Muscat: As the world paid respect to Emir of Kuwait, Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, people also remember him as the senior most diplomat in the Arab world who strived for peace not only for the GCC countries but also for Palestine.
“It is with great sadness we have received the news of the loss of Emir of Kuwait who was a philanthropist and a person who has done so much for his country and put his country on the world map. We are proud of his work and he is an individual we like to associate with. Shaikh Sababh was a very close friend of Oman and our late father, Sultan Qaboos. He has visited us in Oman and has enjoyed his stay here,” said Dr Waheed al Kharousi.
He added, “The Arab world will miss a person with great integrity, a person who has always believed in reconciliation, a person who believed in Arab unity and Islamic unity. He was a person who always supported the poor. He has received many awards because of his charitable work and we are going to miss him tremendously. We pray for him and his family and would like to give our condolences to the people of Kuwait. The Arab world and the Islamic world is in mourning for a great personality who has been very quiet but has been doing everything to support everyone.”
Historian Ali Mohammed Sultan, remembered him as the person who promoted peace all the time. “He always tried to simplify tasks to maintain unity. He was also a promoter for the cause of Palestine. At 91 he was a pioneer in diplomacy as well as many initiatives and we have lost him now. Yasser Arafat had announced his organisation from Kuwait.”
In the early years of trade between the GCC countries, Shaikh Sabah was a family member but Ali referring to historical papers and records said, “The family used to come to Muscat first on their way to India. Our commercial head in Muscat at that time was Haji Baqer and the building was on the Muttrah Sea Front. Shaikh Sabah’s grandfather used to come there as he was the agent for them in Kuwait. But whenever he went to India they would stop in Muscat, if not then while returning from India, the family would stop over in Muscat.”
The western ports of India were exporting and importing the majority of the products through Oman and Kuwait. “Of course there were also trade going to Iran, Yemen and Africa.
According to Ali, Kuwait was an important trading port for Omani traders.
“There used to be cans and cans of ghee that would be brought from Salalah to Muscat and shipped from Muscat to Kuwait and from there to Basra, Iraq and other countries. From Kuwait, Omani produce such as pomegranates, lemon, dates, dry fish and Kasha etc were taken to other countries,” he noted.
“In the 1940s and 1950s many Omanis attained scholarships to study in Kuwait,” he added.
In terms of commercial relations, leading business houses of Oman established their offices in Kuwait during the early years. “ In those days when people used to travel to Kuwait they would take a letter from the Towel Company, which stated the company is responsible for the individual,” said Ali.
As an ex-employee of Kuwait Oil Company and with a total service length of more than 39 years which included before and after Kuwait/Iraq war, C Ramachandran has lots of memories of the land as he take in the loss of the leader, “I would like to avail this opportunity to pay my tribute and respect to the late Emir of Kuwait Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, who went to heavenly abode. Kuwait managed to reconstruct (Al Tameer Project) and bring the country back to its glory mainly because of leaders like him.
“Shaikh Sabah was a respected regional and international mediator due to his GCC leadership and his more than 40 years of service as Foreign Minister.
Considering the achievements and approach of Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah on each issue, he has left a very difficult seat to fill and replace a satisfying (or) qualifying leader as competent as Sheikh Sabah. God Help Kuwait and we love Kuwait."
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