Restore Subsidies, Lawmakers Demand

Erasing lines Ecstatic UAE score after in the sand Filipinos 14 seconds in 4 welcome10 pope Bahrain46 win Min 07º Max 20º FREE www.kuwaittimes.net NO: 16404- Friday, January 16, 2015 Restore subsidies, lawmakers demand See Page 9 KUWAIT: Kuwaiti lawmakers including MP Jamal Al- Omar, shown here, voted unanimously to ask the government to restore subsidies on diesel and kerosene barely two weeks after they were scrapped following price hikes to several products. — Photo by Yasser Al-Zayyat Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015 Local Spotlight By Muna Al-Fuzai Let go of my parking, [email protected] I’m handicapped! he problem for special needs people in Kuwait is not in their disability, but Tin the way they are treated by the community, which demonstrates an absence of humanity, awareness of human rights and respect for the disabled. Some even violate the few rights granted to the handicapped, like parking spaces in front of the main entrances of markets, malls and public places. Occupying the parking spots of the handicapped is depraved behavior. It reflects the perception of inferiority towards the disabled, and such an act shows ignorance and crudeness. Unfortunately, in the absence of awareness and activation of international agreements and amendments of the country’s laws by the government, change is impossible. While Kuwait was the first country to enact a law for people with disabilities in the Arab world, the prominent problem is in overcoming the ignorance of the society, ing space - among other obstacles such as or so and no wasta should be entertained. disabled people and awareness and educa- which is pathetic. Kuwait issued law no. 49 denial of appointments in ministerial posi- This is how everyone will know that no one tion are urgently needed to change percep- of 1996 for the disabled and signed an tions for no apparent reason. This is a crime, is above the law and that the rights of the tions. Efforts must be organized by NGOs, agreement on the rights of persons with dis- because we prevent others from getting disabled should not be infringed on. the local UN office and various media - abilities (act no. 35 of 2013). Moreover, the their rights, and the same applies when we I have noticed that Asian drivers usually audiovisual and print - especially by focus- Kuwaiti constitution, in article 29, is clear deny the disabled their allocated parking park in front of these spots, but ignorance of ing on the positive aspects of persons with about the rejection of discrimination and force them to return home, as they are the law does not exempt anyone from their disabilities and focusing on eminent per- between people. So the problem lies in the not able to park anywhere like others. responsibility and this should not be an sons with disabilities who achieved great lack of awareness amongst citizens and The fine for doing so is just KD 15, a very excuse for breaking the law. As much as successes, such as Edison and Einstein expatriates of the rights of disabled people. small amount for a big violation of human those drivers need awareness, their spon- among others. The awareness campaigns Approximately 40,000 disabled Kuwaitis rights. It shouldn’t be less than KD 500 and sors need a warning so that they are forced must specifically target the disabled them- struggle to get the most basic right - a park- impounding the car immediately for a peri- to comply with the law. selves and those around them, as well as the od of not less than 3 months and not a week The society does not sufficiently accept entire society, schools and universities. Kaffeeklatsch Goodbye, Sinbad! By Shakir Reshamwala [email protected] ny returnee to Kuwait will be astounded by the probably the lone structure on the Arabian Gulf Road from Interestingly, Souq Wataniya and Souq Watiya survived changes that have taken place over the past few the mid-20th century. But this architectural icon of Kuwait the purge by targeting the low-end market, while Souq Ayears, starting with downtown Kuwait City and was neglected for years, before it was closed for repairs a Mubarakiya is secure in its status as a heritage market. Sharq. Where the Khaleejia and Behbehani towers used to few years back. It still hasn’t reopened to the public, Showbiz in Ras Salmiya - another attraction of the deca- be the tallest ‘skyscrapers’, the skyline of the capital is depriving the younger generation from getting to know dent ‘80s with its arcade games - has been shuttered for awash with futuristic high-rises, dwarfing these two build- this landmark better. years now with promises of something exciting coming up ings into insignificance. Meanwhile, the emergence of the mall culture - led by in its place, but nothing has materialized. Also gone are But amidst these rapid changes, a part of Kuwait is The Avenues and 360 - and gigantic hypermarkets with the cinemas - with the Hamra Tower built over Firdous and being lost. While some