Today's 4...Meddlers, widows, retrials and sunshine

Yesterday, the BBC reported that Osama Bin Laden's three widows will be welcomed into Saudi Arabia following their quasi-imprisonment and subsequent deportation from Pakistan. Saudi Arabia has quoted humanitarian reasons for allowing the women to settle back in the kingdom. For once, I agree with Saudi Arabia's decision. Two out of the three widows are Saudi Arabian, (the third is Yemeni) and it is highly unlikely that they would be allowed in many other countries. The women were undoubtedly subservient to their husband and we should be cautious about punishing them by association for the crimes of their husband.
 
Al-Jazeera reported that 21 Bahraini activists convicted by military court for participation in riots last year will be retried in a civil court. The ruling has come from the country's Court of Cassation following an appeal by the 21 activists to be retried. This is a significant step for Bahrain and should not be overlooked as insignificant. Some critics have been quick to label events in Bahrain as part of the wider "Arab Spring." I don't agree. That Bahrain can accept a possible error in its past rulings is a key differentiator between the island kingdom and the fallen regimes of Gadaffi and Mubarak.

Time's up Saleh...

The Associated Press reported that the UN's envoy to Yemen has requested former president Saleh to "stop meddling" in the country's affairs. The comment comes as President Saleh begins a full-scale offensive against alleged the al-Qaeda militants who have been the source of daily targeted attacks against military personnel since Hadi power. If Saleh cares at all about Yemeni internal affairs he will take the UN envoy's advice. Hadi is finally taking the tough stance necessary to restore order in the country and the last thing he needs is long-distance meddling from an ineffective former despot. It's time to let go Saleh.

And finally...

In the absence of anything noteworthy to say on Oman, I thought I'd tell readers that the Muscat's weather forecast for tomorrow is dry and sunny with temperatures reaching 43 degrees Celsius. Come on Oman...give me something to write about...please...  

A belt and braces execution in Riyadh

Today I read an article on DigitalJournal.com. It was my first time visiting their website, which I was drawn to by the bold headline: Sudanese man beheaded and crucified in Saudi Arabia.

Someone unfamiliar with the punitive norms of the closed kingdom may think that such a headline refers to some sort of gruesome act of retribution by one criminal gang to another. Sadly not. The Sudanese man was in fact put to death by the state following his conviction of rape, murder, theft and arson. Granted, assuming the defendant was guilty, he committed a vile series of crimes which deserve harsh punishment. Indeed, some states in the USA would execute one of their own citizens for committing a similar series of crimes.

My question is simple: why did the guilty man have to be beheaded and crucified? According to DigitalJournal.com, the Sudanese man was first beheaded after which his head was reconnected to his body. He was then crucified; a belt and braces approach to execution if ever I saw one. 

To me, beheading and then crucifying goes way beyond a strict judicial system. Such an approach is simple thuggery and smacks of the mafia-style tribal warfare which peppered the Arabian Peninsula before Abdulaziz Ibn Saud created the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia shortly after the beginning of the twentieth Century.

I think it's time the country's judicial system officials have a think a about the message they are passing on to their own people, and to the rest of the world. There is no need for a belt and braces approach to execution. If Saudi Arabia insist on retaining the death penalty, they should at least do so in a responsible manner.

Today's 4...Taxes, beheadings, famine & Forumla1

The Lebanon Daily Star reports that Dubai plans to impose 200% tax on tobacco by August.

 

Such a move would double the current levy of 100% which the emirate imposes on tobacco products. The announcement to increase the levy to 200% was made by the director general of the Dubai Health Authority during a cardiology conference. Whilst this planned increase in tobacco tax may seemingly be motivated by a desire to improve the health of Dubai's smoking population, we should not ignore the obvious benefit to Dubai's tax collectors. The current 100% levy contributes 1% to Dubai's annual income. Doubling the levy will certainly benefit the emirate's economy. I am sure that health has played some part in the decision making process leading to the 200% tobacco levy, but as Dubai continues along the path of economic recovery I am certain the opportunity to add to the sovereign coffers was a deciding factor. 

Russia Today reports of a charge of beheading for "witchcraft" in Saudi Arabia.

 

A Sri Lankan woman is facing decapitation on charges on witchcraft in Saudi Arabia. The charges were brought against the woman after a Saudi man complained his 13 daughter began to behave abnormally after being in close proximity to the Sri Lankan lady in a shopping mall in the Red Sea city of Jeddah. According to Wahhabist Islam, the strict form of Sunni Islam which governs Saudi Arabian Sharia law, witchcraft is still a recognised crime. The only recommended sentence is death. In this blog I try to avoid professing strong opinions on religion, but I am now going to break my self-imposed rule. The fact that this Sri Lankan lady is facing the death penalty for being a witch in a country which likes to consider itself a key player in regional and global politics is quite simply barbaric. Furthermore, the fact that Wahhabist Islam provides the rationale for beheading this lady makes, in my opinion, Wahhabist Islam equally barbaric. Many Saudi Arabians are very well educated, having attended some of the best further education institutions in the world. It is definitely time for the country to wake up and put some of this education into practice by recognising Wahhabist Islam for what it really is.

