Comments on: The Bedoon http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/ Mark and Nat, a married Lebanese couple who are living in Kuwait. Both are creatives, Mark works in Advertising while Nat in TV. Sun, 06 Jul 2008 21:36:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Kuwaiti http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-421511 Kuwaiti Sat, 09 Feb 2008 05:17:14 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-421511 It is completely stupid for anyone to state that bedoons dont exist in kuwait. I agree that some bedoons are from other countries and have just hidden their passports, they oviously dont deserve Kuwaiti citizenship since they belong to another country and are just trying to take advantage. However why do these people do this?? Because there was a portion of kuwaitis who did not sign up for citizenship when the country was giving it. And in those times it didnt matter. But as time went on ... kuwait started to treat the ones without citizenship differently. And so the Kuwaiti government created the Bedoons, a portion of the country's people who didnt sign up for citizenship. And since this issue was not solved, people frmo neighbouring countries came and pretened to be bedoon in hope they would one day receive the citizenship. This shows that there is a large bedoon population who have lived in kuwait for generations, before independence, and some have been their before families of current kuwaitis. Some bedoons are more "Kuwaiti" than Kuwaitis with a citizenship. So these bedoons deserve the Kuwaiti citizenship to the fullest. It is completely the governments fault for neglecting these original kuwaitis bedoons, and letting the problem come to what it is today, where others are taking advantage of it. You say that the government should go case by case and give these rightful people their rights. I agree. And the government has a committe for bedoons and a council and whatever it calls it. And this is basically useless to anyone. They do not help the bedoon population, they said they would give jinsiya to 2000 every year... that has not happened. And when they finally do give jinsiya... they give it to 'Kumar" and a Iraqi Sheikh?!?!?!.... Only becasue these people have wasta. And they come and argue that bedoons dont deserve citizenship because they are not orginally kuwaiti... they are from Iraq, or Iran, or Saudia, or mercury, or pluto. But "Kumar" and a Egyptian cook and an Iraqi Sheikh deserve citizenship????? The government needs to get serious and solve this issue and give the rightful bedoons their right as full citizens of Kuwait. The longer that it takes to do this.. the worse this issue will get. It is about time...Kuwait is the best country... and kuwaitis (bedoons) do not deserve to be living like this.. while other people from their country are living better. It is completely stupid for anyone to state that bedoons dont exist in kuwait. I agree that some bedoons are from other countries and have just hidden their passports, they oviously dont deserve Kuwaiti citizenship since they belong to another country and are just trying to take advantage. However why do these people do this?? Because there was a portion of kuwaitis who did not sign up for citizenship when the country was giving it. And in those times it didnt matter. But as time went on … kuwait started to treat the ones without citizenship differently. And so the Kuwaiti government created the Bedoons, a portion of the country’s people who didnt sign up for citizenship. And since this issue was not solved, people frmo neighbouring countries came and pretened to be bedoon in hope they would one day receive the citizenship.

This shows that there is a large bedoon population who have lived in kuwait for generations, before independence, and some have been their before families of current kuwaitis. Some bedoons are more “Kuwaiti” than Kuwaitis with a citizenship. So these bedoons deserve the Kuwaiti citizenship to the fullest.

It is completely the governments fault for neglecting these original kuwaitis bedoons, and letting the problem come to what it is today, where others are taking advantage of it.
You say that the government should go case by case and give these rightful people their rights. I agree. And the government has a committe for bedoons and a council and whatever it calls it. And this is basically useless to anyone. They do not help the bedoon population, they said they would give jinsiya to 2000 every year… that has not happened. And when they finally do give jinsiya… they give it to ‘Kumar” and a Iraqi Sheikh?!?!?!…. Only becasue these people have wasta. And they come and argue that bedoons dont deserve citizenship because they are not orginally kuwaiti… they are from Iraq, or Iran, or Saudia, or mercury, or pluto. But “Kumar” and a Egyptian cook and an Iraqi Sheikh deserve citizenship????? The government needs to get serious and solve this issue and give the rightful bedoons their right as full citizens of Kuwait. The longer that it takes to do this.. the worse this issue will get. It is about time…Kuwait is the best country… and kuwaitis (bedoons) do not deserve to be living like this.. while other people from their country are living better.

