Mideast today, an arena of struggle for democracy following repression -- Kuwaiti MP

PANAMA CITY, April 17 (KUNA) -- The Middle East nowadays is witnessing popular uprising and struggle for sake of democracy following years of repressive ruling marked with bloodbaths, assassination of opposition activists and usurping of powers, a Kuwaiti parliamentarian said.
Nations of the region (the Middle East) have been suffering, since more than half a century ago, from the perils of wars, military coups, coupled with bloodbaths, repression, assassination of opponents off the regime and usurping of power (by dictators), said Ghanem Al-Mei' Al-Mei', member of the Kuwaiti Parliamentary Caucus to the 124th convention of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), currently proceeding here, was addressing a meeting of the First Permanent Committee (the commission of international security and peace).
The Kuwaiti legislator indicated at the current and ongoing public movements across the Arab world, where the nations are struggling to secure some forms of democracy, free and credible polls to elect the qualified persons for the decision-making posts.
The Arab world has been witnessing, for months, popular protests demanding reforms, eradication of corruption, abolishing repressive ruling means, ensuring democracy, and tackling social and living problems, such as soaring inflation and creating jobs. The movement has taken various forms and dimensions in each of the Arab countries where the demonstrations have been staged.
Free and unrigged elections is a means to ensure peaceful transfer of power and constitutes the corner stone for the practice of democracy, and this warrants respect of the sovereignty of the laws, transparency, cooperation among the political and civil associations and the media as well as citizens, Al-Mei' said, summing up his views as how to set basis for democratic and viable political regime.
Opining further, the Kuwaiti l awmaker said "constitutional guarantees" for peaceful transfer of the powers are solid and basic and they constitute the foundations of constitutional systems of the states, he said, indicating in particular that a functioning regime should be also distinguished with clear-cut separation of powers and jurisdictions.
Al-Mei's shed some light on the Kuwaiti experience in this regard; namely the grand and historic initiative of the late Amir, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah, approving the National Constitutional in November 1962.
The National Constitution is a prime document for the Kuwaiti people for it sets the form of the ruling regime and organizes the relationship among the three authorities. And the Kuwaiti people have worked hard to maintain the shura (consultative) and democratic culture, he concluded.
Al-Mei' is a member of the National Assembly (the Parliament), the country's legislative authority, a body that enacts legislations, approves bills and examine s tasks of the executive authority.