Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, CDHR, Washington DC

July 31, 2017

Qatar Crisis Widens and Women’s Rights Debate Intensifies  

CDHR’s Analysis and Commentaries

The Two Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia

CDHR Commentary: For most Westerners and others, there is the kingdom of Saudi Arabia (the only country named after the family that rules it, “Saudi” Arabia.) But for non-royal Saudis and those who work (or have worked and lived in Saudi Arabia), there are two distinctly separate kingdoms, one for the royal family and its religious establishment and the other for the population and the 11 million maltreated Asian and other expatriate workers. Only when royal crimes against non-royals become public do most people see or hear of the difference between the two Saudi kingdoms. The cases of this submissive non-royal Saudi and foreigners like William Sampson, a Canadian who endured cruel abuses for crimes he denied committing, illustrate the other Saudi kingdom. Read more: www.cdhr.info

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MosRmpoVKs

Miniskirt Should Be The Saudis’ Least Worry  

CDHR Commentary: Nothing sparks more heated and divisive debate in Saudi society than women’s dress code, their right to drive or to be seen in human form (not clad in a black garment.) As demonstrated by the case of this stylish woman “Khulood,” pro-government traditionalists and indoctrinated Saudis called for her arrest and punishment for insulting Islamic tradition and the Saudis’ supreme ethos. Such egregious reactions are neither new nor coincidental. According to the Saudi religious establishment, its financier and users (the ruling family), there is no public place for women under their form of Islam unless they are invisible. Read more: www.cdhr.info

Gulf Crisis Highlights “Discrimination Against Women”

CDHR Commentary: Arab women, in general, are among the most marginalized and oppressed people in the world, and no group has it worse than women of the Gulf Arab states, especially in Saudi Arabia. This is due to religious totalitarianism, nomadic culture, backward educational systems and anti-modernity dynastic rule. Read more: www.cdhr.info

Tillerson and Mattis: Hands off Qatar

CDHR Commentary: Despite President Trump’s rash endorsement of the Saudi instigated blockade of Qatar, Secretaries of Defense and State Mattis and Tillerson told the blockading monocracies hands-off. Based on their vast experiences in the region and their understanding of the Saudis’ goal, these seasoned senior officials understand that the blockade is designed to turn Qatar into a submissive colony of the Saudis, who would assume control of its wealth and policies. Beside their personal vested interests in Qatar (military installation and ener gy bonanza), the two Secretaries understand that an intra-Gulf dynasties’ military confrontation could force the US to take sides, potentially drawing other countries into the fray. Read more: www.cdhr.info

Qatar Blockade: A Misleading Power Play  

CDHR Commentary: Three of the four Arab autocracies (Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain) that are demanding Qatar raise the white flag are threatened by domestic political restlessness, pro-democracy movements, economic hardships and home bred extremism and terrorism. These countries continue to emphasize that they are blockading Qatar largely because of its support for terrorism. Claiming to fight terrorism has become a powerful tool in the hands of dictators who use the slogan to deceive the international community, especially gullible Westerners. It’s hypocritical that the Saudis are punishing the Qataris for suppor ting terrorism when the two regimes were allies in arming and financing Syrian opposition groups, some of whom were Al-Qaeda’s affiliates, like Jabhat Al-Nusrah. Read more: www.cdhr.info

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