Bad news about Yemen has now become the norm. When searching on Google news for "Yemen" one receives a barrage of news pages reporting on the latest attacks, with daily death tolls almost always in double figures. As if that wasn't enough The Economist reports that Among other troubles, Yemen faces a creeping famine. 

 

After such a protracted period of unrest in the troubled country it seems contingency is exhausted, not just at a government level but throughout the population with the richer families now unable to provide "zakat" (alms), one of the Five Pillars of Islam, to their poorer neighbours. Everything in Yemen, including food and the diesel required to fuel the country's water pumps travels by road. Throughout the months of unrest road routes have been cut or disrupted resulting in a food and water shortage throughout the country. As I have reported on this blog, Hadi's new government has almost no financial resources to improve the country's roads or increase fuel subsidies, both of which are vital steps to alleviate the worsening famine. More and more it seems the only solution is for international aid agencies to intervene. Unfortunately, such international programmes tend to gain momentum once famine is well and truly set in. It is unlikely that Yemen will receive the support it desperately requires until the situation reaches its nadir. 

And finally...
 

Bahrain's Grand Prix has received ample press coverage in the last week Today, Reuters, amongst many others, reports that Protests rage as Bahrain Grand Prix practice begins. 

 

Last night, as drivers prepared for the start of practice sessions on the Grand Prix track this morning protestors promised to mark the start of the small country's famous annual event with a "day of rage" against the ruling regime. Yesterday evening protests broke out in villages surrounding Manama. It seems unrest also spread into the capital as two members of the India Team asked to go home after seeing burning petrol bombs whilst travelling from the racing circuit back to their Manama hotel. Whilst I have sympathy with the plight of Bahrain's Shia majority population and the second-class treatment they receive at the hands of the Sunni minority leadership I do not believe disrupting the Grand Prix is the right way to transmit their message. Bahrain's Grand Prix is an annual event, much anticipated by Formula 1 fans around the world. As such, it is a major source of revenue from the country as well as a source of prestige on the global stage. Both the revenue and prestige are vital to anyone leading Bahrain and the event should be viewed as a key resource. In short, I think the protesters have adopted a self-harm approach by attacking the Grand Prix. The protesters also risk losing international support, without which they will struggle to progress their cause. My advice, although I very much doubt any Bahraini protesters read this blog, would be to leave the Grand Prix alone. Once, and not before, the last car has whizzed over the finish line the protesters should continue to push for an equal constitution.

Oman loses an ancient voice

This week I am determined write an article on Oman, which rarely features in posts on this blog. (see Oman: no news is good news). I am pleased to say that yesterday I stumbled across an article in the Times of Oman which jumped out as material for a blog post on this little-talked-about sultanate.

Musandam is an isolated province in north-east Oman

The Omani village of Kumzar is located in the province of Musandam, just 50km away from Iran. A pretty fishing port, Kumzar boasts ancient heritage and beautiful beaches. The village also has its very own language which is sadly dying out.

In a "Question of survival for Oman’s rare language" the Times of Oman reports that Kumzari, a mixture of Indo-European languages and Arabic and the only non-Semitic language spoken on the Arabian peninsula in the past 1,400 years, is dying out due to the progressive modernisation of the isolated village, which now has satellite television and internet access. 

Whilst I admit that this little story is hardly major international news, the loss of an ancient language should not be dismissed as insignificant. Throughout history the spread of empires around the world has resulted in more remote spoken languages falling out of popular vernacular and into the archives. The spread of Islam is no exception, with Arabic becoming the dominant language throughout the Arab and swathes of the Muslim world.

Kumzar's fishing port

As a language enthusiast, I see the loss of a language as a great shame. However, as the village of Kumzar becomes more and more connected to the modernity of Muscat, I fear it is inevitable that those fluent in Kumzar will take the language to their graves without leaving its words as inheritance to future generations. It is therefore essential that Oman's historians keep a record of the language in their history books. It seems too important to forget.

More violence in Yemen

Yesterday, I posted "Down but not out - Hadi battles on" - some thoughts on the challenging start to Hadi's presidency, but also a recognition of his perseverance thus far.

