Modern Kuwait welcomes its sixth millennium
Modern Kuwait welcomes its sixth millennium
The land of Kuwait, over 3,000 years ago linked to the ancient
civilization of Dilmun, is today bordered by three much larger
countries and by the richly productive waters of the Arabian
Gulf. From a history dominated by pearling and the vicissitudes
of maritime trading, Kuwait has been transformed by the
relatively recent discovery of oil, and has developed into a
modern state that enjoys a relationship with Indonesia that
strengthens every day.
February 25 is the National Day of Kuwait. Despite the fact
that this Gulf State has long maintained a close friendship with
Indonesia, it has only been in recent times that relations have
become more "visible". However, very few Indonesians understand
much about the most "understated" of the Middle East's oil
nations. With the recent visit of Indonesian President
Abdurrahman Wahid to Kuwait as one of the first nations on his
international "whistle-stop" tours since being elected, it is
important we get to know our distant friends better. Here are
some facts:
His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait
Born in Kuwait in 1928, His Highness Sheikh Jaber is the third
son of the late Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah, the former ruler of
Kuwait.
He received his preliminary education at Al-Mubarakiya and Al-
Ahmadiah Schools. For his higher education in various fields of
knowledge, especially religion, Arabic literature and English as
well as various other basic sciences, he was tutored privately.
In 1949, Sheikh Jaber began his career of public service, when
he was appointed the Director of Public Security for the Ahmadi
region.
In 1959, he was made Head of the Finance Department, which
became the Ministry of Finance and Economy in 1962. His Highness
Sheikh Jaber was the first Minister of Finance in the State of
Kuwait.
In 1965, he was appointed Prime Minister.
On May 31, 1965, an Amiri Decree was issued designating him as
Crown Prince after his nomination was unanimously approved by the
National Assembly. His Highness Sheikh Jaber was proclaimed Amir
of the State of Kuwait on 31 December, 1977, the 13th Amir from
the Al-Sabah family.
Apart from being the Amir of the State of Kuwait with the
powers vested in him by virtue of that position, many matters of
public interest also fall directly under his supervision. He is,
for instance, the president of several prestigious organizations,
foremost among which is the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement
of Sciences, which was established under his auspices.
The Land
Kuwait is one of the members of the Gulf States. Situated
adjacent to Saudi Arabia and Iraq, Kuwait is quite small in terms
of landmass at only some 17,818 square kilometers. Smaller than
the island of Java in size, it is mostly land comprising flat
desert, bordering the Arabian Gulf.
Temperatures range from the warm days and cold nights of
winter to very hot, peaking midsummer at some 55 degrees
Centigrade. In some areas, agricultural cultivation has been
introduced, particularly in the south close to the shared border
with Saudi Arabia. However, it is a far cry from the lush
tropical jungles and island habitats we call home in Indonesia.
The People
The total population of the State of Kuwait is approximately
two million people, although Kuwaitis account for just over one
third of this number. The balance is made up of those working in
Kuwait from other Middle Eastern areas, and a large number of
temporary residents from places such as the Philippines and
Indonesia who make up the supply of labor for the domestic and
service sectors. The Kuwaitis themselves are Arabic by descent,
with the current inhabitants able to trace their presence in
Kuwait to around 850 B.C.
During the early part of the land's history, nomadic tribes
from the Gulf region inhabited the area now known as Kuwait. At
about this time, a strong Greek influence was introduced when
they occupied one of Kuwait's islands. In recent times, Kuwait
has augmented many of its professional workforce requirements
with the addition of people from Jordan, Egypt and other
geographically close nations.
History
A slab of limestone with a Greek inscription discovered on
Kuwait's island of Falaika in the 1930s hinted at Kuwait's
intriguing past. Translated it read: "Soteles, the Athenina and
the soldiers (dedicated this) to Zeus the Savior, to Poseidon and
to Artemis the Savioress". Falaika, lying in a strategic position
in the center of Kuwait Bay and well supplied with water, seemed
a likely choice for settlement in ancient times. However, its
story remained shrouded in mystery until the 1950s, when Danish
archaeologists arrived to explore the region. Early digs yielded
shards of pottery that were clearly of Greek origin.
These initial discoveries led to decades of careful but
intense excavation which have revealed a history dating back to
the Bronze Age, the ancient land of Mesopotamia and a rich
history which at one time saw the area used as a staging port by
the armies of Alexander the Great. The earliest discoveries
indicate that the area now known as Kuwait was in fact linked to
the Dilmun civilization, which dominated the region during the
late third and early second centuries B.C. The world at that time
was barbarous and dominated by kingdoms founded on a tradition of
war and poverty.
