A photo of members of the nascent Ummah Party with a US embassy official. (Courtesy Al-Watan)

KUWAIT, January 30 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Kuwaiti Islamists announced Saturday, January 29, the creation of the first political party not only in the emirate but also the Gulf region, with political reforms high on the agenda.

“We will work to set up a society ruled by the teachings of Islam. It will seek the implementation of Islamic Shari`ah laws in all political, economic, legislative and social sectors,”  the nascent Ummah (Nation) Party’s spokesman Jaber al-Murri said in a statement reported by Reuters.

Women's legitimate rights will be guaranteed, in addition to backing political pluralism, peaceful transition of power, commitment to majority rule and rejection of all forms of political tyranny, added the statement.

Kuwait is the only Gulf country to have an elected parliament, but women are not allowed to vote or stand for public office.

The country’s 1962 constitution says that both men and women are equal. But an all-male parliament, in seeming direct opposition to the constitutional edict, has adopted laws barring women from voting.

In 1999, the country's ruler, Sheikh Jabir Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, issued a decree giving women full political rights. But the move was defeated in the National Assembly by 32 votes to 30.

In January 2001, Kuwaiti court rejected a request by women rights advocates granting women the right to vote in parliamentary elections.

Gulf Unity

The Ummah party said it would endeavor to achieve political, economic and military unity among the Gulf countries to protect the region and to dispense with the foreign military presence which threatens its sovereignty and independence.

There are thousands of US forces deployed in Gulf countries, including 30,000 in Kuwait alone.

The fledging party further added that the Arab League and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, the world's largest Muslim body, must be revamped to support the Palestinians and other Islamic causes.

Women's legitimate rights will be guaranteed, in addition to backing political pluralism, peaceful transition of power, commitment to majority rule and rejection of all forms of political tyranny, the statement added.

First Party

“This is the first party in the Gulf region,” al-Murri told Reuters.

“It presents the concept of political pluralism through popular participation,” he said.

Letters had been sent to Kuwaiti Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, the parliament speaker and lawmakers to amend laws to allow formation of political parties, Mutairi added.

“We hope that your government will amend laws restricting freedom in order to enable peaceful parties and political groups to operate freely,” read the letter sent to the Kuwaiti premier.

Mutairi said it is not expected that the government, which backs political pluralism and rotation of power in war-torn Iraq, will refuse to license the party’s formation.

Political parties are not allowed in Gulf countries.

There are some political groups operating in Kuwait, including a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamic Constitutional Movement and the Salafist Movement.

There are also 15 Islamists in the 50-member Kuwaiti parliament.

The launching ceremony of the new party were attended by officials from the US embassy in Kuwait.