Today, when looking through the news pages searching for a new post, I read the following BBC headline:

Yemen unrest: eleven killed in army checkpoint attack

The BBC's article was one of the earliest to appear on the web. The early reports state that the eleven killed consist of eight Yemeni soldiers and three "militants". As with all other attacks on Yemeni militants, authorities from Sana'a assume the militants are part of Yemen's branch of al-Qaeda.

Where this latest attack differs is the location. Whereas most of the current violence in Yemen is centered in the South of the country, today's violence occurred circa 300 kms east of Sana'a.

Whilst I complemented Hadi's relatively stoic response to his turbulent first few months in office, I do think he needs to take a more proactive and strategic response to tackling the now almost daily attacks on his ground forces. I fear that such a strategic response may be disabled by the lack of funds at his disposal. Perhaps Hadi needs to think about drafting in some foreign support. Saudi Arabia already meddles regularly in Yemeni affairs. Considering both Riyadh and Sana'a share the same enemy in the form of al-Qaeda, perhaps they should consider joining forces.    

Down but not out - Hadi battles on

Today AFP, amongst others, reported that this morning 44 people were killed in clashes with alleged al-Qaeda fighters in southern Yemen.

Today's clashes took place on the back of what has been a trying few days for Yemen's president Hadi. On Friday Hadi tried to remove from power some of the remaining remnants of former President Ali Adbullah Saleh's regime. This came to a head at Sana'a's international airport which was blockaded in protest by supporters of the former president, including Saleh's half-brother, air force commander Mohammed Saleh al-Ahmar.

Al-Ahmar eventually gave up the fight and left Yemen on Sunday 08 April but today's violent clashes in the country's south have meant there has been no let up for Hadi.

There is no denying that Yemen's new President has had a turbulent start to his presidency. He has almost no financial resources to help him cement his position, he seems to be fighting al-Qaeda militants on a daily basis with notable loss of life and is now facing public challenges to his power from members of former president Saleh's regime.

By most peoples' standards, Hadi has had a baptism of fire into his new position. That said, it's important to remember Yemen's state of disarray at the time of Hadi's arrival in office. Arguably things have improved significantly since then. Whilst violence in the south has unfortunately become common place, a semblance of normality has returned to the country's capital. Hadi should be congratulated for this, just as he should be congratulated for holding firm against Al-Ahmar's attempts to remain head of the air force.

Yemen's new president has and continues to face significant challenges, but his actions to date have shown that whilst he may be down he is certainly not out.  

Saudi Olympic team - only men aloud

Today the Daily Telegraph reported that Saudi Arabia's National Olympic Committee president Prince Nawaf bin Faisal has publicly stated that he will not endorse Saudi female participation in the London Olympic Games. This means that any budding Saudi female athletes will not be able to compete in London2012 as part of the official delegation, although in theory does not completely prevent a Saudi woman from competing.

No women will be carrying the Saudi flag at London 2012

In reality, I doubt any female from the closed Kingdom will make it to London. With a royal statement against female athlete participation, it is highly unlikely that any patriach of a potential female athlete will risk contradicting Prince Nawaf by allowing one of his female family members to compete for a place at the Games in July and August. 

Whilst this is a great shame, it does not come as a surprise. Saudi Arabia treats is female citizens no better than glorified prisoners. This mal-treatment publicly manifests itself in the form of the black abaya, the plain cloak that all women must wear whenever they are out of the confines of their homes.  It would have been quite out of character for the country's officials to allow female athletes to don lycra and sprint around a running track in front of a potential global audience of 2 billion people.

Whilst Prince Nawaf's decision was to be expected, the fact that Saudi's female athletes will not be part of the country's official Olympic team has at least reminded the international media of the strict conditions under which Saudi women are forced to live. In short, there is now a media storm surrounding the decision and this may benefit Saudi women in the long run, as pressure mounts on King Abdullah to reform policies towards women.

One element of this media storm is being driven by Sue Tibballs, chief executive of the Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation. Tibballs, amongst others, is calling for the International Olympic Committee to ban the Saudi delegation from attending London2012, as a consequence for their discriminatory decision. Given that Saudi Arabia have directly violated the Olympic Charter (which states that "any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, sex or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement") there are strong grounds for Tibballs' call. At times Saudi Arabia can be quite sensitive to negative press in the west, given the proximity of the House of Saud with almost all western governments. The optimist in me hopes that this recent negative press will force the Saud's to rethink their policies towards women.

That said, the pessimist in me thinks that after a few days of negative press the media will move on, effectively letting Prince Nawaf off the hook. I very much doubt that the International Olympic Committee will ban Saudi Arabia from London2012. Jaques Rogge risks some angry calls from European leaders if he upsets Saudi Arabia too much. The last thing David Cameron wants is another potential fuel crisis, and nor I suspect to his European counterparts. Sadly, I suspect the Saudi Olympic team will be allowed to proceed with their "only men allowed" policy.

