Shocking news out of Kuwait as reports are coming in that all expats have been banned from entering supermarkets and co-ops during the Holy Month of Ramadan.
The report comes from Kuwait Times, who has received word from expats that police are stopping anyone that is not a Kuwaiti national or interior ministry employee from entering the public areas.
There are even security guards at the front of all the market entrances who are checking identification of any person walking in, turning people away if they are not citizens.
Expats speak out against decision
According to one expat living in the country named Nada Maged, the ban started three days before Ramadan began, and she has not been allowed to buy her groceries and other essential items from the Police Co-op she has been using.
“They checked the IDs and prevented anyone from entering except Kuwaitis and interior ministry personnel,” said Maged.
The decision has been flatly condemned by Meshaal Al-Mane, ‘ Head of Consumer Protection Association, who called it an “illegal decision”.
“Kuwait is a humanitarian country. It has sufficient stocks, so there is no reason to prevent expatriates from entering. This decision must be canceled immediately, because it has negative repercussions at the local and global levels,” said Al-Mane.
According to Arabian Business, cooperative societies, the popular supermarket areas in the country, have the same laws as other businesses, and thus can’t violate consumer protection and human rights laws.
Kuwait official: ‘This is an illegal diecision’
It is especially bad to do during Ramadan, he stressed, saying assuming this is true, it can’t be done, it’s “especially by preventing a consumer from buying their needs in the month of Ramadan,” he said.
“The law must be implemented. As a representative of consumers, whether expats or citizens, we are obligated to protect their rights to enter any facility in the country and have the privilege to buy and shop,” he said. “Let us assume the opposite had happened, and a Kuwaiti was denied from entering a supermarket abroad. Is not that considered against the law?” Mane added.
This also follows a lot of news coming out of the country about visas being denied and other blocks on foreigners.
Stay tuned for more as we have it.
Ramadan Kareem, everyone!