When the People Spoke

May 2006 was a month that Kuwait experienced a wave in its political life that seemed so out of character for such a peaceful and reserved country. Demonstrators on the streets that started with a few individuals that counted no more than 200 heads max, grew to almost 2000 in less than a month period, and eventually led to dissolving the parliament. An act that enforced the government to abide to people’s demand of issuing a bill to reduce the voting constituents to five instead of twenty five, in one of its unprecedented moves to fight corruption in the country and restore reform. A movement that took almost everyone by surprise for no one knew who was the dynamo behind such civilized and orderly actions that swept the whole country in such a short time. And as usual in a small country like Kuwait, whether intentionally or unintentionally, rumors took precedence, and to many, the whole incident still remains a mystery.

Not many people knew that the whole movement was initiated, and organized as a group movement by Kuwaiti bloggers. And the beauty of it all was that it came as an unplanned, natural process of a day-to-day movement. It was not led by MP’s although many thought that it was since 29 MP’s adopted the movement and became the key speakers of those demonstrations. It was the youth behind the Net who struck the first spark and kept the country sizzling for at least two month’s period.

Amer Alzuhair; a talented Kuwaiti blogger with the nickname Bunaz participated in the movement and witnessed the events with his brilliant camera. He brought the events alive with moment-to-moment capturing as a reliable witness to history. Now he finally got his clips edited and is awaiting its release through official channels.
Last Wednesday I had the privilege of attending the initial screening of the documentary and had the opportunity to relive every moment of those days; with its immense excitements and agonies, hopes and regrets. All contradicting emotions that accompanied those days, which I will never forget as long as I live.

I have to thank Bunaz deeply from my heart for bringing the orange days alive before my eyes, and for articulating such a great documentary that witnesses the truth behind the orange movement for generations to come.

For those who have not seen the documentary; there will be other screening soon and that should be announced by other bloggers such as White Wings. And for those who can’t make it; the documentary will soon be sold on the Net and I will announce that as soon as I get the news.

Don’t Blow off our Only Hope

Noriya AlSebeeh is the only candle of hope in the new (old?) government. She is assigned the responsibility of the most dangerous ministry in my opinion.

The Ministry of Education, as well as, The Teacher’s Society have been hijacked for decades by Islamists; particularly Moslem Brethrens. Their web expands to all vital veins in both institutions. And the confused youth of today is just the product of their long mind-molding strategy. Yet, Noriya is not a stranger to this ministry and she has a reputation of being strict in applying the rules on all, without discrimination; a strong personality that this ministry has long needed at decision-making levels. And I think that the Prime Minister was highly successful in making this choice.

But the question is; will she survive? That’s if this government survived and did not have the same fate as its previous ones, which is more likely the case.

Just few hours after forming the government and disclosing the names of ministers, Islamists like Thawabit Alommah (don’t know who the hell they are) and the joker-MP Altabtabai and his likes, demanded her compliance with the sharee3a in covering her head with a veil when she attends parliament sessions. This demand, they claim, is according to a condition that was attached to the law issued last year, permitting women participation in the political arena. And even though this law does not specify wearing a veil as a condition, but rather complying with Alshareea regarding the general appearance, but the trouble makers made sure to deliver the message to her, and she made sure to reply that she is a Moslem that fears no one but God. Now this message would prove its strength when she appears in the oath ceremony in the parliament with her uncovered hair. But if she wore the veil to please those Islamist, then this is an indication that she had lost the credibility as an official who can make a difference, and that she’s nothing but another head-count.

Now other than the opposition Noriya is facing, and will continue facing by the radicals in the parliament; she also has to deal with higher and middle management in the ministry; a product inherited from the previous Islamic ideologists. And the first thing she did to lessen their blow, was to assure those involved that there won’t be any changes concerning their posts. Noriya realizes very well that her enemies from within the ministry are even fiercer than the ones from without.

Now this ministry is the most problematic of all ministries, it deals with the new generation, the makers of the future of this country. And perceiving this inheritance from all directions, one can see nothing but a complete mess. The level of education, for one, is shamefully low, public schools severely lack expertise in teaching professionals (almost anyone who applies to this post is readily accepted without testing their credentials)*. School curriculums are not set to teach sciences for the purpose of producing scientists and thinkers, but rather for creating more clergymen since each chapter in science books almost always ends with verses of Quran, set to emphasize the idea of creation.