A short-lived romance

al-Maliki

Yesterday, Middle East Online reported that the Saudi media has launched a scathing attack against the Iraqi prime minister, Nouri al-Malaki, following al-Malaiki's implicit criticism of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states decision to pay salaries to the Syrian National Council.

The Saudi media response to al-Malaki's implicit criticisms was immediate and left no room for ambiguity. Tariq al-Homayed, the editor of Saudi owned الشرق الاوسط‎ (Asharq al-Awsat) wrote: "Gulf (states) should boycott Maliki and his government [...] to prevent the emergence of a new Saddam or another Bashar."

King Abdullah of Saudi

The comparison to Bashar al-Asad is an obvious one, with both al-Malaki and al-Asad being Shia leaders, which makes them an easily paired together by the Sunni Saudi media. It is the comparison between al-Maliki and Saddam Hussein which is a lot more interesting, and arguably deeply personal against al-Maliki. Iraq under Sunni Saddam Hussein bore witness to several episodes of extreme cruelty against the country's Shias. Shia Al-Maliki will not appreciate the Saudi media's efforts to liken him to Saddam Hussein, a former persecutor of Iraqi Shias. 

This media mud-slinging episode speaks volumes about one thing: it appears that the romance period between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, symbolised by Saudi Arabia's recent appointment of its first diplomatic representative to Iraq since the Gulf war of 1991, may be coming to a hasty end. 

Of course, I may be wrong. This could be nothing more than a temporary spat in a soon to be budding but unlikely friendship. But I don't think I am wrong. For as long as there is a Shia hand at the helm of Iraq, I suspect the recent period of improved relations between Iraq and Saudi Arabia may prove to be nothing more than a short-lived romance.

Arab(ian Peninsula Focus) Spring

For those few (but cherished) regular readers who were concerned about my disappearance from the blogosphere...fear not! I went off-line last week (but certainly not off-piste) as I spent my time learning how to slide down some medium-sized French mountains with a pair of flat plastic planks stuck to my feet in a (mostly) controlled manner. After a week of skiing and breathing in the alpine air I am now back in the big smoke and in front of my laptop again. To celebrate the fact that I have made it back to London in one piece,  I have prepared an extravaganza of a comeback post.

Welcome to Arab(ian Peninsula Focus) Spring 

In today's post, I will talk through five news stories, one for each working day that I didn't post last week, which caught my eye.


 1. It appears there has finally been some affirmative action from the gulf countries regarding Syria. The months of empty rhetoric from the likes of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have been replaced with action in the form of a pledge by gulf countries to create a multi-million-dollar fund to pay members of the Free Syrian Army and soldiers who defect. Whilst I have previously been critical of Arabian Peninsula countries who have voted to recognise the Syrian National Council as the official representatives of the Syrian People before the Syrians themselves have had a chance to do so, I do feel that providing the SNC with funds is a positive step in ousting Asad. (This was covered by Al-Jazeera and BBC, amongst others)

2. In Yemen, clashes have continued between suspected al-Qaeda militants and government troops. Last week, in one violent episode in South Yemen seventeen soldiers and twelve suspected militants were killed. It is clear that the tensions between Al-Qaeda in Yemen and President Hadi continue, and are turning into a drawn out series of clashes rather than initial teething problems while Hadi asserts his power. Yemen's new president continues to state the same message: fighting al-Qaeda is one of his top priorities. If this is really the case, I think it's time for Hadi to rethink his counter-al-Qaeda strategy. (This was covered by the BBC) 

3. Hillary Clinton has openly expressed concern at the recent closure in the United Arab Emirates of the Dubai office of the National Democratic Institute (NDI). The NDI is a US-based organisation and is seen as a champion of human rights in some parts of the Middle East. Whilst the closure has forced Hillary to tut and shake her head in a concerned manner, it is difficult to see how she will take any actions which risk threatening the UAE's relationship with the USA. (This was reported by Al-Jazeera)

4. Saudi Arabia has arrested 681 alleged drug smugglers in the last 4 months. I find this particularly interesting. Saudi Arabia's punishments for drug trafficking and use are as tough as they can be, with the strictest punishment being death. It amazes me that, given the tough consequences, so many people are allegedly prepared to risk their lives in drug smuggling. That said, the tough punishments for those caught in possession of drugs will undoubtedly push up the cost of narcotic substances in Saudi Arabia. Just like anything, the greater the risk - the greater the reward. (This was covered by AFP)

And finally...it appears that nothing of note whatsoever happened in Oman whilst I was tumbling in the snow. Somehow this does not surprise me.