(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Speaker of Parliament, Jassem Al-Kharafi, strongly criticized on Sunday a US report on religious freedom and alleged that its purpose is to incite sedition in the country.
Al-Kharafi was among several MPs at the National Assembly who condemned the report released last Wednesday and said that the US has no right to assess the state affairs of other countries while it continues to violate human rights itself with the detainees in Guantanamo Bay.
The parliament speaker perceived the report will not be the last by the US which “fancies itself the world’s policeman”.
“He who has a glass house shouldn’t throw stones,” said Al-Kharafi. “The US forgets that it continues to violate human rights by continuing the detention of Kuwaitis and others in Guantanamo without trial”.
The Report on International Religious Freedom, formed by the US Department of State, evaluated the status of religious freedom in 2010 from 2009 in many countries around the world.
On Kuwait, the report stated among its assessment that “there was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom by the government during the reporting period... (However) Shiite Muslims continued to find it difficult to obtain legal permission to establish new places of worship”.
Al-Kharafi added if the US is keen on maintaining stability and good relations in the region it should take care of the nature of the reports it releases.
“The people of Kuwait are one family and unified. We will not allow the US or any other country to incite sedition within the state,” he said.
Shiite MP Adnan Al-Mutawa affirmed that Kuwait is in good relation with both its’ Sunni and Shiite citizens. “The restrictions on religious freedom are coming from a small group of people who seek to sow hatred between the citizens of Kuwait. They do not represent the government or its people”.
He stressed that the building of mosques for Sunnis and Shiites is guaranteed by the constitution which “welcomes all religions and religious sects on its land”.
On his part, MP Mussalam Al-Barrak dismissed the US report and requested the Foreign Affairs Committee to refute the claims. He said that the report should not be taken in consideration with sensitivity.
“There is no doubt that we in Kuwait disagree, then agree, then question. However, there is freedom; there is the Constitution and the laws, even if some are bothered by it,” commented Al-Barrak.
The Report on International Religious Freedom also said that “Kuwait’s constitution calls for “absolute freedom” of belief and for freedom of religious practice in accordance with established customs, provided that it does not conflict with public policy or morals; however, the government limits this right”.
Al-Barrak added that as long as the US has the right to make those assessments then “we as well have the right to say that human rights are neglected in the US pertaining to the detainees at Guantanamo Bay”.
End item/ 159
