Rights commission to be launched soon - Fadhl urges solution for bedoon problem

KUWAIT: MP Riyadh Al-Adasani, who was questioned by the public prosecution yesterday over a defamation lawsuit filed by a former lawmaker, threatened to grill Interior Minister Sheikh Khaled Al-Jarrah Al-Sabah. Adasani was sued by former MP Abdullah Al-Tameemi for saying he had received money from the premier's office in aid for a Kuwaiti citizen.

Adasani said he had only repeated what Tameemi had publicly announced, and charged that the report sent by the interior ministry to the public prosecution was not fair and held the interior minister responsible. The lawmaker insisted that he will not change his policy towards the minister and towards pursuing cases of corruption and money laundering. Adasani had vowed to file to grill the prime minister over the same issue.

Meanwhile, the government informed the National Assembly's human rights panel that preparations for the launch of the national human rights commission have been finalized. Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Anas Al-Saleh made the announcement after meeting with the assembly rights panel, adding that the government is ready to implement the rights commission law.

Head of the committee MP Adel Al-Damkhi welcomed the announcement and said that the executive structure and the necessary bylaws were completed in May and the permanent premises of the commission has been chosen. Member of the committee MP Khalil Abul meanwhile praised the interior ministry for accepting the committee's remarks on the central prison and for improving the situation there.

MP Ahmad Al-Fadhl called on political groups and civil society organizations along with concerned government agencies to cooperate for a comprehensive and durable solution for the problem of stateless people or bedoons, describing it as Kuwait's most chronic crisis. Fadhl praised the efforts of the head of the central agency for bedoons Saleh Al-Fadhalah, who had been strongly criticized by human rights advocates for taking measures deemed oppressive to bedoons. Fadhl said that an expanded meeting between the government and the National Assembly is expected to be held at the speaker's office to debate the problem, which concerns some 120,000 bedoons who have been living in the country for decades.

Also, five MPs submitted a draft law calls for rescheduling the repayments of bank loans of Kuwaiti citizens and re-tabulating them over 12 years. The bill will be first debated by the legal and legislative committee.

By B Izzak