News-Info-Alerts

Re: Four POW-MIA Maryrs Laid to Rest

From: POW-MIA InterNetwork

Date: September 04, 2003

""KUWAIT
Editor-in-Chief: Ahmed Jarallah

4 Kuwaiti martyrs laid to rest

KUWAIT CITY: Four Kuwaiti martyrs, whose remains were brought from Samawa, Iraq, were laid to rest at the Sabhan Cemetery Monday. The Deputy Premier and Interior Minister, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khaled Al-Sabah, the Undersecretary at the Interior Ministry, Maj General Abdulla Al-Farisi and senior officials of the Interior Ministry attended the burial. HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah also sent cables of condolence to families of the martyrs Ebeid Falah Hsaini Al-Mutairi, Mohammed Ghazzai Saad Ali Al-Mutairi, Farhan Harbi Sakit Al-Dhafiri and Abderrahman Saad Marzouq Al-Otaibi. All the four Kuwaitis had been taken prisoners by the Iraqis during their occupation of Kuwait in 1990-91.

In his message, HH the Amir said the martyrs had sacrificed their lives in the path of Allah the Almighty and for the nation. He prayed to Almighty to give strength to the bereaved families. He added that their sacrifices will never be forgotten. Meanwhile, talking about granting citizenship to relatives of the bedoun martyrs, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmed said "the matter will be considered seriously."

In a related development, the official spokesman of the team searching for POWs and missing, Fayez Al-Enezi said all POWs will be brought to Kuwait either alive or dead. Announcing that the remains of 17 martyrs had been brought to Kuwait so far, he said "Results of analysis of samples taken from Riggae Cemetery have not yet been received. These will take some more time."

On recent reports that some POWs could still be alive in Iraq, Al-Enezi said although the team has been receiving several reports in this regard Kuwait can not confirm their authenticity. "We are continuing our efforts to ascertain the fate of our POWs," he stressed. The database system brought from the US recently is very effective and we were able to declare our findings on four cases by using this system, said Al-Enezi. He praised the initiative taken by Sheikh Mohammed Al-Khaled Al-Sabah to establish a team to search for POWs and his active participation in paying homage to the martyrs.

Those who attended the burial of martyr Farhan Sakit Al-Dhafiri were moved to tears when his youngest son Hamoud embraced the flag draped over the body of his father saying, "I will keep this in memory of my father." His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Al-Salem Al-Sabah Monday also sent letters of condolences to the families of Ebaeid Falah Al-Mtairi, Mohammad Ghazzai Al-Mtairi, Farhan Sakit Al-Dhifeeri and Abderrahman Saad Al-Etaibi.

Sheikh Saad expressed sincere condolences and prayed to God Almighty to bless the martyrs with mercy and give their families solace. Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent similar telegrams to the families of the four martyrs. In his telegrams, Sheikh Sabah congratulated the four families saying, "their sons had obtained the honor of martyrdom while defending their dear country." He praised the great sacrifices of the martyrs.

Sheikh Sabah expressed his condolences to the families of the martyrs and prayed to God Almighty to show mercy on their souls and bless their families and loved ones with solace. Meanwhile, a reliable source was quoted by Al-Rai Al-Aam daily as saying the concerned authorities will file for $500,000 compensation for each person declared a martyr.

The Martyrs Office is also demanding naturalization of the martyrs' family members, says the daily. The acting chairman of the POWs and Detainees Society, Modawakh Al-Mutairi, said, "files of persons who have been declared martyrs will be referred to the Martyrs Office, which will begin paying allowances to their families in coordination with the National Committee for Missing and POWs Affairs. The Society will also offer other services such as housing, financial assistance and social care.

A source added the Society will also coordinate efforts with the Public Authority for Assessment of Compensation to file claims with the United Nations Compensation Commission in Geneva on behalf of the families of martyrs, one month after a death certificate has been issued to the martyr. The Kuwaiti government, in an effort to locate the POWs, has offered a $1 million reward to anyone who can provide any information on any POW. A number of people have offered information but all of it turned out to be false.

By Daifalla Al-Shamri and Abdul Naser Al-Aslami Special to the Arab Times

Kuwait News
Tel: + 4813566/4849144, Fax:+ 4818267 - Email: info@arabtimesonline.com"