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Author Topic:   1st Elections in Saudi Arabia
jwhop
Knowflake

Posts: 2787
From: Madeira Beach, FL USA
Registered: Apr 2009

posted February 05, 2005 12:11 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for jwhop     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Saturday, Feb. 5, 2005 10:29 a.m. EST
Saudi Arabia to Hold Historic Elections

Less than two weeks after elections in Iraq confounded media predictions of failure and showed that Arabs would indeed grab their chance for freedom, Saudi Arabia is set to hold its own historic first round of democratic elections.

The amazing development has gone virtually unreported in the American press, undoubtedly because it adds even further vindication to President Bush's decision to press the Iraqi liberation.

Reporting out of its Riyadh bureau on Friday, however, the Associated Press detailed preparations for the watershed vote under the headline, "Election Fever Catches on in Saudi Arabia":
"The country's first nationwide elections, beginning next Thursday, are only for local councils, with voters electing half of the councils' members," said the AP. "But the ballot is seen as a concrete step in a reform process no one had expected."

"The municipal elections will be carried out in three phases, beginning with the Riyadh region, where about 1,800 candidates will contest 127 seats," the wire service said.

Initially, there was scant interest in the vote, at least until Jan. 29, when the candidates' campaigns began.

"I didn't take it seriously. I regret I didn't sign up," Khaled Muhammad, 26, told the AP. He was visiting an information tent to learn more about the process so he could participate in future elections.

Still despite the slow start, previously unimaginable scenes are now playing out on Riyadh's streets, the AP said.

"For the first time there are forums - daily meetings at candidates' headquarters - where people can discuss social issues away from the control of religious authorities.

"Candidate fliers are thrown into open car windows, and brochures are folded into newspapers. One woman even called a candidate praising his looks and offering to be a second wife."

"Who would have thought that one day there would be candidates' pictures in the streets?" Sulaiman al-Hattlan, a U.S.-educated columnist, wrote for Al-Watan daily. "Who would have thought that one day there would be slogans urging participation in decision making?"

"This is a sign that given an opportunity to open up and adopt new concepts, [Saudi] society will take it," he added.
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/2/5/103447.shtml

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Petron
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posted February 05, 2005 02:50 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"1st Elections in Saudi Arabia"--jwhop

****

Saudi Arabian Elections
By Thomas W. Lippman


It turns out that Saudi Arabia, a monarchy in which all major public offices are filled by royal appointment, conducted elections for municipal councils in several cities and towns in the 1950s and early 1960s. These were spirited contests with real issues that stirred a high level of voter interest.

Real political power in Saudi Arabia, of course, derived from the king and from royal connections, just as it does today, but the municipal councils did have some authority. The councils allocated road-building money supplied by the central government, and could choose rights-of-way and acquire routes by eminent domain. In some towns they also controlled the extension of electricity hookups--as electric power became available, the designation of where the lines should run could make or break a local business.

Election issues varied from town to town. In one contest a slate of young, educated businessmen challenged an incumbent council of conservative landowners. (The old-timers won.) Another, in Hofuf, pitted candidates of the Sunni Muslim majority against minority Shiites. The Shiites, political and social outcasts, protested that the election rules were stacked against them; the local Emir cancelled the voting and scheduled a new election under new rules but the Shiites, who were demanding a Lebanon-style confessional system with seats allocated by percentage of the population, boycotted it.

The Shiite protest was not surprising. That election, unlike the others recounted in the Aramco files, was conducted under a system in which the only voters were "electors" chosen by the Amir as representative of the community. This was as if the members of the U.S. Electoral College were appointed by the White House chief of staff. In a district of some 20,000 inhabitants, only 50 or so were designated as electors, "all known and respected figures," meaning they were not Shiites. Describing the outcome, Marr noted that "the election is probably more significant in terms of those who did not get elected than in terms of those who did. The Shiites, who probably comprise at least half the population, are not represented at all.

