a barrel, is down “The fall in oil prices to under $100 per Kuwait cricketers decent and respectful way. almost $20 from June’s peak. Many econ- barrel is unlikely to knock underlying By the way, even Kuwaitis are mistreated and omists expect the downtrend to continue growth in GCC economies significantly off INCHEON, South Korea: The toss of a coin The coin toss made for an unusual abused by civil servants sometimes because these in coming years, although at a slower course,” said Daniel Kaye, senior macro- put Kuwait into the Asian Games men’s scoresheet after the game, with all 22 employees sometimes have an attitude. Also, deal- pace, because of ample supply. But the economic editor at the Oxford Economics cricket quarter-finals and sent Maldives batsmen finishing on nought not out. ing with the public in general is not an easy job. It financial positions of most Gulf consultancy. “In most countries, non-oil crashing out when steady rain made play Kuwait finish second in Group B behind can be very difficult and needs special training and Cooperation Council governments are growth should remain in the 4-6 percent impossible in their group match yesterday. Nepal and now go into a last-eight clash tolerance. Police, firemen, civil servants, immigra- expected to stay healthy enough for them range. It is possible, however, that Gulf oil Without a ball bowled, Mahmoud Bastaki against Bangladesh today. Rain was still tion, airports customs, social affairs employees or to continue spending heavily, while pri- output could be cut more sharply than correctly called “heads” at the Yeonhui falling in Incheon as hosts South Korea anyone who works directly with the public should vate sector growth may offset any drop in expected as the OPEC leadership looks to Cricket Ground in Incheon, South Korea, to prepared to take on China in Group A. The go through training skills courses. And I think as we activity in the hydrocarbon sector. provide support to prices.” give Kuwait their first win of the competi- rare coin-toss episode may further have a surplus in our budgets, we can afford it and it Saudi Arabia’s $748 billion economy - Small Qatar is expected to keep out- tion.