pre-oil buildings have been pre- their cutthroat pricing utterly disrupted the shopping Hamra theatres in Sharq and the 360 mall over the drive-in served, there have been no efforts to save the vestiges of experience in Kuwait. Muthanna Complex opened before cinema off the Sixth Ring Road. The Andalus, Sulaibikhat, the post-oil decades. Admittedly ugly with Soviet-era the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, and was a premier shopping Jleeb and Granada cinemas have disappeared too. influences, these buildings nevertheless were symbols of destination. Today, despite its location in the heart of The list is endless, and to cap it, reports are swirling that the emergence of wealth and the transformation of Kuwait City, the complex is a shadow of its former glory, the Sinbad-themed Entertainment City will soon be shut Kuwait from a sleepy backwater into a global energy pow- with shuttered shops and tired interiors. In fact the entire down as well. The news is not surprising, as the park is in a erhouse. But the government has pushed on with its rede- Fahd Al-Salem Street has been shorn of its old apartment general state of disrepair, with many rides out of service velopment plan, evidenced by the demolition of the for- buildings and shops. for years, including old favorites like the rollercoaster and mer chamber of commerce building in Mubarakiya last The old Souq Salmiya at the end of the Fourth Ring the ‘Australian Log’ water ride. Its closure will be the loss year despite protests - ironically - by some young archi- Road suffered a similar fate, and only prolonged legal bat- of yet another childhood haunt, one that will remain only tects. tles with some lessees who still run their shops in other- in the memories of those who grew up here in the 1980s The seafront has also changed, with the Kuwait Towers wise empty buildings has prevented its complete oblivion. and early 1990s. Local FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015 Erasing lines in the sand Pluma highlights migration narratives through poetry chapbook or migrants far from the comforts of home in a foreign land, sometimes the only recourse to release pent-up feelings is through the pen. The Kuwait-based Pluma Migrant Writers Guild is a group of indi- Fviduals focusing on contemporary migration literature, who got together in Sept 2013. Members find ways to challenge socio-cultural divides, with the writers serving as the mouthpieces. The guild holds cross-cultural discussions and presentations on various migration topics in the Gulf and across the globe. The writers pen down what they learned through poetry, prose and other literary genres and publish works in different languages through various media. The name pluma is derived from Tagalog for plume (quill) or pen (writing tool). Kuwait Times spoke with Pluma spokesperson and Kuwait Times con- tributing writer Armineonila M (Armie) to find out more about their activities. member of the host culture. Locals, of course, must also be able Kuwait Times: What is the goal of Pluma? to air their grievances, but as migrants have a more difficult Armie: Pluma is a group of writers who highlight migration time doing this through official channels, this is more impor- narratives and underscore the diachronic atmosphere of migra- tant. tion literature, with the principal goal of “closing the gaps between cultural societies”. We write about themes that high- KT: Tell us about the book, No Return Address. Where light cultural diversity and cross-cultural relationships. We wish did the idea come from? to underline the significance of literature as a way of bridging Armie: ‘No Return Address: A collection of poems’ is a chap- cultural boundaries and encouraging cross-cultural dialogue book containing epistles or letter poems addressed to recipients through poetry reading, forums and creative writing activities who share meaningful relationships with the senders. Each let- by tackling subjects and issues prevalent in a multicultural plat- ter is a depiction of individuals who wish to privately voice their form, like racism, human rights, workers’ rights, integration, experiences, even long-held secrets, while living abroad. The political movements, border conflicts and various influences in writers, although having full or partial knowledge of the lives of migration writings. KT: How does the group work? Do you have open mem- bership? How many members? Armie: Pluma does not follow any organizational structure, is open to individuals who are interested in migration narratives, whether they are citizens or migrants, living in Kuwait or abroad. Interested individuals may contact us anytime. We communicate and share readings through digital platforms and meet-ups. Our current members are Nabeel Philip Mohan, Alliah “Lenzkie” Tabaya, GAP Gutierrez, Wilfred Waters, Mujel Hasan, Tammy Sulit, Rahani Mohan, Moiz Dahodwala, Gina Testigo, Mona Kareem and Armineonila M.

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