Kuwait
(1999)
Section I. Freedom of Religion
Islam is the state religion; although the Constitution
provides for freedom of religion, the Government places some limits on this
right. The Constitution also provides that the State protect the freedom to
practice religion in accordance with established customs, "provided
that it does not conflict with public policy or morals." The
Constitution states that Shari'a (Islamic law) is "a main source of
legislation."
The procedures for registration and licensing of
religious groups are unclear. The Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs has
official responsibility for overseeing religious groups. Nevertheless, in
reality officially recognized churches must deal with a variety of
government entities, including the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor
(for visas and residence permits for pastors and other staff) and the
Kuwaiti Municipality (for building permits). While there reportedly is no
official government "list" of recognized churches, seven
Christian churches have at least some sort of official recognition that
enables them to operate openly. These seven churches have open
"files" at the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor, allowing
them to bring in the pastors and staff necessary to run their churches.
Further, by tradition three of the country's churches are widely recognized
as enjoying "full recognition" by the Government and are allowed
to operate compounds officially designated as churches: the Catholic Church
(which includes two separate churches), the Anglican Church, and the
National Evangelical Church of Kuwait (Protestant). The other four churches
reportedly are allowed to operate openly, hire employees, invite religious
speakers, etc., all without interference from the Government, but their
compounds are, according to government records, registered only as private
homes. The churches themselves appear uncertain about the guidelines or
procedures for recognition. Some have argued that these procedures are
purposely kept vague by the Government so as to maintain the status quo.
All other churches and religions have no legal status but are allowed to
operate in private homes.
The procedures for registration and licensing of
religious groups also appear to be connected with government restrictions
on Nongovernmental organizations (NGO's), religious or otherwise. In 1993
all unlicensed organizations were ordered by the Council of Ministers to
cease their activities, but this order has never been enforced. However,
since that time all but three applications by NGO's have been frozen. There
were reports that in the last few years at least two groups have applied
for permission to build their own churches, but so far the Government has
not responded to their requests.
Among a total population of 2.2 million, approximately
1.5 million persons are Muslim, including the vast majority of the 750,000
citizens. The remainder of the overall population consists of the large
foreign labor force and over 100,000 stateless persons, most of whom are
Muslim. The ruling family and many prominent families belong to the Sunni
branch of Islam. The total Sunni Muslim population is approximately 1
million, 500,000 of whom are citizens. The remaining 30 to 40 percent of
Muslim residents (approximately 500,000) are Shi'a, 250,000 of whom are
citizens. Estimates of the nominal Christian population range from 250,000
to 500,000 (including approximately 400 citizens).
The Christian community consists of the Roman Catholic
Diocese, with two churches and an estimated 75,000 members (Maronite
Christians also worship at the Catholic cathedral in Kuwait city); the
Anglican (Episcopalian) Church, with 115 members (several thousand other
Christians use the Anglican Church for worship services); the National
Evangelical Church (Protestant), with three main congregations (Arabic,
English, and Indian) and 15,000 members (several other Christian
denominations also worship at the National Evangelical Church Compound);
the Greek Orthodox Church (referred to locally as the "Roman
Orthodox" Church), with 3,500 members; the Armenian Orthodox Church,
with 4,000 members; the Coptic Orthodox Church, with 60,000 members; and
the Greek Catholic (Eastern Rite) Church, whose membership totals are
unavailable.
Leaders of these churches have stated that they are
satisfied with the state of religious freedom, and describe the Government
as "tolerant" and "open." They are able to operate
freely on their compounds, holding worship services without government
interference. These leaders also state that the Government generally has
been supportive of their presence, even providing police security and
traffic direction as needed.
There are many other Christian denominations in the
country, with tens of thousands of members, which, while not recognized
legally, are allowed to operate in private homes or in the facilities of
recognized churches. Members of these congregations have reported that they
are able to worship without government interference, provided that they do
not disturb their neighbors and do not violate laws regarding assembly and
proselytizing. These denominations include Seventh-Day Adventist, the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons), Marthoma, and the
Indian Orthodox Syrian Church.
Similarly, members of religions not sanctioned in the
Koran, such as Hindus (50,000 members), Sikhs (10,000), Baha'is (400), and
Buddhists, may not build places of worship but are allowed to worship
privately in their homes without interference from the Government.
