Image source, Chip HIRES/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images
On August 2, 1990, the Iraqi army suddenly entered Kuwait.
This military action was ordered by the then President of Iraq, Saddam Hussein. With this began a major crisis in the Gulf region, which later paved the way for the second Gulf War.
But relations between Iraq and Kuwait did not deteriorate suddenly. There were many reasons behind this, both political and economic.
After the war between Iran and Iraq ended in 1988, Iraq was deeply in debt.
The Gulf countries helped Iraq financially during the war. Among these, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were at the forefront. After the war ended, Kuwait asked Iraq to repay its loan.
After this the tension between the two countries increased further.
Iraq accused Kuwait of extracting more oil than the limit set by OPEC, the organization of oil selling countries.
Iraq said that due to this the world oil prices fell and its earnings reduced.
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Iraq also accused Kuwait of stealing oil from the Rumaila oil field located between the two countries.
Amidst this tension, Saddam Hussein decided to attack Kuwait on 2 August 1990.
After the Iraqi army occupied Kuwait, Saddam Hussein's cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid was made the military ruler there.
attempt to justify possession
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After the occupation of Kuwait, the Iraqi authorities started trying to show their actions as correct and legal.
Under this effort, it was announced to create a new country in place of the independent country Kuwait. It was named "Republic of Kuwait".
On August 4, 1990, two days after the invasion of Kuwait, Saddam Hussein proclaimed the creation of the "Republic of Kuwait".
He claimed that it is an independent country and it was created after the "people's revolution" that took place here.
It is mentioned in Raza Hassan Minawi's book "Kuwait, Attack and Independence".
According to experts and historians, Saddam Hussein's objective behind this announcement was to gain some time and divert the world's attention from the real situation.
Saddam Hussein did not announce direct annexation of Kuwait to Iraq on the very first day.
Instead, the Iraqi government tried to show that the people of Kuwait had revolted against their own government.
The Iraqi government claimed that the people of Kuwait had launched an "internal revolution" against a government that was acting at the behest of foreign powers.
At that time the Iraqi media said similar things to justify the attack in front of the Arab countries and the world.
Provisional government of nine people
Image source: BEN CURTIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
It started by forming the "Provisional Government of Independent Kuwait".
Nine former military officers of Kuwait were included in this government. It was said that he had supported the Iraqi government. Even later he was seen in the same manner.
Colonel Alaa Hussein Ali al-Khafaji al-Jaber was made Prime Minister and Chief of the Army.
He was also given the responsibility of Defense and Home Ministry.
Lieutenant Colonel Waleed Saud Mohammad Abdullah was made the Foreign Minister.
Lieutenant Colonel Fuad Hussain Ahmed was made the Finance and Oil Minister.
Major Fadil Haider al-Wafiqi was made Minister of Information and Transport.
Lieutenant Colonel Hussein Dahaiman al-Shammari was made Minister of Social Affairs.
According to Raza Hassan Minawi's book "Kuwait, Attack and Independence", Alaa Hussein was born in Kuwait in 1948.
While studying at Baghdad University, he joined Iraq's Ba'ath Party. He had also been an officer in the Kuwait Army.
The Iraqi army also captured Kuwait's state television.
A video statement of Ala Hussain was shown on this television. In this he announced the formation of a new government and appealed to the people of Kuwait to support it.
What announcements did the new government make?
The new government announced several decisions which it described as "revolutionary decisions".
These included taking the companies of Western countries under the control of the government and confiscating the property of Kuwait's ruling family.
It was also announced to dissolve the Parliament of Kuwait and convert the Amirate of Kuwait into a republic.
At that time, it was also announced to give citizenship to all the Arab citizens living in Kuwait.
But this government actually had no authority.
This was only a show-off government. Some people believe that the Iraqi government had created it to justify its decision to annex Kuwait into its country.
The people of Kuwait did not accept this government. Kuwait's opposition also refused to support it.
'Republic of Kuwait' ended in four days
Image source: Getty Images
This temporary government lasted only for four days.
On August 8, 1990, Saddam Hussein decided to officially merge Kuwait with Iraq.
He claimed that the provisional government of Kuwait had requested him to do so.
After this, this temporary government had no legal or functional meaning.
On 28 August 1990, an order was issued and "Kuwait Province" was created.
It was declared the 19th province of Iraq and divided into three areas.
These included Kazima, i.e. the capital of Kuwait, Al-Zahra and Al-Nida, i.e. Al-Ahmadi.
Iraqi officer Aziz Saleh al-Numan was made the governor of Kuwait.
After dissolving the provisional government, Saddam Hussein made Alaa Hussein Ali the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq.
The remaining ministers of the provisional government were made advisors with the status of ministers in the President's Office.
Kuwait became Iraqi province
In this way Kuwait was made a province of Iraq.
The Iraqi army began enforcing its country's laws throughout Kuwait.
The books and curriculum taught in schools were changed. Kuwait's currency was replaced by another currency and newspapers there were banned.
Foreign embassies in Kuwait were closed and many diplomats were expelled from the country.
Strict restrictions were imposed on the local people.
To scare people, methods like beatings, arrests and death penalty were adopted.
The Iraqi army took control of the country's daily life.
Saddam Hussein said that "Kuwait has returned to its motherland."
Many historians and political experts believe that the declaration of the "Republic of Kuwait" was merely a "political drama and a calculated move by Iraq".
Its purpose was to gain some time amid increasing pressure from all over the world.
