As the unprecedented popular uprising in Egypt rages on, and the world waits as pressure mounts against the regime in Cairo to make sweeping reforms, things couldn't be quieter in Saudi. It seems that the wave of protests which began with the self-immolation of a Tunisian vegetable salesmen, deposed that country's president, and has swept across the Middle East has done little to inspire the Saudis. It's not that the Arabian Peninsula is immune, or that oppressive regimes propped up by foreign aid are strictly a North African problem. Yemen has seen its largest protests in years, as has Jordan. Even Libya, whose current regime under Muammar al-Gaddafi is as iron-fisted as any, has seen demonstrations. But in Saudi, where the absolute monarchy under King Abdullah has left no question as to whose side it's on -- the king has welcomed the deposed president of Tunisia and has made public statements supporting Hosni Mubarak of Egypt -- Saudis don't outwardly appear to have even batted an eye at an opportunity to rally themselves, organize, be heard or affect change.
The 24 -hour news cycle on satellite television here has been saturated with coverage of the events in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez. While the state provided television service of the Kingdom has undoubtedly deluded these events' significance and walked the party line in its support of President Mubarak, it's not as though people here don't know what's going on with their neighbors just across the Red Sea. It's all I've seen as I walk past cafes, restaurants, and even when I was in the bank today. People, including myself, are glued. I'm not sure if their interest is purely for shock and entertainment or if it's due to some deep longing for their own bottom-up reform. Also, since a lot of people here are foreigners, including many Egyptians, it's difficult to gauge Saudi interest simply by walking the streets. What is apparent is that Saudis have not taken to the streets in their own demonstrations to call for regime change. There has been one protest in Jeddah, Saudi's second largest city, but it was relatively small and in connection with the horrible infrastructure that has led recently to many deaths following the second devastating flood there in as many years. They were quickly dispelled and received very little coverage.
The first conclusion one could draw from the lack of public demonstrations in the Kingdom while most of the region is coming out en masse against their oppressive regimes is that the institutions in place have made it too difficult and the consequences too horrible for people to oppose them. The framework has definitely been laid to deter those who might try to organize and even those who might try to participate in anything even closely resembling the demonstrations elsewhere in the Arab world. Imprisonment or worse seems almost guaranteed. Foreigners who engage in political movements are immediately deported, a fact iterated to me when applying for my visa and again when signing my contract. Demonstrations, when they do happen, usually in reference to a lack of jobs or infrastructure, receive zero domestic press and those responsible are dealt with quickly and silently with their demands often left unacknowledged. For most, the idea of protesting is unthinkable, with little faith being put into the idea that with enough people, like in Egypt, the mechanisms of oppression become powerless.
The second conclusion to be reached is that Saudis are too contented and/or pacified to come out against the King. This, especially when compared to other resource-rich gulf nations, is not as easy to swallow. Saudi is not the UAE or even Kuwait, both of whose current inflow of natural gas and petro-dollers is more than enough to be distributed amongst their relatively small populations to keep the public placated for the time being. Kuwait, whose population is 1/9 that of Saudi, has announced in the last couple days that it will be distributing billions of dollars in cash and food to its citizens to nip any negative feelings in the bud. Even when considering its enormous wealth due to being the largest oil producing country in the world, the size of the Saudi population doesn't allow for nearly as many social benefits or as much wealth redistribution. Unemployment is at 10%, an alarmingly high number and social freedoms are much less here than in every other gulf nation.
Still though, there doesn't seem to be the anger coming from the Saudi citizenry that is apparent when seeing interviews with demonstrators in Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan and the like. It's obvious when talking with the Egyptians I've spoken to here that discontent in that country has been growing for sometime. I don't get that impression from Saudis. Granted, they might be scared to say anything negative, especially during a time of such widespread regional unrest when the government is most likely taking swift and decisive action to preempt any potential threat. It's also true that food here is cheap and many things including loans, housing, and education are subsidized so a lot of the problems at the basic level of society that exist elsewhere in the Middle East aren't present in Saudi. And while they have more of a reason to be enraged than their much smaller and more effectively pacified gulf neighbors, things aren't nearly as bad as they are in a lot of places elsewhere in the region. It's interesting and raises more questions than it answers about Saudi mentality and the extent to which the monarchy's rule is absolute. But it is peaceful, and for at least the time being it's not looking at all likely that the region will experience upheaval in both it's most populous nation (Egypt) and it's most wealthy (KSA).
The 24 -hour news cycle on satellite television here has been saturated with coverage of the events in Cairo, Alexandria and Suez. While the state provided television service of the Kingdom has undoubtedly deluded these events' significance and walked the party line in its support of President Mubarak, it's not as though people here don't know what's going on with their neighbors just across the Red Sea. It's all I've seen as I walk past cafes, restaurants, and even when I was in the bank today. People, including myself, are glued. I'm not sure if their interest is purely for shock and entertainment or if it's due to some deep longing for their own bottom-up reform. Also, since a lot of people here are foreigners, including many Egyptians, it's difficult to gauge Saudi interest simply by walking the streets. What is apparent is that Saudis have not taken to the streets in their own demonstrations to call for regime change. There has been one protest in Jeddah, Saudi's second largest city, but it was relatively small and in connection with the horrible infrastructure that has led recently to many deaths following the second devastating flood there in as many years. They were quickly dispelled and received very little coverage.
The first conclusion one could draw from the lack of public demonstrations in the Kingdom while most of the region is coming out en masse against their oppressive regimes is that the institutions in place have made it too difficult and the consequences too horrible for people to oppose them. The framework has definitely been laid to deter those who might try to organize and even those who might try to participate in anything even closely resembling the demonstrations elsewhere in the Arab world. Imprisonment or worse seems almost guaranteed. Foreigners who engage in political movements are immediately deported, a fact iterated to me when applying for my visa and again when signing my contract. Demonstrations, when they do happen, usually in reference to a lack of jobs or infrastructure, receive zero domestic press and those responsible are dealt with quickly and silently with their demands often left unacknowledged. For most, the idea of protesting is unthinkable, with little faith being put into the idea that with enough people, like in Egypt, the mechanisms of oppression become powerless.
The second conclusion to be reached is that Saudis are too contented and/or pacified to come out against the King. This, especially when compared to other resource-rich gulf nations, is not as easy to swallow. Saudi is not the UAE or even Kuwait, both of whose current inflow of natural gas and petro-dollers is more than enough to be distributed amongst their relatively small populations to keep the public placated for the time being. Kuwait, whose population is 1/9 that of Saudi, has announced in the last couple days that it will be distributing billions of dollars in cash and food to its citizens to nip any negative feelings in the bud. Even when considering its enormous wealth due to being the largest oil producing country in the world, the size of the Saudi population doesn't allow for nearly as many social benefits or as much wealth redistribution. Unemployment is at 10%, an alarmingly high number and social freedoms are much less here than in every other gulf nation.
Still though, there doesn't seem to be the anger coming from the Saudi citizenry that is apparent when seeing interviews with demonstrators in Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Yemen, Jordan and the like. It's obvious when talking with the Egyptians I've spoken to here that discontent in that country has been growing for sometime. I don't get that impression from Saudis. Granted, they might be scared to say anything negative, especially during a time of such widespread regional unrest when the government is most likely taking swift and decisive action to preempt any potential threat. It's also true that food here is cheap and many things including loans, housing, and education are subsidized so a lot of the problems at the basic level of society that exist elsewhere in the Middle East aren't present in Saudi. And while they have more of a reason to be enraged than their much smaller and more effectively pacified gulf neighbors, things aren't nearly as bad as they are in a lot of places elsewhere in the region. It's interesting and raises more questions than it answers about Saudi mentality and the extent to which the monarchy's rule is absolute. But it is peaceful, and for at least the time being it's not looking at all likely that the region will experience upheaval in both it's most populous nation (Egypt) and it's most wealthy (KSA).
Great read, babe. My question is, why are we giving so much aid to Egypt? What's the connection there? And does Saudi's unemployment rate include foreigners? Who are these unemployed Saudi's and where do they live, because from what you've told me... they don't live in Riyhad. Do you think that Saudi's are raised in that drastically a different culture that they sit on their hands, while their neighbors act out in protest or would you guess it's because a larger majority of Saudi's lead comfortable lives and have fewer reasons to rise up against the government?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/world/middleeast/31davosreact.html?ref=global-home
ReplyDeleteAs I understand it, the aid to Egypt is largely military and is because they are our strategic Arab partner in the Middle East and provide a balance especially when considering the US' relationship with Israel. They, like other oppressive north African regimes have also been tough on "terror" a prerequisite these days for any aid from us.
ReplyDeleteThe Saudi unemployment rate does not include foreigners. Most of the unemployed are younger people with out higher education who refuse to do more menial jobs usually reserved for foreign workers. I don't know where they live, I would guess with their parents. I have recently heard that there are slummy areas on the periphery of Riyadh but that most of the residents there are poorer Africans and people of the subcontinent who may or may not have more permanent forms of residency. But where the poor, unemployed Saudis are, I have no idea.
I added a few lines in the last paragraph to show that Saudis lives are much more comfortable than Egyptians, Yemenis, Jordanians ...etc. And I do think its because of this comfort that they don't act out. But also because of the systems in place. Also, I heard today that it is stressed from very early on in Muslim and specifically Saudi education not to defy one's Muslim rulers. Something also to consider.
Interesting article. I had not thought about the expectations of democracy leading to revolt whereas with monarchial rule, those expectations don't exist and thereby revolt is less likely. Very interesting indeed. Thanks!
And thanks for the comments and questions. This is fun. :)