Ahmed Al-Jarallah – Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times

SOME MPs have made the issue of the revocation of citizenship from violators of law as their main priority, with the elections and media image in their minds. They have invested everything in order to horrifically take advantage of people’s situations in an unprecedented manner.They have been flexing their muscles and practicing a variety of threats against the government, forgetting the fact that the latter followed the law in this matter and referred to the highest level of judiciary in order to avoid any transgression on this completely-sovereign matter.The events witnessed in Kuwait in the past few weeks are not promising any good at all, especially the role of the legislature with the MPs being the first to incite violation of the law under the assumption that it is possible for them to do so, as long as the issue concerns their personal interests. The MPs are supposed to abide by the law before anyone else.However, their practices and stances, which are in violation of the law, do not come as a surprise any longer. What sparks astonishment and perplexity is the rapid retrogression of the government from its decisions if the matter raises possibility of grilling.It is imperative for the government to seriously and sincerely discuss this issue in the coming phase if it really has link to the preservation of the reverence of the State. The parliamentary bazaar, which kicked off two days ago and where every MP presented his products, was a clear indication that they do not find the concept of “state of law” palatable for them. Many of them went on to claim that they are the ones who strived for reinstatement of the revoked citizenships.Others threatened and portrayed themselves to be bigger than the state by promising that they will not hold the government accountable or grill His Highness the Prime Minister, among other paper tigers’ statements, which have fallen on deaf ears of Kuwaitis. In reality, all those statements and stories are products that have expired and are not moving.It is like searching for a needle in a haystack, not more not less. In addition, through opportunist expressions, these people attempt to ensure injuries continue to bleed in order to gain more from people’s pain. The position taken by His Highness the Amir towards this humanitarian issue is based on his personal conviction and not in reaction to the parliamentary stance.He issued his directives to His Highness the Prime Minister and the National Assembly Speaker to solve the issue as per the law and Constitution. Therefore, everything that was said in the parliament has emerged to be uncertain.This tarnishes all the heroism and muscle-flexing of the MPs aimed at trading with people’s anxieties without even caring about the pain and misery they are causing the affected ones. Unfortunately, these MPs, along with the Cabinet, did not see the flaws in the citizenship law, which has never been edited since its inception 58 years ago, despite the developments that the country witnessed in the last five decades.For instance, granting citizenship to children of Kuwait women who are married to non-Kuwaitis as per prevailing norm in majority of countries worldwide, or ensuring those who were naturalized through their fathers would not be mistreated, based on the principle, “Everyone will carry their own burden”, which is in consideration of the humanitarian aspect, and many other such issues for which the law itself has become the main barrier towards their resolution.The MPs are taking credit by exploiting the situation of a group of people who were punished for violating the citizenship law and not for their political stances as is being portrayed. This is an indication of their maliciousness, the consequence of which no one knows except them. Deep inside their own selves, they know they deserve no credit at all and that their game will not help in anyway. In fact, their interference in this sovereignty issue has huge negative repercussions on the concerned people.Therefore, interpretation of His Highness the Amir’s words based on their desires and whims is nothing more than dreams in summer nights. The directive issued by His Highness the Amir to the heads of the parliament and Cabinet is clear. He instructs the formation of a mechanism to be used for reinstating the revoked citizenships.Here we beg to say, “Perhaps, it is for the good, considering that this mechanism can solve the predicaments of hundreds whose their citizenships have been withdrawn”. In other words, it will not deal with just a certain category and ignore other categories in this regard. Despite all these facts, some continue to trade with this issue as if they are striving to distort every fact.The political “Friday Market” is still wide open. However, it would have been better for them to review themselves and the investments they are insisting on making at the expense of people’s pain and suffering. The law in Kuwait is prudent in the hands of the global humanitarian leader — the father of all who possesses wisdom for lifting injustice from those who have been treated in an unjust manner — that is if there are those who have been aggrieved.May the MPs entertain us with their silence — how wonderful would that be, if the government spares itself from creating heroes at the expense of the reverence of the state. By Ahmed Al-Jarallah Editor-in-Chief, the Arab Times[email protected][email protected]