]]> By: al http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-199260 al Sun, 20 May 2007 21:59:17 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-199260 Allow me to introduce my self, my name is Al, I was born in Kuwait 1955, joined the Kuwaiti army in 1973 on the promises that I will someday achieve citizenship (Jinssya), My father served the military since 1958 (prior to Kuwait independency), he served for 40 years and recently passed away (god bless his sole) did not qualify for citizenship, his government home was confiscated from him, after he passed away, we were unable to receive his small inheritance, (it has been 4 years now and no success) too much government red tape. I was one of the luckiest Bidoon ever, I was able to migrate to the US thirty years ago, and I am currently a US citizen, happily married with a professional position. It’s amazing to see the ignorance of the Kuwaitis who claim there is no such thing as Bidoon, most current Kuwaitis who hold citizenship, were Bidoon in the early 60tis. I happen to know many of those families including current parliament representatives, My country the US has helped Kuwait gain its country from the tyrant Suddam, can they find it in there heart to acknowledge that the Bidoon are as Kuwaitis and as deserving as the rest of the population. America did not have to offer me a citizenship, but it’s a country that recognizes that when treat a human with dignity and respect, the person would return the fever. Allow me to introduce my self, my name is Al, I was born in Kuwait 1955, joined the Kuwaiti army in 1973 on the promises that I will someday achieve citizenship (Jinssya), My father served the military since 1958 (prior to Kuwait independency), he served for 40 years and recently passed away (god bless his sole) did not qualify for citizenship, his government home was confiscated from him, after he passed away, we were unable to receive his small inheritance, (it has been 4 years now and no success) too much government red tape. I was one of the luckiest Bidoon ever, I was able to migrate to the US thirty years ago, and I am currently a US citizen, happily married with a professional position.

It’s amazing to see the ignorance of the Kuwaitis who claim there is no such thing as Bidoon, most current Kuwaitis who hold citizenship, were Bidoon in the early 60tis.
I happen to know many of those families including current parliament representatives,

My country the US has helped Kuwait gain its country from the tyrant Suddam, can they find it in there heart to acknowledge that the Bidoon are as Kuwaitis and as deserving as the rest of the population. America did not have to offer me a citizenship, but it’s a country that recognizes that when treat a human with dignity and respect, the person would return the fever.

]]> By: Kuwaitis from the moon http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-196366 Kuwaitis from the moon Wed, 16 May 2007 15:30:32 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-196366 Some say that bedoun Syria, Saudi and Iraqi and Iranian Kuwaitis permission from where came from the moon! Some say that bedoun Syria, Saudi and Iraqi and Iranian Kuwaitis permission from where came from the moon!

]]> By: Bibi http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-177394 Bibi Sun, 22 Apr 2007 23:43:40 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-177394 Type casting and stereotyping is another down fall for being a bidoun. I was with some people the other day and there was this middle aged man (mid to late 40's) sitting on the porch in the house next door talking to a bunch of kids about Kuwait in the old days and names of old streets and who lived where and how people spent their days (prior to the discovery of oil) the people with me were so amazed with all his information, they immediately wanted to know who he was. He introduced himself as Khaled mohammed Al-Bidoun. "Al-Bidoun" the girls started laughing and said "you can't be bidoun and you don't have a heavy accent" he said he was born in Kuwait, his mother is Kuwaiti and his father is originally Egyptian but moved to Kuwait when he was 10. He wasn't valid for the citizenship because he never wanted it, he was always proud to be Egyptian, he married a kuwaiti lady and Khaled was born. Khaled on the other hand was born in Kuwait and knows nothing but Kuwait, he can't get citizenship because his parents are happy married. Kuwaiti woman that are married to non Kuwaitis would have to be divorced if they want their kids to get the citizenship, also, the husband never stands a chance. Kuwaiti men though, their wives can get the citizenship in the 5th year of marriage and their kids are immediately born Kuwaiti. That's definately inequality and it should not be tolerated. Oddly enough, if a woman get pregnant out of wedlock and leaves her baby behind at the hospital or dumps him anywhere, if there is no blood family the child immediately gets adopted by the state and becomes a kuwaiti national. Anyway, the girls kept talking about Khaled all week saying that he was quite charming for a "bidoun"!!!!!!!!!! (I get light headed just recalling the incident). Type casting and stereotyping is another down fall for being a bidoun. I was with some people the other day and there was this middle aged man (mid to late 40’s) sitting on the porch in the house next door talking to a bunch of kids about Kuwait in the old days and names of old streets and who lived where and how people spent their days (prior to the discovery of oil) the people with me were so amazed with all his information, they immediately wanted to know who he was. He introduced himself as Khaled mohammed Al-Bidoun. “Al-Bidoun” the girls started laughing and said “you can’t be bidoun and you don’t have a heavy accent” he said he was born in Kuwait, his mother is Kuwaiti and his father is originally Egyptian but moved to Kuwait when he was 10. He wasn’t valid for the citizenship because he never wanted it, he was always proud to be Egyptian, he married a kuwaiti lady and Khaled was born. Khaled on the other hand was born in Kuwait and knows nothing but Kuwait, he can’t get citizenship because his parents are happy married. Kuwaiti woman that are married to non Kuwaitis would have to be divorced if they want their kids to get the citizenship, also, the husband never stands a chance. Kuwaiti men though, their wives can get the citizenship in the 5th year of marriage and their kids are immediately born Kuwaiti. That’s definately inequality and it should not be tolerated.

