A protester holds up a picture of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr during a rally at the coastal town of Qatif Photo: Reuters
The repercussions of an Arab Spring revolt in Saudi Arabia would literally send the Middle East into a spiral downward ....even more than it already is and there are definite signs that a revolt, such as what we have seen in Libya, Egypt and Syria is in the early stages in the Saudi kingdom.
From the report at The Telegraph:
The detention of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr triggered the worst unrest in the kingdom's Eastern Province for months, prompting fears that the long-marginalised region could erupt in open revolt.
Hundreds of men marched through the centre of the city of Qatif, chanting "Down, Down with the House of Saud" and "Death to al-Saud", a rare direct challenge to the kingdom's royal family.
Amateur video footage showed live gunshots being fired at apparently peaceful demonstrators. But even as some protesters rushed forward to help one wounded man, others resumed their chanting with even greater fervour.
Shots were also fired during a second protest in the nearby village of Awamiya, where Sheikh Nimr was reportedly shot in the thigh as he was arrested.
The cleric has emerged as a leading voice of Saudi Arabia's Shia minority, leading them in sporadic protests that have erupted in their eastern strongholds since last year.
This is going to be very interesting as the Saudis' arch rival, the mullahs in Iran will no doubt seize on this opportunity to help stir up as much trouble in Saudi Arabia as they can muster. The Saudi kingdom has always been viewed as one of the anchors of the Arab world and in the Middle East and the long standing relationship with the U.S. is often seen as a galvanizing force in the region.
Imagine the dilemma to Barack Obama and the Department of Defense if the Arab Spring movement grows with intensity in Saudi Arabia. Don't forget, it was the Saudis that opened their lands to U.S. and coalition forces to use as bases during the operations to come to the aid of Kuwait. Now, I don't know how much overall sympathy the vast majority of Sunni Muslims would show these Shias in Saudi Arabia but believe me, there are plenty of Sunnis who would see any unrest as a chance to revolt as well.
Saudi Arabia hit by sectarian violence as two killed
The detention of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr triggered the worst unrest in the kingdom's Eastern Province for months, prompting fears that the long-marginalised region could erupt in open revolt.
Hundreds of men marched through the centre of the city of Qatif, chanting "Down, Down with the House of Saud" and "Death to al-Saud", a rare direct challenge to the kingdom's royal family.
Amateur video footage showed live gunshots being fired at apparently peaceful demonstrators. But even as some protesters rushed forward to help one wounded man, others resumed their chanting with even greater fervour.
Shots were also fired during a second protest in the nearby village of Awamiya, where Sheikh Nimr was reportedly shot in the thigh as he was arrested.
The cleric has emerged as a leading voice of Saudi Arabia's Shia minority, leading them in sporadic protests that have erupted in their eastern strongholds since last year. The most recent deaths, the first since February, bring to nine the total number of Shia killed in the Eastern Province region since the unrest began.
Saudi Arabia's interior ministry claimed that Sheikh Nimr – who has been detained and allegedly beaten twice in the past eight years – tried to evade capture and was wounded after his car collided with a security vehicle, prompting an exchange of fire.
"Security will not tolerate troublemakers who abuse the community and their nation," the ministry said in a statement.
The kingdom's ruling family has attempted to ward of a Saudi spring by announcing £840 million in new government spending.
But although this largesse has temporarily mollified Saudi Sunnis whose chief grievances revolve around poor schools and affordable housing, it has failed to pacify the marginalised Shia communities in the east, where the vast majority of the kingdom's oil is found.
Despite promises to respond to Shia grievances by giving the minority scholarships and greater access to government jobs, calls for the secession of Eastern Province have grown increasingly audible in recent months.
The unrest comes at a time of vulnerability for the ruling House of Saud.
With a series of deaths necessitating the naming of three crown princes in eight months and King Abdullah believed to be at least in his 90th year, the royal family's authority appears much less ironclad than it once was.
Rumours of extravagance and corruption by the ageing princes has become the subject of mockery of YouTube clips and open dissent is becoming more common, even outside the east.
March saw a riot by female students in the south-western city of Abha and there was even a "flash mob" protest at shopping mall in the capital Riyadh in June to demand release of political prisoners.
1 comment:
"Don't forget, it was the Saudis that opened their lands to U.S. and coalition forces to use as bases during the operations to come to the aid of Kuwait."
Also don't forget that 15 of the 19 hijackers were Saudis... Also don't forget that the Saudi royal family are extremely strong supporters of Wahhabism.
Trust me pal, the only reason they helped us with Kuwait was because Saddam was coming for them next. They were not our friends back then and they are not our friends now.
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