This week, Shiite members of the Kuwaiti Parliament left many people shocked by boycotting the proceedings of the Parliament following the arrest of Shiites running a terrorist cell and due to a statement issued by Kuwait expressing solidarity with Saudi Arabia against Iran after the burning of the Saudi embassy and consulate in Iran.
Is it acceptable in any democratic country to have such elements in public positions who support sectarian or ethnic causes against their own country?
Kuwait may be small in size and population, but it is developed politically, culturally and democratically. Iran has made attempts to interfere in Kuwait’s internal matters various times but always failed to drive a wedge between Kuwaiti people. It has miserably failed in dividing the Kuwaiti society along sectarian lines.
The famous Hezbollah terrorist, late Imad Mughniyeh, hijacked a Kuwaiti plane in 1988 and forced it to land in the Iranian city of Mashhad for four days, then took it to Cyprus. Mughniyeh deliberately chose two Sunni passengers and killed them. He then freed Shiite passengers. After the incident, Shiite Kuwaiti citizens shared mourning tents with Sunnis and publicly denounced Hezbollah and Iran.
Sadly, today Kuwait’s Shiite MPs dare to show solidarity with Iranian terrorism against their country, amid a sectarian climate prevailing in the region. They were preceded by Sunni MPs who showed solidarity with Al-Qaeda and Al-Nusra Front.
Kuwaitis, like other peoples of the region, must see how sectarian and tribal affiliations are easily destroying the region – something all the armies of the world have failed to do so. Without eradicating sectarianism, each country will lose its national identity and will be threatened by division. It will be easier than imagined.