Shi'a are free to conduct their traditional forms of
worship without government interference. However, members of the Shi'a
community claim that the Government has not approved the construction of
Shi'a mosques in recent years.
The Government prohibits missionaries from proselytizing
among Muslims; however, they may serve non-Muslim congregations. The law
prohibits organized religious education for religions other than Islam,
although this law is not enforced rigidly. Informal religious instruction
occurs inside private homes and on church compounds without government
interference. However, there were reports that government
"inspectors" periodically visit public and private schools
outside of church compounds to ensure that no religious teaching other than
Islam takes place.
The Government does not permit the establishment of
non-Islamic publishing companies or training institutions for clergy.
Nevertheless, several churches do publish religious materials for use
solely by their congregations. Further, some churches, in the privacy of
their compounds, provide informal instruction to individuals interested in
joining the clergy.
A private company, the Book House Co., Ltd., is
permitted to import significant amounts of Bibles and other religious
materials for use solely among the congregations of the country's
recognized Christian churches. The Book House Co. has an import license to
bring in such materials, which also must be approved by government censors.
There have been reports of private citizens having non-Islamic religious
materials confiscated by customs officials upon arrival at the airport.
Although there is a small community of Christian
citizens, a law passed in 1980 prohibits the naturalization of non-Muslims.
However, citizens who were Christians before 1980 (and children born to
families of such citizens since that date), are allowed to transmit their
citizenship to their children.
According to the law, a non-Muslim male must convert to
Islam when he marries a Muslim woman if the wedding is to be legal in
Kuwait. A non-Muslim female does not have to convert to Islam to marry a
Muslim male, but it is to her advantage to do so. Failure to convert may
mean that, should the couple later divorce, the Muslim father would be
granted custody of any children.
There was no change in the status of respect for
religious freedom during the period covered by this report.
There were no reports of religious detainees or
prisoners.
There were no reports of the forced religious
conversions of minor U.S. citizens who had been abducted or illegally
removed from the United States, or of the Government's refusal to allow
such citizens to be returned to the United States. There have been cases in
which U.S. citizen children have been abducted from the United States and
not allowed to return (under the law, the father receives custody in such
cases, and his permission is required for the children to leave the
country); however, there were no reports that such children were forced to
convert to Islam, or that forced conversion was the reason that they were
not allowed to return.
Section II. Societal Attitudes
In general, there are amicable relations among the
different religions, and citizens generally are open and tolerant of other
religions. Nevertheless, there is a minority of ultraconservatives opposed
to the presence of non-Muslim groups. There have been reports of minor
vandalism against at least two of the country's recognized Christian
churches.
While some discrimination based on religion reportedly
occurs on a personal level, most observers agree that it is not widespread.
Others claim that, in some cases, religious "discrimination"
works to the advantage of non-Muslims. For example, some local Muslim
employers are said to prefer Christian employees.
The conversion of Muslims to other religions is a very
sensitive matter. While it is reported that such conversions have occurred,
they have been done quietly and discreetly. Muslim conversions that become
public are likely to trigger hostility within society, as demonstrated by a
1996 case in which the convert received death threats.
There were no known significant incidents involving
interreligious violence; however, there were reports of minor vandalism of
some Christian facilities. There were incidents of violence within certain
groups, including an ongoing struggle within the Arab congregation of the
National Evangelical Church. The dispute reportedly is rooted in a
doctrinal disagreement and involves a struggle for control and management
of the Church. In January 1999, this dispute led to a violent altercation
at the Church, which was widely covered in the local press. In April 1999,
three alleged members of the Salafi order of Sunni Islam beat a Kuwait
University professor and fellow Salafi in what was reported to be a case of
vigilante justice intended to punish the professor for alleged religious
transgressions. The incident was widely covered in the local press.
During the period covered by this report, some Christian
churches reportedly formed ecumenical groups designed to increase
understanding among the country's Christians. However, these groups are
said to be strictly informal.
Section III. U.S. Government Policy
U.S. Embassy officials frequently meet with
representatives from Sunni, Shi'a, and various Christian groups. Intensive
monitoring of religious issues has long been an embassy priority. Embassy
officers have met with most of the leaders of the country's recognized
Christian churches, along with representatives of various unrecognized
faiths. Such meetings have afforded embassy officials the opportunity to
learn the status and concerns of these groups. The Embassy discusses
religious freedom issues with the Government in the overall context of the
promotion of human rights.
Sources: U.S. State Department - Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor |