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| Saudi Dissident: US Should Make Saudi Reform a Permanent Item on Agenda |
| 2004-04-21 |
| .... The latest example of the royal kingdom’s continued repression of democratic voices occurred on March 16, when 12 Saudi reformers were arrested and charged with "undermining national unity and principles of the Islamic-based fabric of society." To date, three of the reformers — former university professors Abdullah Al Hamed and Metrouk Alfaleh and poet Ali Dumaini — remain in prison, while the others have been released under conditions that they cannot leave Saudi Arabia or talk to the media. They were also required to sign a letter of retraction vowing to cease from campaigning for reform. Among the 12 reformers’ "offenses" was their signing of a petition asking the House of Saud to adopt a constitutional monarchy featuring women’s rights, religious freedom and freedom of the press. They also requested the implementation of local elections promised in October by the Saudi government (which, not surprisingly, have yet to be scheduled). But of all the charges levied against the 12, the most scurrilous may have been the accusation that they planned to establish a human- rights committee independent of the Saudi government. Especially when, according to the Saudi ambassador to the United States, PrinceBandarbin-Sultan, "[Human rights organizations] are the foundation for successful and lasting reforms." Indeed, just last month, the Saudi government announced the formation of Saudi Arabia’s first-ever human-rights organization, the National Human Rights Association (NHRA). The group, which consists of 41 members, will supposedly "implement international human rights charters signed by Saudi Arabia" and include a special panel to monitor violations of women’s rights. .... On March 21, more than 130 Saudis signed a petition calling on the Saudi government to release all imprisoned reformers and expedite democratic change. A similar letter signed by 800 Saudi activists was presented to Crown Prince Abdullah in February. .... The Saudi government’s reaction to these incidents has been typical: threats, surveillance and arrests, tempered by press releases lauding the House of Saud’s own supposed steps toward reform. On March 17, a day after the aforementioned 12 reformers were arrested, Abdul Rahman Alahim, a Saudi lawyer and human rights activist, appeared on Al Jazeera television criticizing the Saudi government for its actions. The next day, Mr. Alahim was arrested as well. Mr. Alahim’s arrest preceded a March 19 visit to Saudi Arabia by Secretary of State Colin Powell, who expressed "concern" about the Saudis’ stifling of dissenting voices. According to Mr. Al-Ahmed, however, the United States could do much more to encourage change in Saudi Arabia. "The U.S. should make reform in Saudi Arabia a permanent item on its agenda," he says. "It should establish a dialogue with Saudi reformers and go public with its desire to see Saudi Arabia reform." .... |
| Posted by:Mike Sylwester |