KUWAIT CITY, 3 March 2005 — Islamic charities in Kuwait have been ordered to shut down hundreds of charity collection boxes in a bid to better control fund-raising, a minister said in remarks published yesterday.
“The decision to remove (legal) charity boxes is irreversible. ... It was taken by the Cabinet which wants to remove anything that may affect charity work,” Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Faisal Al-Hajji said.
The five authorized Islamic charities and their 124 branches in Kuwait have hundreds of boxes placed all over the emirate, some of which are unlicensed.
Hajji said an earlier government decision to remove unlicensed boxes had been successfully implemented and charities had been given a grace period to remove officially-sanctioned boxes that ended yesterday.
“Charity boxes are not a civilized means (to raise funds). It may even give an impression contrary to the noble goals of the charities,” the minister said in comments carried by local newspapers.
US Ambassador Richard LeBaron urged Kuwait last month to exercise more control on charity fund-raising and money transfers in a bid to drain sources of terrorism funding.
In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks in the US, Kuwait has taken a series of measures to regulate fund-raising by charities, including a ban on collecting cash donations.
Under the regulations fund-raising was prohibited in mosques, even during the holy month of Ramadan, and the central bank was assigned to approving and monitoring all money transferred overseas by charities.
Kuwaiti charities have also agreed to open their books to government auditing to ensure funds are not used to fund militant activity.
All Kuwaiti financial institutions must now seek approval from the Social Affairs Ministry before opening an account in a charity’s name.
Charities can also no longer transfer funds abroad without securing prior approval from the social affairs and foreign ministries.
