VZCZCXRO7079
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHKU #2271/01 1641540
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 131540Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5138
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002271 
 
SIPDIS 
 
NOFORN 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, LONDON FOR TSOU, PARIS FOR ZEYA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2016 
TAGS: PGOV PINR KDEM KU FREEDOM AGENDA
SUBJECT: THE ENEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND: SUPPORT FOR 
AND OPPOSITION TO REFORM UNITES POLITICAL OPPOSITES 
 
REF: A. KUWAIT 2150 
     ¶B. KUWAIT 2148 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: CDA Matt Tueller for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) 
 
¶1.  (C/NF) Summary: An emerging consensus between 
ideologically opposite political blocs on the need for 
political reform in Kuwait has led to the formation of a 
number of unprecedented alliances in advance of the June 29 
parliamentary elections.  Some Islamist groups, like the 
Islamic Constitutional Movement (ICM), the political arm of 
the Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood, are supporting pro-reform 
candidates from both liberal and pro-Iran Shi'a political 
associations.  Other groups whose political power is likely 
to diminish if reforms are implemented are also cooperating 
to back candidates sympathetic to maintaining the status quo. 
 One example is the Shi'a umbrella National Society 
Coalition's support for pro-Government Sunni candidates who 
oppose electoral reform, which is seen as potentially 
detrimental to Shi'a interests.  While these emerging 
alliances are an important new political dynamic, traditional 
alliances still figure prominently in Kuwaiti politics. 
Nonetheless, these new alliances highlight the fact that 
Kuwait's political system is evolving, albeit slowly, from 
one based predominantly on personal, familial, and tribal 
connections to one based more on real political issues.  End 
summary. 
 
Opposites Attract 
----------------- 
 
¶2.  (C/NF) One example of how support for reform has united 
political and ideological opposites is that of Mohammed 
Al-Boushehri, a Shi'a member of both the Kuwait Democratic 
Forum (KDF) and the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), two 
of Kuwait's leading liberal political associations.  (Note: 
The Kuwaiti Government does not officially recognize 
political parties.  End note.)  Al-Boushehri, who was active 
in the pro-reform, youth-based "orange movement" (ref A) and 
helped found the Dialogue Center, an unofficial NGO that 
seeks to foster more open dialogue between Kuwait's different 
political and religious groups, told Poloff that he and other 
members of the Dialogue Center were backing Adnan Abdul 
Samad, a candidate affiliated with the National Islamic 
Alliance (NIA), a conservative, pro-Iran Shi'a political 
association, in the upcoming elections.  Asked why, 
Al-Boushehri explained that although he disagreed with 
Samad's ideological leanings, he would support him because he 
was both pro-reform and strong enough to stand up to the 
Government.  According to Al-Boushehri, "the key issues in 
this election are reform and corruption." 
 
¶3.  (C/NF) Another liberal Shi'a member of the Dialogue 
Center, Mohammed Al-Shaykh, echoed these views in a separate 
meeting with Poloff.  "Political affiliation is not important 
in these elections," Al-Shaykh said.  "We support all 
candidates who support reform."  He noted, however, that his 
group had made it very clear to Samad that they would 
strongly oppose him if he pushed for the amendment of Article 
2 of the Constitution to make Islamic Shari'a the sole source 
of legislation in Kuwait. 
 
¶4.  (C/NF) Another example of a reform-based political 
alliance is the Islamic Constitutional Movement's (ICM), the 
political arm of the Kuwaiti Muslim Brotherhood, support for 
candidates on opposite ends of Kuwait's political spectrum. 
ICM MP Dr. Nasser Al-Sane, who is running for re-election, 
spoke at the opening campaign rallies of both Ahmed Lari, an 
NIA candidate, and incumbent MP Ali Al-Rashid, an independent 
liberal formerly associated with the KDF.  According to a 
source at Lari's opening, Al-Sane said "his organization" 
(ie. the ICM) would support Lari's candidacy in that 
district.  Again, the central issue uniting these candidates 
is their support for political reform.  The ICM is also 
cooperating with its traditional ally, the Salafi Movement, 
on which candidates to support to maximize Sunni Islamist 
representation in Parliament. 
 
