Following are excerpts
from an interview with Washington-based liberal journalist and writer
Mansour Al-Hadj, which aired on Al-Alam TV on March 11, 2011:
Mansour Al-Hadj:
There have been demonstrations in several cities [in Saudi Arabia].
Demonstrations were held in Safwa, in Awamia, and in Hofuf. But in the
large cities, such as Riyadh and Jedda, the massive presence of the
security forces may have confused the people, and reduced their desire
to take to the streets. I understand this very well, because I lived
in Saudi Arabia, and I am familiar with these things. But this does
not change the fact hat people have right and basic demands.
The revolution began
in Tunisia, and its flame spread to Egypt, Libya, Yemen, Bahrain, and
Oman – and I hope it will reach Sudan in the future – and sooner
or later, it will reach Saudi Arabia.
[...]
In my view, the time
for petitions and communiqués is over. These are the times of the streets.
People are taking to the streets in order to achieve their demands.
The approach of begging and groveling is a thing of the past.
Today, the Saudi government,
and especially the ruling family, are facing a tremendous challenge.
Until now, the demands have not included the toppling of the regime,
and the interrogation of members of the ruling family, but these demands
will arise if the ruling family in Saudi Arabia does not set things
straight.
[...]
The problem is that the
ruling family in Saudi Arabia is using the country's resources – the
petrodollars – to exert pressure and to "buy" people's conscience.
The Saudi newspapers, for example, are controlled by so-called "liberals."
They are not liberal or anything. They work for the government. If tomorrow,
you write something that the government does not like, they will fire
you. Since the Saudi government oppresses the demonstrators, or makes
the religious scholars...
Nobody has any respect
for the religious scholars anymore. Every day or two, the state tells
them to issue a fatwa, and they issue a fatwa. This is
one of the things that has made people lose faith in the religious scholars,
and has led some religious scholars to rebel against the state, because
as a man of religion, you are not supposed to fear anyone but your God.
But today, some religious
scholars issue ridiculous fatwas. They issue a ban on demonstrations.
To allow or prohibit is the prerogative of Allah alone, not of these
people.
[...]
There is no accountability
as long as Saudi Arabia controls a quarter of the oil production and
oil reserves of the world. This is the problem of the world. The petrodollars
are handed out in all directions, while among the Saudis, there are
people who go hungry. This is the problem. Money buys people everywhere.
Even here, in Washington, the Saudi government and the Saud family managed
to control some people, through this money, which belongs to the Saudi
people.
Yesterday, Prince Turkey
Al-Faisal wrote in Al-Sharq Al-Awsat: "We cured you of smallpox,
we united you..." It is inappropriate for a prince to say such
things.
[...]
The present administration
– the Obama administration – is not fond of change. From the beginning,
it decided to deal with the dictatorships in the Arab world. It supports
the moderate camp against the camp of resistance or whatever... Their
basic notion today is to get along with the people in power. But at
the end of the day, the interests of the US are above anything else.
Just like the US gave up on Hosni Mubarak and Zine El Abadine Ben Ali,
it will give up on the ruling family in Saudi Arabia, if the demands
of the people are not met. If the people want to replace the royal family, the US will have no choice but to build ties with the people.
[...]
