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Kuwait: Treatment of Bidoons by authorities since the 27 June 2000 deadline for registering, including statistics on how many were registered, and how many acknowledged a foreign citizenship or were granted Kuwaiti citizenship

For information beyond that provided in KWT38608.E of 15 March 2002, KWT37021.E of 11 June 2001 and earlier responses, please consult the attached excerpt from the most recent report on Kuwait published by the non-governmental United States Committee for Refugees (USCR). The document provides statistics on, and an overview of, the situation of Bidoons (stateless or non-Kuwaiti Arabs), which includes information on citizenship status, foreign travel and access to education for Bidoon children.

In terms of the June law requiring the Bidoon to register their status with the government, the attached report indicates that by the end of 2001 approximately 80,000 Bidoon had registered, including "36,000 registered in the 1965 population census and an additional 8,000 registered in June 2000 who were eligible to apply for citizenship" (USCR 2002). The remaining 36,000 registered Bidoon were reportedly considered to be illegal aliens, "concealing their nationality in order to obtain Kuwaiti citizenship" (ibid.). The report also notes that Bidoons who are citizens of other countries "may apply for a status short of full citizenship that accords them five-year residence permits and other benefits, but must come forward and admit ther 'true' nationality to do so" (ibid.). Finally, the report states that "the Kuwaiti parliament ... voted to limit to 2,000 the number of adult Bidoon who could naturalize annually," though it adds that "even fewer – only 500 to 600 – were granted citizenship in 2001" (ibid.).

Another document attached is an October 2000 article reporting on the situation soon after the June 2000 deadline for registration of Bidoons. The article states, among other things, that "under the law, some 36,700 of the 102,000 bidoon in Kuwait qualify to apply for citizenship, but only those who pass a long process of tests can be granted nationality" (AFP 8 Oct. 2000). The news report indicates that these tests include "national loyalty, no security restrictions, permanent residence in Kuwait and the degree of kinship to Kuwaitis," and adds that "Kuwaiti authorities began legal action in July [2000] against some 50,000 bidoons who did not qualify for citizenship and refused to legalise their status" (ibid.).

Additional detailed information on the situation of Bidoons in Kuwait can be found in Section 5 of Country Reports 2001, which is available through Regional Documentation Centres or at <http://www.state.gov/ g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2001/nea/8268.htm>.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

Agence France Presse (AFP). 8 October 2000. "Kuwait to Grant Citizenship to 1,000 Stateless Arabs." (NEXIS)

United States Committee for Refugees (USCR), Washington, DC. 2002. "Country Report: Kuwait." <http://www.refugees.org/world/countryrpt/ mideast/kuwait.htm> [Accessed 11 Dec. 2002]

Attachments

Agence France Presse (AFP). 8 October 2000. "Kuwait to Grant Citizenship to 1,000 Stateless Arabs." (NEXIS)

United States Committee for Refugees (USCR), Washington, DC. 2002. "Country Report: Kuwait." <http://www.refugees.org/world/countryrpt/ mideast/kuwait.htm> [Accessed 11 Dec. 2002]

Topics: Bedoon,