This is completely unheard of. Demonstrations in the heart of the Saudi Capital, in the main thoroughfare Ulaya Street some reports says that some 500 people (both men and women!) demonstrated in Riyadh demanding polital reforms, just a day after the government announced that they’re starting municipal elections with half the members directly elected while the remaining half appointed.
The fantastic thing about this demo is that it is in direct response to the opposition in London! There are so many dynamics to this story…
Saudi is currently hosting the first Human Rights conference in a venue close to where the demonstration took place.
The response? 150 people arrested, and the main mufti (religious supremo) in the Kingdom immediately issuing a statement saying “ Demonstrations are the behaviour of non-Muslims“!
Huh? Come again? Islam is a representative religion as far as I understand it and it encourages Muslims to not stand for repression, injustice and also instructs you to be tolerant of other creeds and be logical. What’s this guy has proved is that he’s just a political instrument rather than a true religious leader. I might be wrong in my analysis of course as I am not as informed as he possibly is in Islam, but what he says (if indeed he did) just is not logical.
How can a country declare that they’re going the democratic way in one breath, yet its immediate actions after the announcement is not tolerate the voicing of public opinion?
Democracy with rose-tinted glasses? Possibly.
Comments
WTF2: Demos in Riyadh!
I don’t want to quibble, but aren’t the Saudi dissidents in London around Saad Fagih, who organised the demo, attacking Riyadh from the Islamist right? True they want greater democracy and accountablity, but their main contention is that the Al-Sauds are far too liberal and not rigourous enough in cutting people’s hands and heads off.
Re: WTF2: Demos in Riyadh!
Does it matter?
The point is that voicing your opinion no matter how unagreable it is to some, is part of the democratic process and should be respected.
Re: WTF2: Demos in Riyadh!
I’m not sure where you got that from, but as far as I know, these folks are far more educated (as an Islamist right – whatever that means really) than the supreme advocate of capital punishment, Mr. G. W. Bush!