Cablegate: Tfku01: Iraqi Behavior in Kuwait

O 211332Z AUG 90
FM AMEMBASSY MANAMA
TO USIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6354
SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2535

UNCLAS MANAMA 04053

USIS

USIA FOR NEA - EBERNIER

E.O. 12356: N/A
TAGS: PREL US IZ
SUBJECT: TFKU01: IRAQI BEHAVIOR IN KUWAIT

REF: STATE 272842

1. SUMMARY: PEOPLE FLEEING FROM KUWAIT WERE
INTERVIEWED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF LOCAL PRESS, BOTH IN
BAHRAIN AND AT SAUDI-KUWAITI BORDERS. THOSE INTERVIEWED
TALKED OF INHUMAN BEHAVIOR BY IRAQI TROOPS INCLUDING
RAPES, THEFT AND TORTURE. THESE INTERVIEWS, AS WELL AS
WIRE REPORTS, ON THE SAME SUBJECT, RECEIVED PROMINENT
PLACEMENTS IN LOCAL PRESS. FOLLOWING IS SUMMARY OF
PRESS TREATMENT ON THIS ISSUE. FIRST HAND ACCOUNTS WILL
FOLLOW SEPTEL:
-

2. SEMI OFFICIAL ARABIC DAILY, AKHBAR AL-KHALIJ,
AUGUST 21 PROMINENTLY FRONTPAGED "KUWAITI PROFESSOR:
IRAQI FORCES DESTROY THE HOUSES OF THE KUWAITIS." THE
HEADLINE WAS FOLLOWED BY AN 'AP' REPORT OF AN INTERVIEW
WITH A KUWAITI PROFESSOR WHO ESCAPED FROM KUWAIT. THE
MAN REFUSED TO BE NAMED AS HE HAD LEFT HIS FAMILY
MEMBERS BEHIND AND FEARED FOR THEIR SAFETY. THE
PROFESSOR STATED THAT "IRAQI FORCES OPENED FIRE ON AN
UNARMED DEMONSTRATION IN KUWAIT AND KILLED THREE GIRLS
AND A 19-YEAR OLD BOY." HE ADDED: "IN ITS ENCOUNTER BY
KUWAITI RESISTANCE FORCES, THE INVADING ARMY DESTROYED
MANY KUWAITI HOMES."

THE NEWSPAPER ALSO PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING REPORTS:

-- AN INTERVIEW WITH A BRITISH FAMILY WHO FLED FROM
KUWAIT, MS. KAREN DUCAL (TRANSLATION) WHO WAS A SINGER
AT KUWAIT'S HOLIDAY INN SAID, "WE SAW IRAQI SOLDIERS
REMOVING TIRES FROM KUWAITI CARS AND LOADING THEM IN A
LARGE IRAQI TRUCK AND SENDING THEM TO BAGHDAD." SHE
ADDED "WE HEARD A RUMOR THAT A BRITISH AND A GERMAN
STEWARDESS WERE RAPED BY IRAQI FORCES."

-- KUWAITI NEWSPAPER, AL-QABAS AL-DEWALI, PRINTED IN
LONDON SAID THAT "EYE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT WHAT IS
CALLED 'THE IRAQI POPULAR ARMY' USED TRUCKS TO MOVE
STOLEN FURNITURE AND EXPENSIVE CARPETS TO BAGHDAD.
THEY ALSO SAID IRAQI FORCES INVADED THE RESIDENCE OF
THE NURSES IN AL-RUQEI (IN KUWAIT) AND RAPED 35
EGYPTIAN STEWARDESSES."
-

3. ENGLISH LANGUAGE, GULF DAILY NEWS, AUGUST 21
PUBLISHED "TERRORIZED COUPLE DESCRIBE ORDEAL," FOLLOWED
BY AN INTERVIEW WITH "TRANSPLANT SURGEON ARTHUR WHITE
AND HIS KOREAN WIFE CHOI, DESCRIBING THEIR HORRIFIC
ORDEAL AT THE HANDS OF IRAQI SOLDIERS." THEY SAID
"THEIR HOME NEAR KUWAITI PORT WAS THE CENTER OF THE
TROOPS MOVEMENT. 'THE FIRST TIME THEY KNOCKED, I COULD
SEE THE SOLDIERS' LEGS AND GUNS THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF
THE DOOR, SO I RAN AND HID UNDER A MATTRESS,' SAID 29-
YEAR OLD CHOI. THE COUPLE MANAGED TO LEAVE THEIR FLAT,
BUT ON A RETURN VISIT TO PICK UP THEIR BELONGINGS, THE
FORMER KUWAITI AIRWAYS STEWARDESS WAS TERRORIZED BY AN
IRAQI CAPTAIN. MR. WHITE SAID: 'HE ASKED ME ABOUT MY
WIFE AND SAID: I WILL GIVE YOU WHISKEY AND BEER FOR
HER. I TOLD HIM SHE WAS MY WIFE, AND HE EASED OFF. IT
WAS FRIGHTENING AND DISTRESSING. WE WERE VERY LUCKY TO
ESCAPE."

ROBERTS

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