(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - We talk with Hamza al-Hassan, historian and author from Saudi Arabia residing in London in a discussion about the major loss of international reputation the British government is experiencing by vocally supporting a brutal dictatorship and providing arms to despots in the Middle East that are used against citizens - all for cheaper oil and money. Following is an approximate transcript of the interview.
Q What is it like to live under the monarchy of Saudi Arabia?
Hamza al-Hassan The royal family of Saudi Arabia is concerned about its protection - protecting their government, their way of life and political system and defending Saudi Arabia from its enemies. This is most important and they are ready to pay the price. They depend on force; they dominate everything, this minority - at least 95 percent of all higher posts in Saudi Arabia are in their hands.
QYou think that democracy would not take hold in Saudi Arabia - Why is that?
Hamza al-Hassan They [the British] are losing by imposing democracy in that country [Saudi Arabia.] Now they are getting what they want. Benefits now go to the West - cheap oil, petrol dollars return to their banks, weapons contracts; they have a big share of everything. So why would they want to change the royal family? If there is a democratic national government Britain will lose.
Q Security, guns, contracts, national interests - Is that what the relationship between the monarchy in the UK and the monarchies across the Middle East is all about or is there something more special to it?
Hamza al-Hassan Britain now is no longer a super power - they need oil, they need money. The Saudis are ready to pay for their protection either from Britain or from the US. They want Saudi Arabia for different reasons not only for money, but money is still the main factor in this relationship.
Q How would you compare the Saudi regime with other regimes in the Middle East and Africa in terms of human rights and political reform?
Hamza al-Hassan Jordan for instance and Morocco as another example are better than Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is a rigid regime and they didn't change. It's just like 100 years ago, they still have the same attitude; they don't change anything and they are not willing to have any change politically or anything else.
Despite the fact that Saudi Arabia is not a good example for monarchies, Britain still defends it. Nobody says in Britain that Saudi Arabia is respecting human rights or that their political system is good - they are saying they are our allies; we have benefits there; we have interests so we have to defend our interests. Defending UK interests means protecting Saudi Arabia; protecting the royal family and that's it.
Q Is mass demonstration the only way by which the monarchy can change, modernize and can become better?
Hamza al-Hassan No, I don't think that has worked. We have tried this in March and we failed. The only region that had demonstrations was in the Eastern province. Maybe they will succeed in the future. I think it's also an important fact that we don't have in Saudi Arabia a strong national identity.
Q Human Rights Watch has described Bahrain as an unfolding human rights crisis. May El-Khansa, a human rights campaigner, has brought forward a case to the International Court against the British government for arming the Bahraini police force.
What chance does this case have - Is the British government likely to be brought to book or even questioned?
Hamza al-Hassan Well, I don't think it will succeed at the beginning - it's a try. International law is made by superpowers - made by the West, and it is difficult to try these governments of these countries through their regimes. These laws were put for the benefit of the super power.
Q What damage is likely to occur to the UK monarchy brand especially in terms of its close relationship with the monarchies of the Middle East?
Hamza al-Hassan We are talking about a state, not the royals who are the head of the state, but we are talking about those who are running the state. The reputation of the state is not good.
And I'm sure the politicians of this country are concerned about the reputation of their state rather than the reputation of the royal family. What they are doing of course will affect the reputation of the royal family, but that is very little compared to the loss, the huge loss of the reputation of the state itself.
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