Parliament heads for a showdown

The country is headed for a showdown today between the government and liberals, on the one hand pushing for the success of the women's rights draft law and the Islamist-Tribal nexus vowing to block the effort.

Prime Minister Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah reinforced his view that the government is seriously behind granting Kuwaiti women their political rights by saying, "We will pursue this issue until it is approved."

"Those who oppose women's rights are doing it for electoral purposes and not religious ones." he added.

Parliament meets today and the government is expected to file an amendment to the Municipal Law to reinstate an article deleted by an Islamist-dominated state utilities committee in May 2004.

It will also debate a proposal made by 10 MPs to submit the first article of the election law to the Constitutional Court to declare it illegal as it does not include women.

Kuwaiti women have planned a mass demonstration outside parliament today to get MPs to sign the Bill into law.

The Women's Cultural and Social Society is also filing a suit against MP Waleed Al Tabtabaei for making derogatory remarks against women's rights supporters.

"Supporters of the draft law on women's rights are encouraging homosexuals and illegitimate children," the MP is alleged to have said at an Islamist rally recently.