Min 5º Max 20º FREE www.kuwaittimes.net NO: 16724- Friday, December 11, 2015 Finding an Explorer on Chelsea outclass alternative to 50-day trek Porto to ease abandoned across Arabia pressure on baby problem2 ‘Empty11 Quarter’ Mourinho47 GCC backs ‘political solution’ for Syria Page 10 RIYADH: Amir of Kuwait, HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah attends the second day of the 136th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit held in Riyadh yesterday as kings and Amirs from six Gulf states began two days of talks. — AFP Local FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2015 Local Spotlight Cops robbing expats Left to die ‘Finding an alternative to the region’s abandoned baby problem’ By Nawara Fattahova By Muna Al-Fuzai ecently, a newborn baby was left in the parking lot of a public building in Kuwait. The abandon- [email protected] Ring of this infant, who was later found dead, was- n’t an individual case. Almost every month, cases of abandoned new borns are reported across the region. Many of them are not found alive and some are delib- f you can’t trust a policeman, you can’t trust anyone. erately murdered by their parents. For those who try to So when a bad cop breaks the rules, he must be pun- ished severely, because his illegal act damages public abandon their babies, typical spots where they are left I include mosques, empty parking lots, garbage bins trust in the law and its enforcers. A policeman was recently suspended from duty and referred to investiga- and other lightly trafficked areas. tion for charges of theft after some expats complained Abandoning babies in public places sadly happens he entered their building in Khaitan and stole money all around the world, but it’s a common problem in the from them. He committed this crime while wearing his Middle East and especially the Arab Gulf due to social uniform and assumed no one will say a word. He was mores and a legal system that leaves no room for wrong! unwed mothers. Sex outside marriage for women is a The policeman was interrogated by detectives after taboo in the region, and delivering a baby proves this being identified by the expat victims. The policeman crime that may result in the “honor killing” or imprison- offered to return the stolen money, but his proposal was ment for the mother and a scandal that will tarnish the rejected and he was sent to the public prosecution. Now reputation of the entire family. he is facing trial and hopefully will get some jail time and The majority of cases of abandoned babies in get thrown out of the force too to set an example. Kuwait and other Gulf Arab states are by expatriates - A dirty cop is an unacceptable notion anywhere in the many of them domestic helpers who got pregnant out world. If this man was an ordinary civilian who commit- of wedlock. Since abortion is illegal (and if done illegal- ted a theft, I would say maybe returning the money is ly can be expensive or dangerous), many secretly deliv- not a bad idea to end the case, but since he is a cop, for- er their babies and then leave abandon the newborns. giveness has no place here. There is a general perception of the police that they represent the law, security and protection in the event of a calamity, so it is natural for Baby Boxes people to feel anxious when dealing with them, keeping In the West, especially in Europe and the United in mind that police officers are not usually nice or friend- States, governments have come with a solution that ly. So a feeling of dread and anxiety is a natural reaction, can save the lives of these unwanted babies. Baby box- lives of unwanted babies. even when there is no reason for it. es or hatches have been set up, usually in the form of To clarify the religious opinion in this matter, Kuwait I believe there is a big difference between the police drawers that are part of a building. The box has a suit- Times called the fatwa call center for advice. The sheikh in the West and in the Arab world. I feel a lot of comfort able temperature that will help a newborn baby stay on the line condemned the act of adultery and of in dealing with police officers in Britain or Germany, for alive for some time. After the mother places the baby in dumping babies resulting from this act on the streets to example, because I know they comply with the law and the box, some kind of alarm reaches medics or carers to let them die. About the baby box particularly, he said: perform their duties in the event of exposure to risk come and collect the baby and take it to the hospital. “You can place such a box near a mosque or elsewhere. without taking into consideration irrelevant elements This technique saves the life of the baby, rather than This is not forbidden by Sharia”. such as origin, race, religion or social status. This is not being killed or left to die. But when clarifying that should such a baby box be the case here, and sometimes not speaking Arabic can But are the local authorities or other Arab govern- placed by a ministry or other government body, the be a barrier too. Luckily, this time expats had the courage ments receptive to such an idea? It may sound against sheikh refused to comment, ending the conversation by to speak up. Such incidents affect people’s confidence in local traditions and customs, as it may seem to encour- saying that his advice is only for individuals and not for security, which cannot be tolerated. age immoral behavior, while it’s only meant to save the public institutions or the government. Photo of the day KUWAIT: Image shows a man training his birds of prey to hunt. Hunting with falcons and other birds of prey is a time hon- ored tradition in Kuwait. — Photo by Kuna/Ali Al Roumy Local FRIDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2015 Donors sought door-to-door Filipino groups seek funds for ‘charity’ back home By Ben Garcia areas in Manila, so I give them KD 5. Only later I realized they had no permit from rmed with envelopes and brave the embassy or local authorities here. It faces, groups of Filipinos have was wrong for me to give money to peo- Abeen going around Kuwait to ple I didn’t know,” he rued. solicit money in the name of a charitable An American family also encountered movement in the Philippines. The charity, the group in Salwa. “They knocked on my Sonshine Philippines Movement, pro- door and showed me an envelope. Of vides the envelopes and letters of solici- course I told them it is illegal to ask for tation to inform prospective donors money for charity in this way. Even chari- about their purpose and why members ty organizations based in Kuwait cannot go house-to-house to collect funds. do this, so I warned them to stop since Kuwait Times tried in vain to contact the they have no papers to show they are SPM headquarters in Manila, but our calls operating legally,” the American lady were left answered. who did not want to give her name said. The group has been roaming Kuwait When Kuwait Times asked if the asking money for what they say are chari- embassy will issue an advisory for table purposes and sustain their activi- encountered the group last year. The fact in the afternoon when the doorbell rang. Filipinos in Kuwait on this topic, the ties, which they do nationwide. The that I only came upon them last week When I opened the door, a group of five Philippine Embassy said no formal com- group has been encountered by not just means they have been in operation for Filipinos handed me an envelope. When I plaint has been lodged yet at their offices Filipinos, but other expats too. some time now,” he said. asked some questions, one person told and that they haven’t read the solicita- Dr Chie Umandap, a community Rodel in Fahaheel has also encoun- me to read its contents. It said they are a tion letter and its purpose. “I want to leader, was approached by members of tered the group. “I was sleeping soundly charity organization helping disaster know more about this scheme, so I can- the group at his house in Hawally recent- not comment on the matter,” an ly. “I know that solicitation of money is embassy official said. illegal in Kuwait. So I asked whether they The Sonshine Philippines Movement’s had embassy or police permits. But projects are aimed at addressing the instead of answering my inquiries, they “I was sleeping soundly in the afternoon most pressing environmental and social left as if I was trying to throw them out. issues and concerns plaguing the country But I was only clarifying their status when the doorbell rang. When I opened the and the world today, according to its because I don’t want to see my country- website. Among programs they focus on men dragged by authorities to be door, a group of five Filipinos handed me an are agri-forest resource development deported. I know begging is strictly pro- and management, marine and coastal hibited and illegal in Kuwait. I was just envelope. When I asked some questions, one resource development and manage- trying to help,” he said.