‘Blacklisted’ by Kuwait, expat stranded in Bahrain

Manama: A US citizen has been stranded in Bahrain for the past 15 days, as he was denied re-entry to Kuwait. Joseph Morris, 57, is now living in Bahrain International Airport’s arrivals lounge, surviving on whatever friends and benefactors offer him.

He has been living in Kuwait for more than 14 years and has a 13-year-old boy from a Kuwaiti wife. His plight began four years ago when he was “mistakenly” blacklisted due to an alleged technical error in the Kuwaiti immigration and residency system, in relation to an overstaying violation.

Speaking to DT News yesterday, Morris said, “I was travelling to Qatar that night and was informed while exiting Kuwait that I have an overstaying violation. So I need to pay a fine to remove it from the system. I paid KWD600 (around BD750) and I was told that I’m allowed to travel and the violation was removed. But I was shocked to know that I was blacklisted and I cannot re-enter Kuwait after finishing my trip.”

“Then, I had to travel back to California, as my father fell sick. He passed away after a couple of months. My attempts to reunite with my son in Kuwait have failed since then. I have approached the Kuwaiti authorities and the US Department of State many times, but my pleas were disregarded,” Morris said, claiming that he had been subjected to religious and racial discrimination.

“Being a Muslim and an African-American has made things difficult for me. My pleas were all ignored due to my religious beliefs and my race. I can’t live in the US anymore, as I’m constantly being pressurised by my family to revert to Christianity,”
he explained.

Morris aka Mohammed Yousif claimed that he had a clean record during his stay in Kuwait. He said that he maintains a good relation with his ex-wife and her family, even after divorce.

The man informed that he had worked in the oil industry in Kuwait. He was also an active member of Islamic societies there. “Yet, no one has time to help me,” Morris rues.  

Morris has been eating one meal a day (Iftar) at the airport since his arrival in Bahrain by the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan (June 6). He informed that he entered Bahrain after receiving a visiting visa on arrival at Bahrain International Airport.

He also showed copies of three petitions he had submitted earlier to the Amir of Kuwait, Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and the American President. The US Embassy in Manama has been notified.