Kuwait Resounds with Triple Joy of Freedom
Compiled by Wilson Saldanha, Shirthady/Kuwait
Daijiworld Media Network - Kuwait
Kuwait, Feb 24: February is a month of celebration and joy for the state of Kuwait as the entire country comes together for the momentous occasions of the 50th anniversary of Independence, 20th anniversary of Liberation Day and 5th anniversary of the ascension of Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait. The festive atmosphere is manifested by colourful lights, flags, banners and portraits that adorn every nook and corner of the country.
On February 25, Kuwait celebrates its National Day to mark the creation of Kuwait as a nation in 1961, when the British gave Kuwait the total freedom it deserved.
The Liberation Day marks the end of the Iraqi occupation of the country which began from August 1990. The invading Iraqi army was routed by Operation Desert Storm within 42 days on February 26. Thus, from 1991 this day marked the beginning of a new life for the Kuwaitis. The flag of free Kuwait was raised in celebration, and people gathered in groups enjoying their long-lost freedom. However, the day is also tinged with sadness as Kuwait remembers and honours the martyrs who lost their lives fighting Iraqi oppression, and the 605 prisoners of war (PoW), of which the mortal remains of 236 have been found while the fate of the rest is still not known (as in July 2008).
On these days, the national celebrations include public meetings and get-togethers and firework displays as a spirit of patriotism imbues every Kuwaiti. Public buildings are illuminated on the occasion and Kuwaitis, young and old, wear their national dress to participate in the festivities. To mark this occasion, The Amir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah orders an Amiri grant of KD 1,000 (USD 3,559) for every Kuwaiti citizen including those born on or before February 1, 2011.
Located in the north-east corner of the Arabian Peninsula, Kuwait is one of the smallest countries in the world in terms of land area. The flat, sandy Arabian desert covers most of Kuwait. Kuwait is the only country in the world which has no natural lake or water reservoir. There is little difference in the country's altitude, with the highest point being 306 m above sea-level.
Kuwait has a warm tropical climate. Summer, which lasts from April to September, is extremely hot and dry with temperatures easily crossing 45°C (113 °F) during daytime. Winter, which begins in November and lasts through February, is cool with some precipitation and average temperatures around 13°C (56 °F) with extremes from -2°C to 27°C. Annual rainfall averages less than 127 mm and occurs chiefly between October and April. The spring season in March is warm and pleasant with occasional thunderstorms. The shamal, a northwesterly wind common during June and July, causes dramatic sandstorms.
Islam is the official religion of the State of Kuwait. However, Christians and many other religious minorities enjoy complete religious freedom in Kuwait. There are many churches including four Roman Catholic ones, which is a proof of religious freedom in Kuwait. Two of Kuwait’s churches – Evangelical and Catholic – are built on prime sites near the capital’s coast. Two more churches - a Catholic and an Anglican - are built far from the city centre in Ahmadi, on land that is owned by Kuwait Oil Company. Two of the Roman Catholic parishes are located at Salmiya and Jleeb.
The government recently relocated the Coptic orthodox from the city centre to the suburbs because of construction and compensated it with a grant of land 10 times the size of the previous plot. The Armenian and Greek orthodox denominations also worship in rented villas in the city.
Kuwait is among those few states in the Middle East with a written constitution, separation of power, rights of free speech, fair elections based on adult franchise and equal opportunities for men and women and a parliament with a genuinely popular mandate which can question the Prime Minister and his cabinet ministers on matters of national importance. This democratic setup has been given further impetus with the granting of voting rights to women and allowing them to contest elections - a move that resulted in the victory of four women in the 50-seat national assembly elections in 2009.
According to the 2005 census, the population stands at approximately 3 million. The Kuwaiti dinar is the currency of Kuwait. It is sub-divided into 1000 fils. It is the highest valued currency unit in the world, equivalent to US$ 3.5 approximately. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al Sabah is the present ruler of Kuwait whereas Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al Sabah is Crown prince and Shaikh Nasser Mohammad Al Ahmad Al Sabah is the Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait.
As citizens of the world’s largest democracy, it is the duty of all resident Indians of Kuwait to celebrate the joy of the Kuwaitis and rise in unison to wish them and their country prosperity in abundance. Long live Kuwait and Indo-Kuwait relation.