Oddly enough, if a woman get pregnant out of wedlock and leaves her baby behind at the hospital or dumps him anywhere, if there is no blood family the child immediately gets adopted by the state and becomes a kuwaiti national.

Anyway, the girls kept talking about Khaled all week saying that he was quite charming for a “bidoun”!!!!!!!!!! (I get light headed just recalling the incident).

]]> By: DJ X|FADER http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-171305 DJ X|FADER Sat, 14 Apr 2007 06:53:54 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-171305 people are saying they are not kuwaiti's.first, can someone explain to me who's considered an original kuwaiti?, 90% of the population came from other countries, second, why some of these people are not given the passport even though they joined the army and been living in kuwait for ages .. third .. it appears to me that most of the 1st class kuwaiti passport holders dont even speak proper kuwaiti... ya3ni 3ayem .. last word .. im not trying to be offensive, i love kuwait with all my heart and i miss it, ..all i know if these people were living in the west they would've got the passport long time ago.. people are saying they are not kuwaiti’s.first, can someone explain to me who’s considered an original kuwaiti?, 90% of the population came from other countries, second, why some of these people are not given the passport even though they joined the army and been living in kuwait for ages .. third .. it appears to me that most of the 1st class kuwaiti passport holders dont even speak proper kuwaiti… ya3ni 3ayem .. last word .. im not trying to be offensive, i love kuwait with all my heart and i miss it, ..all i know if these people were living in the west they would’ve got the passport long time ago..

]]> By: Bedoon http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-169615 Bedoon Thu, 12 Apr 2007 05:51:58 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-169615 المشكله إن الكويتيين كلهم إمعات ، لو طلع باجر شيخ بالتلفزيون وقال إن البدون كلهم كويتيين ، ومنا وفينا ، ومن هالحجي ، جان تلقاهم ثاني يوم كلهم يطبلون ويصفقون وراه ، وتتغير آرائهم كلهم بلحظه ، بس المشكله إن مثل ما قال الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم " كما تكونوا يول عليكم" , واحنا البدون الله ابتلانا فيكم ، مثل ما ابتلاكم فينا ، والله كريم ، مثل ما هو شديد العقاب ، وفي يوم قيامه ، راح تنسحب فيه جناسيكم وتصيرون بدون مثلنا ، وهذيج الساعه على الباغي تدور الدوائر المشكله إن الكويتيين كلهم إمعات ، لو طلع باجر شيخ بالتلفزيون وقال إن البدون كلهم كويتيين ، ومنا وفينا ، ومن هالحجي ، جان تلقاهم ثاني يوم كلهم يطبلون ويصفقون وراه ، وتتغير آرائهم كلهم بلحظه ، بس المشكله إن مثل ما قال الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم ” كما تكونوا يول عليكم” , واحنا البدون الله ابتلانا فيكم ، مثل ما ابتلاكم فينا ، والله كريم ، مثل ما هو شديد العقاب ، وفي يوم قيامه ، راح تنسحب فيه جناسيكم وتصيرون بدون مثلنا ، وهذيج الساعه على الباغي تدور الدوائر

]]> By: bosale7 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-167291 bosale7 Mon, 09 Apr 2007 11:32:21 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-167291 انونو : ارقامك كلها غلط ومصادرك يبيلها تصحيح المبالغات مو بصالح وجهة النظر الخاصة بالموضوع المطروح اللي مبين انك واحد من اطرافها عموما السياسة لها مطالب وانا اشوف ان السياسة اهم من جم واحد ماراح يفيدوني بشي لان اغلبهم عالة وبدون اي مهنة فعلية فالاقتراح الافضل هو اعطائهم اقامة حالهم حال اي مقيم بالكويت وفكونا من سالفة نشر الغسيل والمبالغات اللي ماراح تودي ولا تييب وعلى فكرة بس ...ترى بكل بلد فيه بدون حتى امريكا وراجع صفحة الامم المتحدة يا انونو مو جريدة من جرايد العراق وعلشان اثبت لك بس انه ارقامك غلط الكويت تبرعت ب 500 مليون دينار لتغطية خسائر اعصار كاترينا اللي اصاب الولايات المتحدة مو مليار يا ظريف !! وللعلم الكويت ما تدفع مساعدات نقدية للبحرين ....جيك على مصادرك انونو :