¶5.  (C/NF)  While the liberal-Islamist alliance is key to the 
success of the "orange movement," many of Kuwait's liberal 
elite are wary of getting too close to Islamist groups. 
Former MP and Head of Parliament's Foreign Relations 
Committee Mohammed Jassem Al-Sager, women's activist and 
candidate Dr. Rola Dashti, and Kuwait University Political 
Scientist Dr. Nada Al-Mutawa expressed to NEA Assistant 
Secretary Welch their skepticism that Islamist groups were 
 
SIPDIS 
serious about reform.  They were convinced Islamist groups 
aligned themselves with liberals and were using political 
reform and corruption as a means of building support and 
 
KUWAIT 00002271  002 OF 002 
 
 
securing more seats in Parliament where they would then 
reveal their true colors. 
 
Resistance to Change 
-------------------- 
 
¶6.  (C/NF) Alliances are also emerging between groups that 
fear losing their political power if reforms are implemented. 
 Sayed Mohammed Baqer Al-Mohri, the leading Shi'a cleric in 
Kuwait and the Secretary General of the Shi'a Clerics 
Congregation (SCC), a conservative Shi'a political 
association, told Poloff his organization would support Jamal 
Al-Omar, a liberal, pro-Government Sunni MP who is running 
for re-election in a district with a large Shi'a population, 
in the upcoming elections.  Al-Mohri explained that Al-Omar 
treated both Shi'a and Sunni constituents equally and went 
out of his way to help Shi'a air their grievances.  Al-Mohri 
added that the Shia's main concern was that Salafis would be 
elected.  "They are a major problem for us," he said. 
Al-Mohri explained that although he supported women's 
candidacy in principle, the SCC would not support Dr. Rola 
Dashti, a Shi'a running in the same district as Al-Omar, 
because she did not wear a veil. 
 
¶7.  (C/NF) Abdul Hussein Al-Sultan, the Secretary General of 
the National Societies Coalition (NSC), an umbrella 
organization grouping four separate Shi'a political 
associations -- the Islamic National Consensus Movement, the 
Justice and Peace Grouping, the Shi'a Clerics Congregation, 
and the National Charter Grouping -- told Poloff the NSC's 
priorities were (in order of importance): 1) increasing the 
number of NSC MPs; 2) increasing the number of Shi'a MPs; and 
3) increasing the number of moderate MPs.  Echoing Al-Mohri, 
Al-Sultan said the Shi'a were strongly opposed to Islamist 
candidates, and were cooperating with other political blocs 
to prevent them from being elected.  The majority of the 
candidates supported by the NSC also oppose electoral reform, 
which they feel could reduce the number of Shi'a MPs. 
 
A Slow Evolution 
---------------- 
 
¶8.  (C/NF) Although new coalitions have emerged around the 
issue of reform, traditional political alliances still 
dominate Kuwait's political system.  The primary political 
divide in Kuwait is between the well-educated, more 
sophisticated urban areas of Kuwait City and the primarily 
conservative, tribal "outlying" areas, like Jahra, Fahaheel, 
and Ahmadi.  In the outlying areas, which represent roughly 
12 of the 25 electoral constituencies, tribal alliances 
largely determine which candidates are elected.  Tribal 
candidates tend to be either pro-Government or Islamist, 
though a number of independents have also been elected from 
these areas.  In urban areas, the divide between liberals, 
Islamists, Shi'a, and pro-Government elements is more 
pronounced.  As noted above, though, Kuwaitis' political 
affiliations can shift depending on the issue, and 
ideologically opposite groups can unite on an ad hoc basis in 
support of a shared political objective. 
 
¶9.  (C/NF) The result of these complex alliances is a nuanced 
political system still largely dependent on personal 
connections, whether through one's family, tribe, or 
religious association.  Many contacts point out, however, 
that this is changing.  The participation of women and the 
emergence of a grassroots pro-reform movement is having a 
profound impact on these elections and forcing candidates to 
address issues like education, gender equality, corruption, 
and political reform.  If the new Parliament passes electoral 
reform legislation, this trend will become increasingly 
pronounced. 
 
¶10.  (SBU/NF) A brief overview of Kuwait's political 
associations is available on our classified website. 
 
********************************************* * 
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s 
 
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
********************************************* * 
TUELLER