The Arab Revolt Spreads to Kuwait

Stateless Arabs in Kuwait held protests today, demanding citizenship.  The protests reportedly took place in Taima’ and Sulaibiya, Jahra Governorate, and Ahmadi, Ahmadi Governorate.

Taima’





Sulaibiya, 18 February 2011


Ahmadi, 18 February 2011

On Al Watan TV


For more information, visit <www.bedoon.org>.  Cf. “More than 1,000 stateless Arabs demonstrated in Kuwait on Friday demanding citizenship, and dozens were arrested by police, witnesses said.  The protest in Jahra, northwest of Kuwait City, was the first in the oil-producing Gulf Arab state since a wave of unrest began sweeping across the Middle East in December” (Reuters, 18 February 2011); “Stateless Arabs, estimated at more than 100,000, claim they have the right to Kuwaiti citizenship, but the government says that ancestors of many of them came from neighbouring countries and they are not entitled to nationality. . . . Many bidoons have no right to a driver’s licence, cannot get birth certificates for their babies or death certificates for the dead. They are also banned from getting their marriage contracts attested. Due to stringent government restrictions, a majority of them are living in dire economic conditions in oil-rich Kuwait, where the average monthly salary of native citizens is more than $3,500 (2,575 euros)” (AFP, 18 February 2011).




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