(MENAFN- Arab Times) Panel discusses delayed setting up of rights commission
KUWAIT CITY, Sept 24: The parliamentary Human Rights Committee discussed Sunday the delayed establishment of the National Commission for Human Rights, during which State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Sheikh Mohammed Al- Abdullah affirmed there are no issues concerning names that the government intends to submit to the National Assembly as representatives of the commission.
Committee Rapporteur MP Abdul-Kareem Al-Kandari said they also talked about the amnesty rules, disclosing he received a call from the justice minister who expressed willingness to cooperate with the Assembly in this regard.
Al-Kandari added he asked the committee to investigate the alleged setting fire to a Bedoun, stressing the need to invite HH the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al- Hamad Al-Sabah to discuss the case.
He urged the premier to attend the committee meeting rather than send a minister as his representative. He added the premier must present a clear statement on the case, indicating he will not attend the meeting if the premier insists on sending his representative.
Mandatory
He asserted the civil rights of Bedouns are mandatory, so is unnecessary to talk about the issuance of a law granting Bedouns their rights. He pointed out the government lags behind when it comes to dealing with the problems of Bedouns, considering the steps that His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah has taken Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to address humanitarian matters.
In another development, MP Shuaib Al-Muwaizri claimed that everything was suspended during the summer break; yet most government agencies continue to commit violations. He thinks the next legislative round will be full of tension due to the abusive acts of the executive authority.
He said the Assembly must pass a no-confidence motion against any minister proven to be involved in anomalies. He unveiled his plan to grill Minister of Social Affairs and Labor and State Minister for Economic Affairs Hind Al- Sabeeh on issues related to the handicapped, widows, cooperative societies and Public Authority for Manpower, among others.
He will also grill Oil Minister Essam Al-Marzouq who should not remain in his post due to his unwillingness to cooperate with the Assembly. He cited the case of a citizen, who exposed irregularities in the Ministry of Oil and theft cases but the CEO of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) and the minister did nothing; adding this even led to the termination of the citizen.
Bribes
He disclosed another citizen refused to take bribes from a contractor, but the citizen was harrassed with the knowledge of the president of KPC. He went on to say the minister's threats to labor unions in the oil sector will not be beneficial for him, alleging the contracting companies have violated the rights of Kuwaiti employees.
On another issue, Chairman of the parliamentary Committee for Studying the Status of Illegal Residents (Bedouns) MP Nasser Al- Dosari said the panel will meet on Thursday to discuss the enrollment of Bedoun students in public schools. He revealed the committee invited Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr Mohammed Al-Faris to the meeting as they will talk about the proposal that he and MPs Abdullah Fahad and Khalil Aboul submitted on allowing the children of Bedouns included in the 1965 Census to enroll in public schools; similar to the children and grandchildren of military personnel.
By Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff
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