Saudi Arabian “Day of rage” 3 years on

Inspired by the uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt, a “Day or Rage” was called in Saudi Arabia on 11 March 2011. A Facebook-page called for ousting the regime and elections for a ruler and the Consultative Assembly. The night before 600-800 Shia took to the streets in the oil-rich city of Qatif in eastern Saudi Arabian on the demanding release of 9 fellow prisoners. The police shot at them and injured three.

On the Day of Rage Police forces turned out massively. One man Khaled al-Johani a teacher and father of five spoke to BBC in Riyadh calling for democracy and calling the country a big jail. He was arrested, and finally released in August 2012. Several hundred protested in the East, but not in the rest of the country. But still, the ruling family was shaken, and announced a $66.7 billion economic benefit package and Municipal elections.

Money yes, but no real political reforms were made. So far the strategy has worked, even though unrest has continued in the Eastern Province. The Shias are looking to their counterparts in Bahrain, who are better organized and violent. They started to escalate with violent actions leading to the killing of protesters and security officers. Women continue to ask to be allowed to drive a car. Avoiding a revolution and major violence, now it is up to the royal family to make real reforms meeting people’s need for more freedom and justice.

Oil and Gas-fields in the region.

 
 
Background
The Saudi Kingdom, an absolute kingdom, is run by the Saud family, the only country in the world to be named after a family. After the First Gulf War different groups demanded a constitution, and in 1992 King Fahd responded by instituting a Basic law of government and created a consultative Assembly. The Arab Spring took the Royal family by surprise. King Abdullah was not ready to make political reforms. But with $400 billion in foreign currency reserves, in a pre-emptive move, he announced $10.7 billion support for job creation, loan forgiveness and other social benefits made on 23 February 2011. Buying support was not enough. Intellectuals had called for a constitutional monarchy, and so did a Shia cleric in a Friday sermon. He was arrested in Eastern Province on 27 February.  On 5 March protests were banned and 10.000 security personnel sent to the East. Then came the Day of Rage.

More money and protests

Afterwards, another $66.7 billion economic benefit package for house-building, giving government workers two wages extra, raising the minimum wage and increasing payments to students and unemployed was announced on 18 March. In spite of the ban, demonstrations, this time in the capital Riyadh asked for the release of thousands of prisoners held for years without trial. 15 were arrested. Three days later Municipal elections were announces. The first elections in 40 years were held in 2005. The next were delayed. Now protests made things move. Women were banned from voting not to say be elected. Women in Jeddah protested, Nayla Attar told Al Jazeera, “We want to make our voices heard”. In May media laws were tightened.
Oil, religion & money
The oil-fields are situated in the east, and pipelines with a capacity of 5 million barrels a day run through Qatif to the oil port Ras Tanura.  Understandably, the authorities and oil markets became nervous that oil-flow would be cut, and price of a barrel raised $3 in 12 minutes.  The Shias constitute 10-15% of the 23 million living in Saud Arabia. The Sunni are in majority, following the powerful orthodox Wahhabi clerics. Shia say they are discriminated, not getting key official positions and receiving too little of the oil-wealth, in short they need more justice. Authorities have accused Iran of being behind the unrest, but Iran denies and little evidence has been shown.

I am open to your comments and proposals.

Warmly
Bjarte Bjørsvik