At the time Dilmun stood out as an oasis of man's early
successes at developing civilization. Old stone tablets dating
back some 5,000 years describe Dilmun as: "The land of Dilmun is
holy, the land of Dilmun is pure, the land of Dilmun is clean,
the land of Dilmun is holy". The center of Dilmun civilization
was in the area of Bahrain, and Kuwait's Falaika island is
believed to have been a port on the way to and from Mesopotamia,
the Indus Valley and Magan (UAE). Artifacts from the Bronze Age,
on display now in the Kuwait National Museum, show these links
and the evolution of Kuwait from this island base to a critical
port facility in the trading apparent between early Arabic
nations.
The ancient Greeks are thought to have arrived in the area
toward the end of the fourth century B.C., just before the death
of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. In these times, the island and
mainland began to prosper as trading ports, supplying fresh water
and "spiritual relief" to an assortment of ships from the trading
nations of the time -- Greece and Media, Phoenicia, Mesopotamia
and Susa.
Islam swept the entire Arabian peninsula in the seventh
century, overturning pagan deities previously dominant in the
area. Historical records show that the Gulf became a thriving
maritime highway during medieval Islamic times; the extent of
this activity surpassed only recently by petroleum-backed
economic developments. Trading extended as far as China, and the
discovery of the sea route to India in 1498 further expanded the
pivotal role the area played. The Portuguese dominated trade in
the area through the 15th and 16th centuries, only to be replaced
by England in the 17th century with the rise in fortunes of the
English East India Company. England was to influence the
development of the region heavily right up to the late 20th
century.
The town of Kuwait was originally a summer resort to the
sheiks of the early Bani Khalid, who dominated the land areas in
Eastern Arabia following the defeat of the Turkish Ottoman Empire
in the 16th century. There is little recorded information from
that period until the 18th century when the Utub tribes began to
dominate the local area.
The authority of the Al-Sabah family became apparent at the
beginning of the 18th century when their chief, Sabah bin Jabir,
became sheikh of Kuwait in the 1750s. This group prospered
alongside other families in the area from trading and pearling;
during his reign and that of his son, the area was stable and
developed quickly as a powerful political and economic force in
the region. Kuwait City itself can be traced back to the
establishment of the city in 1672.
Democracy
Modern Kuwait is said to have been founded though the defeat
of the Persians around 623 A.D. The accession to the throne of
Sabah bin Jaber in 1762 marked the founding of the current line
of monarchs, and the rulers of Kuwait now are the direct
descendants of this ruler. The Amir of Kuwait -- Sheikh Jaber al-
Ahmed al-Jaber al-Sabah -- presides over a constitutional
monarchy system of government that, since the first parliamentary
elections were held on January 23, 1963, has operated under
Kuwait's Constitution.
Under the terms of this constitution, Kuwaiti citizens elect
by popular vote 50 members of the National Assembly who are
charged with responsibility for legislative tasks. The executive
powers in Kuwait are the responsibility of the Amir and his
Cabinet. This democratic style of government has directed the
growth of Kuwait since its declaration of statehood. The
constitution is deeply seated in Arabic tradition and the laws of
Kuwait are derived from the constitution which defines Islamic
Law as the basis of all legislation. Like many Western systems,
the executive is separate from the legislature, and an
independent judicial system provides the checks and balances
necessary to the long-term stability of the nation.
The constitution guarantees to all Kuwaiti citizens personal
liberty; the freedom of the press, of association and assembly
are guaranteed; and discrimination on the basis of race, social
origin, language or religion invites severe penalties. Economic
and social rights governing the care and rights of the young and
aged are also covered.
When Sheikh Abdullah died in 1965, Kuwait had made the
transition from a tribal state of limited regional significance
to a modern industrial democracy with a major part to play on the
world stage. In July 1961 Kuwait became a member of the Arab
League, thereby affirming its independence and sovereignty
throughout the Arab world. Full international status was accorded
by membership of the United Nations in 1963. On May 25, 1981,
Kuwait signed the Articles of Association of the Gulf Cooperation
Council (GCC). With the establishment of the GCC, Kuwait and its
fellow Gulf countries have created a united platform for voicing
their aspirations, fostering and furthering cooperation in the
face of international threats and collectively dealing with Gulf
problems while retaining their integral Arab character and
independence.
