Kuwaiti women win right to vote

[MaineDem]

The Kuwaiti parliament has voted to give women full political rights.

The amendment to the Kuwait's electoral law means women can for the first time vote and stand in parliamentary and local elections.

It was passed by 35 votes for, 23 against, with one abstention. Council elections are due this year.

The result, announced by the speaker of parliament, was greeted with thunderous applause from the public gallery where backers of the amendment were gathered.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4552749.stm

Congratulations, sisters!!!

[noamnety]

1. It was just voted down a few weeks ago

outstanding change of heart there!

[MuseRider]

2. Wonderful news

for them! Congratulations is right!

[merwin]

13. Yes, very good news. Of course, Bush is going to take all of the

credit for it.

[MaineDem]

20. It'll piss me off if he does but...

I bet the US Government did pull some strings to get this to happen.

Women's suffrage has been denied so many times that I'm assuming someone finally told these guys that Americans and others died for their country and this is part of the pay back.

[merwin]

21. Probably more like "OK, here's the deal. We're looking pretty bad over

here. Either you let women vote, or we invade your country."

[MuseRider]

24. As much as

I detest whatever strings the Bush** administration probably pulled I am still thrilled for these women. I guess I can swallow the crap that they say just knowing that the women will now have the opportunity to vote. Actually, with voting here the way it is here they now have more opportunity than any of us, male or female!

[Nite Owl]

3. Great news

but we should have insisted on his after the first Gulf War after we supposedly saved their asses.

[demnan]

4. Hey Saudi Arabia

catch the wave, will you?

[umtalal]

14. Saudi Arabia will not get there in a thousand years. I'm a women fromthere

[PsychoDad]

29. We can only hope, work and pray...

That the men in Saudi Arabia find both the conviction and backbone that their brothers in Kuwait have found.

[Ekirh]

5. Glad to hear this...

Much Congratulations on this decision and congratulation to the Kuwaitian women who have now gain full political rights.

[G2099]

6. Guess Who Is Going To Take Credit For This?

You Got it . . .

[Vladimir]

7. Freedom is on the march! Except that its been marching since 1999

in this case... still, a positive outcome to six years of political wrangling.

[Habibi]

8. A loud zaghareet* for the Kuwaiti ladies!

*the ululation made by Middle-Eastern women to signify joy.

[eissa]

16. Kul-lul-lulululu!!!!

Done while listening to one of my favorite Kathem Al-Sahr songs, Eid wa-Hub.

Congrats to the Kuwaiti women -- it's about time!

[umtalal]

19. Are you an Arab??? We should have Arab Democrats section on DU!

[eissa]

31. I'm Assyrian

Family is from Iraq and Syria. I know some Arabic, but very basic. And I absolutely LOVE Arabic music :)

[bleedingheart]

9. Good news!

[proud patriot]

10. Fabulous

:D

[Hell Hath No Fury]

11. Congrats gals!!!

Here's looking forward to the day that voting rights/basic human rights don't have to be "granted" to a woman by any male, anywhere.

[ck4829]

12. Great News

[umtalal]

15. Kuwaiti women fought hard and long for this. All the Best!!!!!

And if Bush and company want to take credit for this, I will say read the history of the women movement in Kuwait. The women have been at it way before Bush has been born.

[FreedomAngel82]

17. That's great!!

Yay!!! :hug:

[MARALE]

18. I recommended this

It is a very important victory for them. I hope this will help change how women are regarded there.

[Chrisduhfur]

22. And they did it without Bush invading and killing millions of them.

Who would have thunk it?

[supernova]

23. Wonderful news! Congrats to Kuwaiti women!

:applause: :D

I think they just did more for the cause of democracy in the mid-east than a million US troops will ever do.

Great going, ladies! Again, a hearty :applause:

edit: Recommended it so it gets on the front page.

[spooky3]

25. ditto!

[MadisonProgressive]

26. I wonder how BUSHCO is going to take credit for it!

[PsychoDad]

27. Hamdulilah!

This is indeed great news, the best in a while.

Congratulations indeed sisters, and congratulations to the brave brothers who supported the rights of half their country.

[warrens]

28. Just so long as they're not stupid enough to actually try to use it

I have a feeling this is not going to go over well on the street.

[PsychoDad]

30. I think it will go over very well

With at least half of the people on the streets.

And politicians being what they are world wide, I doubt the measure would have passed if the reps thought it would be political suicide.

[LynnTheDem]

32. I'll believe it when I see women's votes being cast & counted.

[anakie]

33. slow down a bit here

women are still not allowed to vote in the elections in June because they say it is too late to process them. Women will be allowed to vote in the 2007 elections - at this stage.

"Our target is the parliamentary polls in 2007. I'm starting my campaign from today."

There were 35 in favour, 23 against, and one abstention on the vote, which had met fierce resistance from Islamists and other MPs.

Women activists said it was too late for women to vote and run for the municipal elections set for June 2."


http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,15314342%255E1702,00.html


Personally I will wait until I see a woman at the polling booths in two years time.

[struggle4progress]

34. An attempt to put a happy face on the fact Kuwait is a gigantic slave pen.

The Associated Press
Updated: 5:09 p.m. ET April 25, 2005

Kuwait riot spotlights slave-like conditions
Bangladeshi workers go on rampage over low wages, abuses

... The Bangladeshi workers, most of them cleaners, stormed the embassy apparently after months without being paid by their Kuwaiti employer. Two visiting Bangladeshi citizens were slightly injured, Khan said.

Hundreds of thousands of unskilled Asian laborers in the oil-rich gulf take low-paying jobs local residents won’t do and are often left at the mercy of employers in what can be slave-like conditions ...

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/7632790/


Human Trafficking & Modern-day Slavery

... Kuwait is a destination country for women, men, and children trafficked primarily from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines and Sri Lanka. Trafficking victims in Kuwait are primarily foreign women who come to Kuwait as domestic servants but are subsequently abused by their employers or coerced into situations of debt bondage or involuntary servitude. Some domestic servants are trafficked internally for sexual and labor exploitation. Some underage boys from South Asia, Sudan, Yemen, and Eritrea are trafficked from neighboring Gulf States to work as camel jockeys. Victims suffer debt bondage, involuntary sexual servitude, coerced labor, verbal and physical abuse, and the withholding of their passports or other required travel documents ... - U.S. State Dept Trafficking in Persons Report, June 14, 2004 ...

http://gvnet.com/humantrafficking/Kuwait.htm


Slavery traders violating human freedom

KUWAIT By Hamid Turky Bu Yabis:

It is not right to violate the humanity and dignity of people in this country, and it is .. not right .. to stay silent towards the tragedies being suffered by .. Asian expat workers ... We say it is not right for this horrible multiplication of slavery traders, which became a fast approach to pile up "dirty" money at the expense of Kuwait's reputation around the world ... It is not right for these tragedies to occur in Kuwait, where decision makers boast about the respect of humanity and the preservation of human dignity ...

http://www.kuwaittimes.net/today/localNews_s2.php