Hassan Al-Fadhli
T: @Abo6aleB
Bandar was born in 1976.. on the Kuwaiti land he grew... and in its alleyways and old sidewalks he spent the most beautiful days of his childhood ,from the tin houses "The Shaabiah" he emerged to life with a soul that sleeps on a dream that is called a homeland to wake up on "non-belonging" until destiny led him to a moment where he felt the bitterness of silence, a difficulty to be patient about a life full of hardship and fatigue.He set himself loose to the free spirit inside him aiming for Taima square cleansing his soul with the pure freedom soil, after seeing that the water of justice and charity had been lost at his homeland…the homeland that couldn’t handle hearing his shouts … to bind him with the restraints of the material, narrow and closed prison….after it chained him with ”restraints” made of an illusion that transformed this vast country into absolute hell…!This introduction isn’t just a daily discourse about a character made of fiction, they are facts embodied itself in a free man in a square in Taima that was happy to have him present in it, a man destined for prison among tens of “Kuwaiti bedouns” from the fourth generation who are still forgotten in the drawers of their country…!Many people may not know this detainee and maybe his circle of a acquaintances doesn’t exceed the boundaries of family and close friends, but what he did was a great victory for his cause that made him – in the eyes of those who share with him the same worries and pain braver than those who their diwanias defend and not a hair of any official trembles for….!Our hero is the freed detainee “Bandar Al-Fadhli”, who was arrested after participating in “Taima demonstrations “that demanded the acknowledgement of the Kuwaiti bedoun rights in citizenship for those who deserve it and to other to be treated humanely ….Some people might be mixed up by Bandar’s name due to the list of the detainees having two who are called “Bandar Al- Fadhli”, these two who shared names and nicknames and a cause ….we mean with this “Bandar” a person whose name decorated the list of detainees ….awarding him the number “21”….!Bandar’s life is like many other bedoun whom are facing many hardships in providing a decent living conditions for a family of two daughters and a boy, working two jobs, a job that isn’t stable to spend the years of his life in another with a humble salary making him like many others barely making ends meet. Bandar didn't have any activities to be mentioned about his cause except for his constant and brave participation in every demonstration or gathering that aims to reveal the injustice against the Kuwaiti bedouns and to remind officials of this injustice ...!An attitude which is commendable and praiseworthy. Taking to the streets is a service to the cause making it the best way to express his pains and the pains of his brothers and sisters, he doesn't consider himself mislead by a party or another, but considers it as a basic human right. If it was really necessary to accept a charge like incitation, then Bandar is willing and proud to be called an inciter, no... he's also proud to say that what made him take to the streets is his fear about the future of his three children whom he don't wish for them to fall for the same future ...! If a few people still insisted to accuse the Kuwaiti bedouns of naivety and drifting towards the voices of inciters , then yes ...! we and "Bandar" don't see a harm in that, because we are really incited, but what incited us is prejudice not the their voices .... your injustice not their callings .... If there was any calling or messages of incitation in the first place .
Hassan Al-Fadhli is freelance bedoun journalist who ised to right for many Kuwaiti newspaprs. He is writing this article in tribute to his fellow bedoun friend Bandar AlFadhli who is recently discharged from detention that exceeds the normal proceedings.Bandar was released on a large bail (appr. US$ 2000) on February 23rd, 2012.
The original article was published in Alaan online journal on February 25th, 2012:
http://www.alaan.cc/pagedetails.asp?nid=99249&cid=52
http://www.alaan.cc/pagedetails.asp?nid=99249&cid=52
Translated into english by: @Mohd_AlSalem
