{"id":285601,"date":"2011-03-01T12:36:48","date_gmt":"2011-03-01T12:36:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/03\/01\/saudi-govt-braces-up-against-protests\/"},"modified":"2011-03-01T12:36:48","modified_gmt":"2011-03-01T12:36:48","slug":"saudi-govt-braces-up-against-protests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/01\/saudi-govt-braces-up-against-protests\/","title":{"rendered":"Saudi govt braces up against protests"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) \u2013 Democracy activists in Saudi Arabia say the government is closely monitoring social media to nip in the bud any protests inspired by uprisings that swept Arab countries, toppling leaders in Egypt and Tunisia.<\/p>\n

Activists have set up Facebook pages calling for protests on March 11 and 20, with more than 17,000 supporters combined.<\/p>\n

The police, however,\u00a0 managed to stifle two attempts to hold protests in the Red Sea city of Jeddah last month, highlighting the difficulties of such mobilisation in the conservative kingdom.<\/p>\n

In one case, between 30 and 50 people were detained by police when they gathered on the street, witnesses said, while in the second instance, security forces flooded the location of a protest advertised on Facebook, scaring off protesters.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are watching closely what people are saying on Facebook and Twitter,\u201dsaid Saudi blogger Ahmed al-Omran, adding :\u00a0 \u201cObviously they are anxious as they are surrounded with unrest and want to make sure we don\u2019t catch the bug.\u201d<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia, the world\u2019s biggest oil producer, bans public protests and political parties, and in 2004, Saudi security forces, carrying batons and shields thwarted protests in Riyadh and Jeddah called by a Saudi dissident group in London.<\/p>\n

Last week, King Abdullah, a close U.S. ally, ordered wage rises for Saudi citizens and other benefits on his return from three months abroad for medical treatment.<\/p>\n

The handouts, valued at 37 billion dollars, were an apparent attempt to insulate the kingdom from the wave of protests affecting Arab countries but activists want more than money.<\/p>\n

There has been no sign that the kingdom will introduce elections to its advisory Shura Assembly, a quasi-parliament, or a new round of municipal council elections.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey have been monitoring the Internet, Facebook and other sites for some time but now it demands more attention,\u201d said Mai Yamani, a Saudi analyst based in London.<\/p>\n

\u201cSaudis are no different from their brothers and sisters in the region \u2014 they are educated, connected and angry,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

It is difficult to estimate how many Saudis could be prepared to take part in protests.<\/p>\n

There are three main population centres in the vast Arabian Peninsula state where protests could emerge: Riyadh with a population of more than four million, Jeddah with a population of more than two million and the Shi\u2019ite Muslim areas of the Eastern Province.<\/p>\n

Shi\u2019ites, who have complained of second-class status, are watching protests in neighbouring Bahrain where Shi\u2019ites are demanding democratic reforms.<\/p>\n

About 60 per cent of the native Saudi population of 18 million are believed to be aged under 30 and most have grown up in the information age which has raised awareness of rights among Arab protesters elsewhere and helped them organise.<\/p>\n

Clerics, allowed wide powers in Saudi society, have traditionally said questioning the kingdom\u2019s rulers is a taboo.<\/p>\n

Activists say a widely anticipated cabinet reshuffle could help dampen internet activism if it brings in new faces.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll reformers are waiting for the long-awaited cabinet reshuffle,\u201dsaid Mahmoud Sabbagh, a newspaper columnist, adding: \u201cIf it turns out to be just cosmetic, then my analysis is that reformers will regroup and escalate.\u201d<\/p>\n

In an open letter published on Sunday, about 100 Saudi intellectuals, activists and academics called on the king to launch major political reforms and allow citizens to have a greater say in ruling the country.<\/p>\n

Their principal demand is elections to the Shura Assembly.<\/p>\n

The grand mufti, Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh, the government\u2019s main authority on religious issues, said on his website on Monday he opposed women taking a role in political life.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese demands must be reconsidered. Do they serve Islam? Will they bring the Islamic nation together?\u201d he asked. (Reuters\/NAN)<\/p>\n

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