ارقامك كلها غلط ومصادرك يبيلها تصحيح
المبالغات مو بصالح وجهة النظر الخاصة بالموضوع المطروح اللي مبين انك واحد من اطرافها
عموما السياسة لها مطالب وانا اشوف ان السياسة اهم من جم واحد ماراح يفيدوني بشي لان اغلبهم عالة وبدون اي مهنة فعلية فالاقتراح الافضل هو اعطائهم اقامة حالهم حال اي مقيم بالكويت وفكونا من سالفة نشر الغسيل والمبالغات اللي ماراح تودي ولا تييب
وعلى فكرة بس …ترى بكل بلد فيه بدون حتى امريكا وراجع صفحة الامم المتحدة يا انونو مو جريدة من جرايد العراق
وعلشان اثبت لك بس انه ارقامك غلط الكويت تبرعت ب 500 مليون دينار لتغطية خسائر اعصار كاترينا اللي اصاب الولايات المتحدة مو مليار يا ظريف !! وللعلم الكويت ما تدفع مساعدات نقدية للبحرين ….جيك على مصادرك

]]> By: greentoad http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-167248 greentoad Mon, 09 Apr 2007 10:49:59 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-167248 Kuwait loves getting pumped and get nothing in return. It's part of the heritage. Kuwait loves getting pumped and get nothing in return.

It’s part of the heritage.

]]> By: vampire http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-167079 vampire Mon, 09 Apr 2007 06:43:51 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-167079 anon,, first of all i'd like u to know that i'm against giving these "billions" to other countries and spending this amount inside would be not only the solution of the poors in kuwait,, it'll solve so many problems and improve kuwait in every way and i don't need to be enlightened,, i mentioned that when you compare the amount that is paid for the poor ppl in kuwait as "percent",, u will find that it is similar to what it's given to other countries,, those ppl r lying,, there are no such living in my country,, the charities are of millions for how many ppl??! anon,, first of all i’d like u to know that i’m against giving these “billions” to other countries and spending this amount inside would be not only the solution of the poors in kuwait,, it’ll solve so many problems and improve kuwait in every way

and i don’t need to be enlightened,, i mentioned that when you compare the amount that is paid for the poor ppl in kuwait as “percent”,, u will find that it is similar to what it’s given to other countries,, those ppl r lying,, there are no such living in my country,, the charities are of millions for how many ppl??!

]]> By: anon http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-166813 anon Sun, 08 Apr 2007 22:04:36 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-166813 Dear vampire, its obvious by yor name that you like to be kept in the dark, so let me enlighten you. Kuwait spends Billions of DOLLARS not millions every year on other countries, this is a fact. wheter it be by means of the arab development fund or not. examples from the top of my head:The below are usually an anual payment: 145 million to yemen, an annual payment to the king abdullah of Jordan the amount of KD80m, King of Bahrain i think KD60m (i think thats the figure), iraq 500million, Egypt KD30 m to KD70m a year (for their electricity stations, What a joke!! we face electricity crisi every summer!!), Palestine(huge amounts, Lebanon, oh and remember the one off payment to the richest country in the world...the U.S. kuwait gave them a billion dollars. Check out the arab fund, there is a huge list from loans to the maldives to damns in god knows where. So Mr Vampire when you compare these huge amounts to the amount neededby the bedoons just for them to have the basics to live, there really is no comparison. Dear vampire,
its obvious by yor name that you like to be kept in the dark, so let me enlighten you.
Kuwait spends Billions of DOLLARS not millions every year on other countries, this is a fact. wheter it be by means of the arab development fund or not.
examples from the top of my head:The below are usually an anual payment:
145 million to yemen, an annual payment to the king abdullah of Jordan the amount of KD80m, King of Bahrain i think KD60m (i think thats the figure), iraq 500million, Egypt KD30 m to KD70m a year (for their electricity stations, What a joke!! we face electricity crisi every summer!!), Palestine(huge amounts, Lebanon, oh and remember the one off payment to the richest country in the world…the U.S. kuwait gave them a billion dollars.
Check out the arab fund, there is a huge list from loans to the maldives to damns in god knows where.
So Mr Vampire when you compare these huge amounts to the amount neededby the bedoons just for them to have the basics to live, there really is no comparison.

