Kuwait front leader denies working against royal family

KUWAIT CITY — Dr Fesal Al Hamad, a member of General Loyality and Political Office in the Nation Confederacy, the first political front in Kuwait tells, Khaleej Times: "We 'll never be working against the royal family (Al Sabah family). We've been accused a lot but our confederacy, apart from the last violence in Kuwait, has never worked against the interests of the royal family."

By From Nihal Kamel

Published: Thu 4 Aug 2005, 10:44 AM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 4:12 PM

There is a belief that the Nation Confederacy is working against the government system (Al Sabah family), your comments?

Answer: The law in Kuwait doesn't prevent a system of confederacies in the country. Our confederacy aims to achieve democracy, human rights and freedom. It was formed after a long dialogue process with many political people. Therefore, the members of the Nation Confederacy are from different directions, different thoughts and different opinions. We wish to give a gentle push to democracy in our country but we'll never be working against the royal family. We are interested in improving Kuwait in general. Kuwait is the huge umbrella for all its tribes and sects and our confederacy presents an open strategy for all the people of Kuwait.

Q: Do you have any religous preconditions for joining the Nation Confederacy?

A: No, we haven't any religous conditions. Anyone can join the confederacy.

Q: What is the confederacy's main agenda?

A: Freedom, security, human rights and democracy for all the Kuwaiti people. We want to focus on Islam as a religion and as a country. We refuse to go with those people who have described themselves as 'the group of Muslims' because all of us are Muslims. We must put a stop to such squabbling which creates divisions and we must all strive to confirm our ability in Islam. We must concentrate in serving our country.

Q: Do you think Nation Confederacy can cooperate with all the sects — Sunni and Shia?

A: Yes, our confederacy can bring sects and different opinions to a single platform because that is the real meaning of democracy.

Q: The Declaration of the Nation Confederacy came with a bout of violence in Kuwait. How do you explain that?

A: There is no relation between the Declaration of the Nation Confederacy and the last violence in Kuwait even although there have been accusations that we are working against the royal family. The media in Kuwait was very biased against us. But the people of Kuwait have given us their acceptance and we have asked a lot of peole to join us by the next election to give a boost to democracy in Kuwait.

Q: But why is it that so many members of the Nation Confederacy are being accused by the Kuwaiti government?

A: We don't have a special law for confederacies in Kuwait. We declared our confederacy through Press conferences and a vote in the National Council. We wish we could change some laws in the future. We wish to achieve a lot of positive things through the National Council. Actually, our priorities are very clear and our main aim is democracy.

Q: How do you classify your confederacy, with or against the American agenda?

A: We are working with good levels of freedom. I think we'll recieve a lot of approval from the government in the future because all the international conferences in America now discuss the several ways to achieve democracy. How to improve the democracy in your country? In my vision, it's a very important topic. Simultaneously, we have recieved encouragment from many foreign confederacies who believe that our confederacy is a bold and important step forward in the region.

Q: From where do you get your power in the confederacy — from the mosque or from the tribe?

A: Ninety per cent of Kuwaiti society is related to tribes. All the members of the Nation Confederacy are related to tribes but we chose the name of 'Nation' because we like to represent the entire nation, all the sects, all the tribes. We 'll get our power from the Kuwaiti society. We 'll concentrate on the majority of the people, the simple people but we'll never neglect the role of the tribes and mosques and corporations in Kuwait.

Q: Do you have any contact or arrangements with America or with any other foreign country?

A: I'll tell the people the story... Some groups from the American embassy in Kuwait attended the celebration of the opening day. But we did'nt invite anybody from the American embassy. I'm sure that the concept of confederacy in Kuwait is not just a dream for members of the confederacy but was the dream of all the people of Kuwait. All I've to say is that our confederacy stands apart from all international situations.