Kuwait pursues a foreign policy which is based on clarity,
straight-forwardness and quiet diplomacy. Such foreign policy
aims at strengthening constructive cooperation with all other
countries on the basis of mutual respect, nonintervention in the
internal affairs of other states and advocating the use of
peaceful means in resolving international problems in accordance
with the principles of rightness and justice, away from
conflicts, spheres of influence and international blocs.
On the Islamic level, Kuwait firmly believes in the positive
existence of Islamic nations through their offspring in the four
corners of the world, and that the progress of Muslims is linked
with the Muslims' cooperation and coexistence under the
protection of tolerance and fraternity.
Economy
Like Indonesia, Kuwait was, before anything else, a nation of
traders. Plying the rich waters of the Mediterranean, Atlantic
and Indian oceans, the Kuwaitis have long had an enviable
reputation as adept sailors. Much like the Bugis' Phinisi in
Indonesia, the Kuwaiti ships traded between nations and their
captains built reputations as being tough and honest businessmen.
Like the famed shipwrights of Bira in Sulawesi, Kuwait developed
a reputation for superb skills across a range of ships (dhows),
varying in size from 450 metric tons each for the heavy trading
vessels to the more modest 15-ton local coastal vessels. Pearling
dominated the local export trade from the time of the Greeks
until the discovery of oil in more recent times.
Oil was first discovered in 1938 and this industry has
dominated economic development since. Unlike many countries,
Kuwait's crude oil does not require pumping to the surface, but
flows spontaneously to gathering centers where gas is separated
before it is sent to tanks on Al Ahmadi ridge. Oil flows from
these storage areas by gravity to tanker loading berths, some of
the world's most efficient in loading and dispatching crude to
foreign markets.
Apart from exporting crude oil, Kuwait has three oil
refineries which between them have a refining capacity of 640,000
barrels per day. All the refineries are operated by the Kuwait
National Petroleum Company (KNPC), a subsidiary of Kuwait
Petroleum Corporation, a state-owned enterprise in the same style
as Indonesia's Pertamina. Kuwait has not only proven adept at
finding and processing its crude oil, but also at marketing the
product. Kuwait Petroleum Company is active in most international
markets and has even moved into retail with the establishment of
its "Q8" brand in Europe. It also manufactures urea, ammonia,
salt, chlorine and caustic soda.
Kuwait has experienced tremendous growth in the past quarter
century which some have likened to a "miracle in the sands".
Kuwait has undergone radical change, in the full sense of the
word and in all aspects of life. Progress has been achieved in
all sectors affecting the day-to-day life of the population and
is manifested in industry, the economy, commerce, urban
development and expansion, arts, literature and culture.
Modern progress has been harmoniously blended with the past
while looking to a prosperous future. Multistory complexes and
modern luxury residential buildings rub shoulders with mudbrick
houses and buildings of historical and architectural
significance. Highways and modern roads, as well as beautifully
landscaped gardens, attract the eye. Modern hospitals are
equipped with the most sophisticated technology and old markets
have been gradually replaced with modern shopping centers.
Kuwait and Indonesia
There are many commonalities in both the culture and the
history of Kuwait and Indonesia. Both nations are predominantly
Islamic, both share a common heritage of trading and both have
proudly embraced independence and democracy in their recent
history. In the last few years these common bonds have
strengthened both through aid programs and commercial ventures.
Kuwait's Ambassador to Indonesia, His Excellency Jamal al-Nesafi,
recently announced aid of some US$50 million from the Kuwait Fund
to assist Indonesia through financing a developing project and
divided to provide humanitarian and development aid to the
country.
This aid is one of many sourced from the Kuwait Fund which in
1999 provided aid and technical assistance worth over US$180
million throughout the world.
In the private sector, Kuwaiti businessmen Sheikh Ali-Jaber
al-Ahmed al-Sabah and Dr. Hamood al-Rqobah are the major
shareholders in a Kuwait-Indonesia joint venture project that
will lead to development of a refinery and petrochemical complex
on Selayar island in South Sulawesi. With a total project value
in excess of US$4 billion, the project represents a major
investment in Indonesia by the private sector. HEMOCO Selayar
International Oil Refinery was formed as a partnership between
the Kuwaiti and Indonesian businessmen in 1993.
Extensive material sourced from Kuwait -- A Nation's Story,
Peter Vine and Paula Casey, Immel Publishing, 1992, and Kuwait,
facts and figures (fifth edition) published by the Kuwait
Ministry of Information.