The Iraqi leadership knew that if the direct annexation of Kuwait to Iraq was announced on the very first day, there would be a strong reaction across the world.
That is why it was first shown that an "inner revolution of the people" had taken place in Kuwait. After this it was claimed that the same government had "demanded" to join Iraq.
United Nations imposed ban
The United Nations condemned the Iraqi attack on Kuwait.
Sanctions were started on Iraq from 6 August 1990.
After this, on November 29, voting took place on resolution number 678 in the United Nations Security Council.
This resolution approved the use of military force against Iraq.
Iraq was given time till midnight of 15 January 1991 to exit Kuwait.
In early January 1991, efforts to end the crisis without war intensified.
But as days passed, the fear of war increased.
All efforts by Arab countries to find a solution to the crisis failed.
United Nations Secretary General Javier Pérez de Cuyar met with Saddam Hussein.
But he could not even prepare Saddam Hussein for talks on removing the army from Kuwait or on the withdrawal of the army.
On January 9, 1991, a conversation took place between US Secretary of State James Baker and Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz.
This conversation also failed.
After this America said that all avenues of dialogue have been tried to find a solution to the problem.
On January 12, the US Parliament approved the proposal to start war against Iraq.
Alliance of 34 countries started the attack
Iraq occupied Kuwait for several months.
After this, a coalition of 34 countries led by America decided to take military action to free Kuwait from Iraqi occupation.
This campaign started on 16 January 1991 with the name "Operation Desert Storm".
In February 1991, Kuwait was completely freed from Iraqi occupation.
After heavy military pressure the Iraqi army left Kuwait.
But while leaving, he caused massive destruction there. Oil wells were set on fire and important facilities of the country were damaged.
On March 14, 1991, Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Jabir Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah returned to his country.
His government was working temporarily from Saudi Arabia for several months.
What happened to the members of the provisional government?
After Kuwait's independence, members of the provisional government supporting Iraq also returned.
Except Ala Hussain, the rest of the members returned to Kuwait on 27 April 1991.
As soon as he returned, he surrendered before Kuwaiti authorities.
He was sent to Kuwait's government security agency for questioning.
The agency completed the inquiry on 15 May 1991.
After this, on July 22, his case was sent to the public prosecutor who investigates government security matters.
During interrogation, these people said that they were loyal to Kuwait and its Amir. He also testified against Ala Hussain.
On September 9, 1991, Kuwait's then Justice Minister Ghazi Ubaid al-Samar announced the closure of the case related to the provisional government.
He said that the investigation of the case has been completed.
According to the Justice Minister, the members of that government were not following their own will. He was beaten and threatened. He was also harassed physically and mentally.
He said that the investigation was based on reports received from the army's intelligence agency and the government security department.
After this, these people started working again in the Defense Ministry of Kuwait.
According to Reza Hassan Minawi's book, the people of Kuwait gradually forgot his case.
Why was death sentence given to Ala Hussain?
Ala Hussein Ali, who headed the temporary government, left Iraq for Turkey in 1998.
After this he reached Norway.
In 2000, he returned to Kuwait and surrendered before the authorities.
He said that he wants to prove himself innocent of the charge of supporting Iraq.
He was tried for betraying the country and was sentenced to death.
However, later his sentence was reduced to life imprisonment.
Alaa Hussein said in court that Iraqi authorities had forced him to become the head of "a government that operates at the behest of another country."
He said that Iraqi authorities had threatened that if he did not fulfill the responsibility given to him, his family would be detained and he would be killed.
उन्होंने कहा कि उन्हें आज तक नहीं पता कि इराक़ी अधिकारियों ने सैकड़ों युद्धबंदियों में से उन्हें ही कुवैत की उस सरकार का प्रमुख बनाने के लिए क्यों चुना था.
उनका यह भी कहना था कि युद्ध के बाद इराक़ी अधिकारियों ने उन्हें 1998 तक इराक़ में रहने के लिए मजबूर किया.
क्या 'कुवैत गणराज्य' असल में एक देश था?
क़ानून के हिसाब से "कुवैत गणराज्य" ने एक देश माने जाने की कोई शर्त पूरी नहीं की थी.
न तो उसके पास अपने फ़ैसले लेने का कोई अधिकार था और न ही किसी दूसरे देश ने उसे मान्यता दी थी.
इसलिए क़ानून की नज़र में उसका कोई अस्तित्व नहीं था.
जिस तेज़ी से इसे बनाया गया और फिर ख़त्म कर दिया गया, उससे भी पता चलता है कि यह कोई असली देश नहीं था.
यह केवल कुवैत पर हमले को सही ठहराने के लिए थोड़े समय के लिए बनाया गया एक ज़रिया था.
"स्वतंत्र कुवैत की अस्थायी सरकार" ने कोई क़ानून नहीं बनाया.
उसने सरकार चलाने या दूसरे देशों से संबंध बनाने का कोई काम भी नहीं किया. उसका दुनिया के दूसरे देशों या अंतरराष्ट्रीय संस्थाओं से कोई संपर्क नहीं था.
हालांकि यह सरकार केवल चार दिन चली, लेकिन इससे जुड़ी बुरी यादें कुवैत के लोगों के मन में बनी रहीं.
इन यादों ने कुवैत के लोगों को एक-दूसरे के और क़रीब किया. साथ ही उन्हें अपने देश की आज़ादी और अपने फ़ैसले ख़ुद लेने के अधिकार की अहमियत का दोबारा एहसास कराया.
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