Dear Emir of Kuwait and the People of Kuwait (both citizens and non-citizens),

Last night at around 10:45 pm Kuwait time, a large piece of cement came flying into the 999 Bus I was riding in as we passed in front of the Kuwait Magic Park and Shopping Centre in Mangaf town. Glass shattered everywhere and showered onto me and on dozens of other passengers of Asian, African and European descent.

Had the rock hit me in the head, I would have been dead!

Amazingly no one was hurt.

However, most of us were shaking.

That particular rock had entered the bus about 6 ½ feet from my head at fairly high speed.

By all those present on the bus, it was immediately assumed that the cement stone had been thrown by Kuwaiti youth—sometimes known as tribals, Bedouin or “Bedun” by the many non-Kuwaiti residents who have to daily use the cities’ buses.

Such dangerous attacks on foreign born passengers (and buses or cars) is a weekly affair in this part of Kuwait—where image and honor of tribe reign over safety for foreigners.

Meanwhile, the 999 bus continued on its route as if nothing had happened.

Why didn’t the bus driver stop? Why didn’t the driver call the police to file the appropriate criminal complaint?

Such thoughts raced through my head as I approached the driver. Naturally, I knew the answer already: “What would the Kuwaiti police do? The police would just shake their heads and mutter, ‘ONLY Kid’s! ….What can you do?’”

The three bus companies who run the routes from Kuwait city along the Gulf Roads and down the Fahaheel Expressway each day have been victims of such assaults dozens of times each year for several years.

These companies don’t bother any longer calling the police any more. The repair cost for the windows and for the broken glass will be picked up by the users of the bus—not the tribal areas or disreputable children’s familie where the bus passes through.

In short, it is fair game still in 2008 for Kuwaiti youth gangs--from whatever tribal or urban group--to attack passengers and buses in Kuwait.

The government doesn’t do much and the Kuwaiti tribes don’t see it as a matter of honor or dishonor to have their children fail to treat others properly and with respect—this specifically is shown in their mistreatment of the vast number of foreign workers in Kuwait.

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