ANKARA: The Gulf crisis has shattered the dreams of thousands of Indian expatriates in Kuwait.
Around half the 1, 72,000 Indians have been in Kuwait for decades, their children some 20,000 attended ethnic schools.
The unexpected arrival of the Iraqi military on August 2 and the subsequent “merger” of Kuwait dismantled all their plans.
I lost everything. My business runs into millions, we were selling wholesale foodstuffs to retail shops and restaurants on three months credit. Now there are neither shops nor restaurants and all my money, has gone”, said an Indian businessman.
It was all so sudden that expatriates as well as natives alike did not draw their monthly salaries from the banks. Government employees in Kuwait get their salaries from the banks during the last week of the month.
As the Iraqi soldiers tightened the grip over Kuwait, all expatriates started fleeing to neighbouring countries.
Indians in the initial stage had the consolation of the cordiality shown by the Iraqi soldiers towards them.
However, thugs in Iraqi military outfits wielding guns used to forcibly enter homes and ransack them at gunpoint.
When this was reported to the police, they were told the soldiers had gone to barracks and would be back only in the morning. If the plaintiff could come in the morning to identify the culprit they would be punished.
The Iraqi government assured the expatriates that anyone committing theft, looting and rape would be hanged. A Lt. Col. after this pronouncement was hanged publicly in the capital on Kuwait.
Not with standing, brand new cars parked outside the showrooms and the houses had no tyres and engines. They were stripped at night by miscreants,
A substantial number of Indians have been accumulating their savings in Kuwaiti banks, planning to immigrate to western countries. Most of them are said to have lost huge amounts.
One Dr. Patel said he had just days earlier repatriated from India around Rs.1 Lakh equivalent dinars to beef up his savings in a Kuwaiti bank for immigrating to Canada.
I have lost the entire savings and now I am going back to India with a blank account,” he said. Iraqis seizing the opportunity started buying electronic and other household items from the fleeing Indians at throwaway prices. For the latter it was something better than nothing. Kuwaiti Dinars which had a value of Rs.60 each became valueless on August 3.
Some have got something for their household goods while majority have left everything in the Kuwait flats and fled for safety.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 14, 1990