]]> By: Marzouq http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-166748 Marzouq Sun, 08 Apr 2007 19:02:00 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-166748 In my opinion there is a slightly simpler solution to this. What I'm thinking is giving them at least the possibility of employement, they don't have to have the citizenship but at least they should have the tools to make a living just like any foreigner in Kuwait. There should be some mechanisms for them to operate within Kuwait. Fine they can't leave but at least they should be able to do something. Its true for both cases, some dropped their passports to try to get Kuwaiti passports, and some are real cases though, but it doesn't mean that you deny them basic services but they should be allowed to have some sort of specific permit that allows them to work but not leave the country without sponsorship. It is a complex solution but it can work the problem is that it is difficult to implement. Even illegal mexicans in the US can get a driving license after a while. Some deserve the citizenship and some don't and its extremely difficult to tell but at least give them the tools to work. As right now its nearly impossible for a bidoon to get a job. alah ekoon ib 3oon el jamee3 In my opinion there is a slightly simpler solution to this.

What I’m thinking is giving them at least the possibility of employement, they don’t have to have the citizenship but at least they should have the tools to make a living just like any foreigner in Kuwait. There should be some mechanisms for them to operate within Kuwait. Fine they can’t leave but at least they should be able to do something.

Its true for both cases, some dropped their passports to try to get Kuwaiti passports, and some are real cases though, but it doesn’t mean that you deny them basic services but they should be allowed to have some sort of specific permit that allows them to work but not leave the country without sponsorship. It is a complex solution but it can work the problem is that it is difficult to implement. Even illegal mexicans in the US can get a driving license after a while.

Some deserve the citizenship and some don’t and its extremely difficult to tell but at least give them the tools to work. As right now its nearly impossible for a bidoon to get a job.

alah ekoon ib 3oon el jamee3

]]> By: Mohammed http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-166743 Mohammed Sun, 08 Apr 2007 18:48:45 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-166743 Is there an english transcript I can read of the video clip? I don't know Arabic. Is there an english transcript I can read of the video clip?
I don’t know Arabic.

]]> By: Biohazard http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-166712 Biohazard Sun, 08 Apr 2007 18:23:10 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-166712 It's the governments problem, they neglected the problem when it first started and now once they grew in numbers they don't know what to do with them. Let's say in the beginning there were 100 families, they could've easily gave them Kuwaiti nationalities, but now let's say they're 100,000, so they can't give 100k Kuwaiti nationalities. The country messed up by neglecting them.. The problem is now, some of them really deserve it, others really don't. You can't just select all, right click and then press "Make 'em Kuwaitis!". That'd be stupid, and would take away from the current citizens.. I don't have a solution but simply giving them all the Kuwaiti nationality isn't it. They should study them case by case, it's not like this is a minor issue. It’s the governments problem, they neglected the problem when it first started and now once they grew in numbers they don’t know what to do with them. Let’s say in the beginning there were 100 families, they could’ve easily gave them Kuwaiti nationalities, but now let’s say they’re 100,000, so they can’t give 100k Kuwaiti nationalities. The country messed up by neglecting them..

The problem is now, some of them really deserve it, others really don’t. You can’t just select all, right click and then press “Make ‘em Kuwaitis!”. That’d be stupid, and would take away from the current citizens..

I don’t have a solution but simply giving them all the Kuwaiti nationality isn’t it. They should study them case by case, it’s not like this is a minor issue.

]]> By: K u w a i t o o n s http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-166703 K u w a i t o o n s Sun, 08 Apr 2007 17:49:51 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-166703 very sad...and very disturbing.. very sad…and very disturbing..

]]> By: MHG http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-166691 MHG Sun, 08 Apr 2007 16:55:19 +0000 http://www.248am.com/mark/kuwait/the-bedoon/#comment-166691 Regardless of what you believe their nationalities to be they are still on your territory and are therefore YOUR problem. The law does not sanction statelessness and this is exactly what they are. If Kuwait does not wish to provide them with citizenship, then at least provide them with services: education, healthcare-They are skipping doctor's appointments for Gods sake because they don't have $2.80!! I am a Kuwaiti, but what some of you are calling for is inhumane! 'Forget about them'-that's what people said about us when we were refugees in 1990, but I guess we didn't learn much now did we?! Regardless of what you believe their nationalities to be they are still on your territory and are therefore YOUR problem. The law does not sanction statelessness and this is exactly what they are.

If Kuwait does not wish to provide them with citizenship, then at least provide them with services: education, healthcare-They are skipping doctor’s appointments for Gods sake because they don’t have $2.80!!

I am a Kuwaiti, but what some of you are calling for is inhumane! ‘Forget about them’-that’s what people said about us when we were refugees in 1990, but I guess we didn’t learn much now did we?!

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