Saudi Arabia's Eastern province has been hit by yet another anti-government protest rally in which demonstrators have condemned the long-time rule of Al Saud for its suppression of protests.
The demonstration erupted in the Qatif region on Wednesday following the beating of two women by the Saudi forces.
The protesters also called for an end to Riyadh’s military intervention in neighboring Bahrain and the regime’s violation of people’s privacy in their homes.
The protest was staged despite a strict ban on all public gatherings.
Saudi Arabia's east has been the scene of anti-government protests since February 2011, with demonstrators demanding rights reforms, freedom of expression and the release of political prisoners.
There is an interview with Mohsen Saleh, professor at the Lebanese University, to share his opinion on this issue.
The following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Q: First of all how serious do you see these demonstrations in Saudi Arabia when we compare them to the similar protests that have been rocking the Middle East for over a year now?
Saleh: Well of course who plays with the fire, the fire will go into its home and the Saudis have been playing with this through their intervention in Bahrain, going there and committing atrocities against the Bahrainis while they also commit the same thing in Saudi Arabia especially in the eastern part, the left area of the Saudis, the backward area without any development, without any kind of help and of course this racial --let’s to say-- and this discrimination against the eastern parts and also of course against all the Saudis who are not from the ruling family of course the people will move towards changing the situation and now started.
At least when you see these slogans raised by the demonstrators you think that Saudi Arabia is going into a change and the House of the Saud cannot really deviate these demonstrations from their right track and ongoing track.
I guess now the Saudis and the Bahrainis will continue their march against these two families whether Al Khalifa in Bahrain and Al Saud in Saudi Arabia.
People decided to change the situation. The Saudis, they cannot really intervene in the revolutions in Egypt or in Yemen without having the same causes and without having the same influences.
This is a retroactive situation and now the Saudis will avenge and will really move towards toppling this regime. It may take some time but the Saud family cannot continue in their situation as they are now, committing crimes and imprisoning people without any really punishment.
Q: Mr. Saleh, what we are seeing on the ground and over the past year what we have seen happening in these popular protests in the Middle East and West Africa for instance in the case of Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and these protests did bear fruit when they became internationalized issues, when there was a lot of pressure on the ruling regimes and they were forced to step down.
However we are seeing for instance in the case of Bahrain that there is enough popular pressure but not maybe enough international pressure on the Bahraini regime and we are seeing the protest they are continuing, maybe we could say that there is similar situation in Saudi Arabia.
So what are the challenges and how serious are these challenges for these protesters if they want to actually on the ground bring change to their country?
Saleh: Well of course there are many challenges when we see the Westerns specially the American side that they look from one eye double standard view at these revolutions but I guess these challenges gave ammunition to the demonstrators in Bahrain and these challenges were up to these challenges the Bahrainis and also now we will see the same thing in Saudi Arabia.
They are challenging the situation, they will be there enough in order to challenge these backward regimes in Bahrain and in Saudi Arabia and in other places in the Persian Gulf and I guess we are seeing a new era in the [Persian] Gulf specially when the Saudis and the Qataris could not really make the changes they want in Lebanon and in Palestine and in Syria.
Now the retroaction of their intervention will go back to their home and I guess the changing of these regimes started.
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The demonstration erupted in the Qatif region on Wednesday following the beating of two women by the Saudi forces.
The protesters also called for an end to Riyadh’s military intervention in neighboring Bahrain and the regime’s violation of people’s privacy in their homes.
The protest was staged despite a strict ban on all public gatherings.
Saudi Arabia's east has been the scene of anti-government protests since February 2011, with demonstrators demanding rights reforms, freedom of expression and the release of political prisoners.
There is an interview with Mohsen Saleh, professor at the Lebanese University, to share his opinion on this issue.
The following is a rough transcription of the interview.
Q: First of all how serious do you see these demonstrations in Saudi Arabia when we compare them to the similar protests that have been rocking the Middle East for over a year now?
Saleh: Well of course who plays with the fire, the fire will go into its home and the Saudis have been playing with this through their intervention in Bahrain, going there and committing atrocities against the Bahrainis while they also commit the same thing in Saudi Arabia especially in the eastern part, the left area of the Saudis, the backward area without any development, without any kind of help and of course this racial --let’s to say-- and this discrimination against the eastern parts and also of course against all the Saudis who are not from the ruling family of course the people will move towards changing the situation and now started.
At least when you see these slogans raised by the demonstrators you think that Saudi Arabia is going into a change and the House of the Saud cannot really deviate these demonstrations from their right track and ongoing track.
I guess now the Saudis and the Bahrainis will continue their march against these two families whether Al Khalifa in Bahrain and Al Saud in Saudi Arabia.
People decided to change the situation. The Saudis, they cannot really intervene in the revolutions in Egypt or in Yemen without having the same causes and without having the same influences.
This is a retroactive situation and now the Saudis will avenge and will really move towards toppling this regime. It may take some time but the Saud family cannot continue in their situation as they are now, committing crimes and imprisoning people without any really punishment.
Q: Mr. Saleh, what we are seeing on the ground and over the past year what we have seen happening in these popular protests in the Middle East and West Africa for instance in the case of Libya, Egypt, Tunisia and these protests did bear fruit when they became internationalized issues, when there was a lot of pressure on the ruling regimes and they were forced to step down.
However we are seeing for instance in the case of Bahrain that there is enough popular pressure but not maybe enough international pressure on the Bahraini regime and we are seeing the protest they are continuing, maybe we could say that there is similar situation in Saudi Arabia.
So what are the challenges and how serious are these challenges for these protesters if they want to actually on the ground bring change to their country?
Saleh: Well of course there are many challenges when we see the Westerns specially the American side that they look from one eye double standard view at these revolutions but I guess these challenges gave ammunition to the demonstrators in Bahrain and these challenges were up to these challenges the Bahrainis and also now we will see the same thing in Saudi Arabia.
They are challenging the situation, they will be there enough in order to challenge these backward regimes in Bahrain and in Saudi Arabia and in other places in the Persian Gulf and I guess we are seeing a new era in the [Persian] Gulf specially when the Saudis and the Qataris could not really make the changes they want in Lebanon and in Palestine and in Syria.
Now the retroaction of their intervention will go back to their home and I guess the changing of these regimes started.
/129