US Aid for Saudi Family

IRD: “Friday of Rage” turned into a bloody Friday in Saudi Arabia. This time, Saudi Arabia, the largest oil supplier in the region, witnessed people who came into streets of Qatid, Dammam, Ihsa and Riyadh to protest. Saudi authorities decided to suppress the people, and even the hospitals were prohibited from accepting the injured. Saudi murders continue, and the question is why in this country—that tried to silence the people’s protests with economic promises in the past—government authorities have committed violence. Hussein Sheikh al-Islam, the adviser to the parliament president on foreign policy issues, has accused the government of Saudi Arabia of dictatorship, and emphasizes that the Saudi people have been controlling their anger for many years, and this uprising was expected earlier in the country. 

IRD: Why were the protests in Saudi Arabia answered with violence?

HS: Because of a despotic regime that cannot accept any protest against it. Another reason is the Saudi authorities’ imprudence that the people’s peaceful protests are answered with violence. The reaction against the people is neither right and nor working. 

IRD: To what extent are the demonstrations influenced by people’s protest in the countries of the Persian Gulf, especially in Bahrain?

HS: I think these protests were not effective; the wave of awakening that arose in the Iranian revolution reached its peak when the Shah was deposed from the throne. The people finally succeeded in determining their own destiny and regained dignity. All of these nations rose up because of the dictator regimes that, by relying on foreign powers, wasted all their assets. The dictators ruling the countries were willing to do whatever was asked to support the major powers; especially in Saudi Arabia, due to its substantial oil resources and its properties owned by foreigners. Saudi Arabia suppressed popular protest and ignored demands that have accumulated over the years, and today they are manifested this way.

Considering what happened in Egypt and Tunisia, the Saudi people also concluded that they are able to rise up against tyranny and despotic powers. The protesters asked themselves, why not protest for freedom, independence, a parliament and elections? It seems that the main problem in this country is that one family holds power and only family members deserve to enjoy that power. The people also want to reform the constitution and to choose their authorities.

Actually I think the potentials in Saudi Arabia were more considerable than the other countries, because for many years, one family has been ruling the kingdom and there were no equal rights for the people. Thus injustice is apparent in this country. One can conclude that this movement could have been formed earlier and these protests are not affected by Bahrain or any other country. But Bahrain itself is also a part of this movement and influenced by the ongoing general affairs in the region. 

IRD: Many of the protesters were Shiites; can the movement be called Shiite one?

HS: The Shiites are more oppressed, although I should emphasize that these protests are not limited to Shiites—but the first protests were formed in Riyadh which is not a Shiite city and the families of political prisoners gathered there.

On the other hand, since it has been many years that the rights of Shiites in Saudi Arabia have been denied and people humiliated for being Shiites, some attempt to make the conflict one between Shiites and Sunnis. Their goal has been to provoke the Sunnis against the Shiites. The Saudi Shiites also witness that they own the oil resources, but are constantly humiliated.

 IRD: What are the Saudi people seeking? In their slogans, there is more emphasis on reform and release of political prisoners. What does reform in the Saudi monarchy mean?

HS: By reform, they mean elections and they want to be involved in determining their fate. However, they do not chant harsh slogans because they do not know if they are supported. If this movement is formed, the people oppose tyranny and seek independence, freedom, and their rights. The feudal monarchy belongs to medieval times, based on which the government was divided according to families. For many years this method of governance, devoted to a particular family, has been outdated, while it is still in use in Saudi Arabia.

IRD: Will these protests lead to major developments in Saudi Arabia?

HS: We hope that they lead to fundamental changes. I cannot make a specific prediction, because Saudi Arabia is one of the important regional countries due to the substantial oil resources that are now filling the gap in Libyan production. Saudi Arabia has always been the source of and support for reconciliation with Israel and the presence of the US in the region; consequently, the US and the West would not quit supporting it, but it is hoped that they will not be able to suppress the people’s protest.