I missed this The New York Times analysis last week, but draw your attention to it. I think the writer has it right: change is coming to Saudi Arabia, but it will be slow and long in coming. Noting that nothing much has been said about municipal elections which are supposed to take place this year—and include women voters—Robert Worth is correct in quoting an anonymous member of the Shoura Council, “Without changing the cultural infrastructure here, there is no point in elections or anything of the kind…”
For Saudi Liberals, a Ripple of Hope
in a Sea of Tradition
Robert WorthRIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Ever since King Abdullah announced a sweeping cabinet reshuffle two weeks ago, Saudi liberals have been in a rare holiday mood. Many have hailed the changes — including the replacement of some major conservative figures and the appointment of the first female deputy minister — as a “mini-revolution” and proof that the king is at last willing to tame this country’s hard-line religious establishment.
But there is a larger, more conservative constituency here, and its members tend to dismiss those liberal hopes as fantasies.
“These are merely dreams and wishes for things that will not happen,” said Sheik Sulayman al-Daweesh, a prominent conservative cleric who is a staunch defender of this country’s feared religious police. The reformers, he added, “would like to weaken Saudi Arabia’s Islamic identity, and they will not succeed.”
Who is right? It may be too early to say.
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March:08:2009 - 23:56
I think the elections are important regardless of how ineffective they may be. Democracy can not just be transplanted or imposed on people (I do hope we can all see that now). It needs to grow. The elections are a way to practice and learn democratic behavior. People were shocked in Jeddah when the so-called “golden ticket” slate of candidates won the elections as they were religious conservatives. Well, they were also organized and worked harder than others running. That is also an important lesson in how democracy works. Society needs to see all these outcomes initially when the stakes aren’t too high- so they can learn how it works a bit.
It’s also good to look to the Jeddah Chamber of Congress. They decided to allow women to vote AND to run as candidates. Good for them.
March:09:2009 - 07:54
I agree… even if the municipal councils are not invested with great powers, it is important that people get in the habit of voting, of demanding performance from their elected officials. It’s a huge shift from ‘doing what the boss says’ to being responsible for ‘telling the boss what to do’. It does not happen quickly.
March:09:2009 - 09:11
I agree with you too. Democracy is about responsibilities as well as rights- and more than just voting. As it is, many people who “vote” are just voting for a boss to tell them what to do. Not for a leader to lead the collective vision of a population. Good democratic behavior in a society is really the end product of quite an evolution (oops! can I use that word??) or progression of behaviors and understandings.
March:09:2009 - 09:30
You can certainly use that word here!
It is a matter of evolution: political, social, economic, psychological. Saudi Arabia is in the midst of a shift from traditional client/patron relationships to those of a representative government. It won’t be easy; it won’t be quick–it will be painful. But it is crucial to the future of the country.
March:09:2009 - 15:44
Sheik Sylaiman Al Daweesh: The reformers he added, “would like to weaken Saudi Arabia’s Islamic identity, and they will not succeed.”
Sparky @ Sheik: That is good because the sheiks and other clerics are succeeding at weakening Saudi Arabia’s Islamic identity and have been doing so for years. Reformers’ jobs are just made all that easier.
Anonymous: “The extremists here are well organized, but the liberals are not organized at all. They don’t have channels of communication with the people.”
Sparky: Yeah, because they (Extremeists) are PERMITTED to be organized. Are reformers allowed to be organized?…jeesh daweesh taweesh kabab
A half naked man (Ghandi) changed a country!
Note: My comment was gobbled in cyberspace the first time I submitted it! UGHH!!! Anyways, I had to rewrite it…UGHH!!!