While the Middle East was undergoing changes from the Arab Spring, indications of a Saudi Spring were stifled and quieted by the Saudi government’s rolling out of new social programs and use of force. However, there were reports early in 2011 of protests occurring in the governorate of Qatif in the eastern region of the Saudi kingdom.
Holding a significant portion of the kingdom’s oil reserves and most of Saudi Arabia’s 15 percent Shia population, Qatif remains underdeveloped and has a history of uprisings against the Saudi monarchy. When protests broke out in early 2011, the complaints ranged from the need for political reform and greater inclusion of the Shia community, to greater economic opportunities and the release of political prisoners.
Despite their peaceful start, the protests became violent by mid 2011, with casualties reported and checkpoints installed in Qatif. Saudi Shia clerics were called on to denounce the protests, but some stood by the movement, most prominently Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr who called for peaceful protests, but also supported secession from the kingdom.
Mourners shout "People wants to overthrow the regime." And "Death to Alsaud." in funeral of martyr #AhmadMatar #Qatif http://t.co/43kQOCik
— GulfAffairs (@GulfAffairs) December 31, 2012
While protests continued through the year of 2014, there have been few reports of dissent through most of 2015. However, certain developments have recently revived it within the kingdom.
The state-endorsed death sentence of al-Nimr and his nephew Ali al-Nimr, who was arrested at the age of 17, has been cited as the most prominent catalyst for current protests sweeping the Qatif region. A government crackdown of already-repressive free speech laws within the kingdom spurred further dissatisfaction.
Just last month, the Saudi government announced a law that could result in death sentences of social media users who “spread rumors” about the state, a vague term for people who express discontent with the Saudi kingdom.
Intense crackdown & door-to-door intimidation of #Shiite residents of #SaudiArabia's #Qatif & #Awwamiya regions as we speak. media blackout
— Ruba Ali Al-Hassani (@RubaAlHassani) April 5, 2015
Last year, the hashtag #SaudiStruggle popped up, detailing the injustices in the kingdom and signs of its decline, and recent reports point to a kingdom facing growing problems such as increased dissent and diminishing dependability on its greatest resource: oil. Apparently, those inside the monarchy see these same signs.
This September, a senior member of the royal family wrote a letter noting that the lack of change in governance will endanger the survival of the Saudi monarchy. While it seems unlikely that the monarchy will liberalize its society in the near future, the unsustainability of its current policies regarding political disagreement is apparent.
By Adaeze Eze