Not to mention Islamic religion courses that is biased to the teachings of the Brethrens’ ideologies, amongst which, promoting jihad and emphasizing the roles of women as housewives in an effort to prepare the generation to accept the ancient style of living under Khaleefat’s reign. And more importantly; not considering the fact that the student’s background differ when it comes to their belief systems, and that enforcing such ideologies contradicted with their teachings at home, which created more sectarianism when students’ trust in school suffered a drastic blow, especially when those students had to repeat and memories what their parents had told them not to be true. Now you can imagine what type of conflicting personalities this system shaped in the youth.

And other than that the system itself is based on the old motawa system of repetition and memorization although science had drastically improved learning processes using psychology and research as well as Net technology to develop the mind instead of just over stressing it with useless information that has no significance in the student’s future career.

This, in addition to other delicate issues such as drug and sex abuse in schools, a matter that needs prompt attention and long term planning strategy based on education, and not on the hush-hush and expulsion (fasl) attitude that escalated the problem instead of solving it (check AlQabas about two days ago).

The Ministry of Education needs sieving and sifting; it needs a long term planning to save the new generation by providing the right education. Just like fighters who are prepared with gears of war, students have to be prepared with proper tools, that allows them to face their problems instead of running away from them and ignoring their existence, as is done now. And although Noreya has no magic wand, and no one is asking her to perform miracles, but she is the most suited person available, and she has the wit and the personality to at least plant the seed of reform. Now; will she be able to withstand the radical pressure? Or would she have enough chance and enough time to fulfill her duties? I guess we only have to wait and see.

Many silent parents have their hearts hung to this hope, and I hope she is strong enough to withstand the Islamic tide that accomplished nothing in schools except destruction. We are in desperate need to save our kids, don’t blow off our only candle.

* She issued a decree to test all applicants, which is a positive point in her favor.

Welcome to Kuwaitistan

We Kuwaitis usually pride ourselves that regardless of what, we still have the freedom to express our thoughts. Well; surprise guys, this is not true anymore. Internet providers like Fastelco, Quality Net and KEMS, are blocking sites, forums, as well as blogs, as an on-going process. And it would not surprise me a bit to wake up one day and find out that my blog is gone.

This morning I tried to get in these secular sites:

nawafco.blogspot.com
arabsinspace.blogspot.com

But unfortunately I was denied access by Fastelco. I called the company and as usual they gave me an e-mail to complain. I asked them who decides what sites should be banned, they said the ministry of communication, although I’m sure that the ministry is the last to know. For how do you explain that some companies are blocking these sites and some aren’t, if it was a written instruction from the ministry to all companies?
What is surprising as well; is that a site, which provides an online library, was also blocked (maktabacom.blogspot.com)!!!!

It’s been years since we were disappointed with lies in the media. And our only refuge was through the Net. And now the Taliban government is covering all sources of information except what suits them and their allies. And soon we will see no sites but Islamic ones like Islam on-line and akhawatiha that deal with magic, Jin and horoscopes. Exactly like the types of books we find in the very few bookshops that still operate in the country.
In other words; they covered our Space with a veil (7ijab) as per elthawabi6 Alislamiyah. When I see this word I think of chains and whips.

Mabrook ya Kuwait

A note to Fastelco since I’m one of their customers:
You know well that no matter what you do to block sites there’s always proxies. No thanks to our corrupt government. So beat it
As for me; I will stop my subscription with you and I hope others will follow; it’s your loss.

Free Thoughts

Once a fish tried to extend its whole body beyond sea level
Its gills couldn’t take the air and so it stood Clueless in
The middle, if it stayed longer out, it’d sure be
Vanished in a ripple, and if it dived it’s
To be saved but to norms it has to
Settle. Thoughts in my country
Are like that fresh air that the
Fish tried to wobble

Repeat: Succumb, Submit
And Stay under
Sea level:
Safe

An Update:
Here is a proxy link, just copy-paste the URL’s above in the window provided in the link, and it takes you there:
http://www.hidemyass.com

A Second Update:
Here is more proxy addresses you can use, click here (Or just go to http://www.proxy.org) and choose from the right window.

Let’s play it Fair

I’ve given you variety
Gardens of Eden with roses damask
And lily whites, a delight
Not to bore your eyes, and a feast
Not to hinder your persistent appetite

I’ve given you sensuous nights
Scented with patchouli shrubs
And skin rubs that seized your senses
And other kinds of naughty stuff
That yielded you completely defenseless

I’ve given you harmony
An ear to listen
A sanctuary to hide in
And a heart to reside
When life was unkind

I’ve given you passion
The tap of mercy
The touch of gentleness
And a mother’s bosom
For many a time to cry your troubles on

I’ve given you all of me
At your service, master
Your wish was my command
And your comfort was a demand
Melting through my skin

If she can give you half of that
Then congrats
The two of you are perfectly fit
For each other