The Saudis of the 1950s and early 1960s had no trouble understanding the nature of the electoral process and the power of citizen participation. In fact, Saudi understanding of the power of the ballot box is the reason many Saudis caution against U.S. pressure to institute elections for a national government. If the people of Saudi Arabia were given the freedom to choose their own representatives, in the current climate of anger at the United States throughout the Arab world, we Americans probably would not like the outcome.
http://www.saudi-us-relations.org/newsletter/saudi-relations-interest-11-19.html

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Petron
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posted February 05, 2005 04:58 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
http://www.saudiinstitute.org/index.php

Leaders of Democratic Movement in Saudi Arabia Arrested


Saturday, 20 March 2004
(Washington DC) – Today the Saudi government arrested a minimum of eight leaders of the democracy movement in the country after they planned the establishment of an independent human right committee.

Arrested today were the following prominent democratic advocates: 1- Mr. Mohammed Saeed Taeb, (Jeddah) 2- Dr. Abdullah Alhamed (Riyadh), 3- Dr. Metrouk Alfaleh (Riyadh), 4- Najib AlKhunaizi (Qateef), 5- Khalid al-Hameed (Riyadh) 6- Dr. Tawfiq Alkasier (Riyadh), and 7-Amir Abu Khamsin (AlHasa), 8- Ali AlDumaini, 9- Dr. Adnan AlShikes, 10- AbdulKarim AlJuhaiman, (Riyadh) and 11- Suliman AlRashoodi (Riyadh).

The Saudi Institute is urging the United Nations, governments of the United Sates, European Union, Japan, and human and civil rights organizations and all supporters of democracy and human rights to express their unequivocal support for the leaders of democratic movement who have been arrested today by the Saudi government for their peaceful activities.

These leaders lead the drafting of at least three national petitions signed by thousands of citizens demanding national elections, elected parliament, human rights, women rights, and freedom of the press and religion.

On March 16, 2004, we, the reform activists in the Kingdom, were surprised by the security apparatus’ arrest of a dozen leading national reformers among them Shaikh Suliman AlRashoodi, Dr, Abdalah Al-Hamed, Mohamed Saeed Taybe, Dr. Tawfeeq Al-Qusiair, Dr. Matrook Al-Faleh, Najeeb Al-Kunaizi, Khaled Al-Ojaimi, Dr. Hamad Al-Kanhal, Ali Al-Dumaini, Dr. Khaled Al-Humaid, Dr Adnan Al-Shikas, Amir Abu Khamseen, AdbulRahman Al-Lahem.

The government justified arresting these reformers on the charge they “issued communiqués that does not serve the unity of the nation and the strength of the society that are based on Islamic Sharia”
**********

Postpone Saudi Elections until Women Suffrage is Guaranteed


Wednesday, 01 December 2004
(Washington D.C.) ... The Saudi Institute is launching its campaign for the inclusion of women in the upcoming partial municipal elections to be held in Saudi Arabia next year. Currently, women are not allowed to participate as voters or candidates.
We call on supporters of women rights to join us in our efforts to pressure the Saudi government to guaranty women suffrage in next year’s municipal elections. The exclusion of women eradicates the legitimacy of these elections.

Saudi municipal elections must be postponed until they meet international standards. These elections do not meet international standards for the following: 1) women are not allowed to vote; 2) these elections are ‘partial’ with only 50% of the seats available to the public. Such elections should not go forward until the kingdom has fully opened these elections to the public and the absolute inclusion of women in the electoral process.

On February 10th, 2005, Saudi Arabia will be holding its first ever municipal elections to seek progress within the kingdom. Saudi exclusion of women from the voting process is in direct violation of the UN’s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).

********

(Washington DC – February 4, 2005) … The Saudi government, as it has in the past, this year banned American and other Christian expatriates in Saudi Arabia from celebrating the Christmas and New Year holidays.
-------
(Washington DC) … The Saudi government banned Shia Muslims residing in Dammam from celebrating the annual Muhram commemorations at their homes.

******

Washington, DC (January 29) -- A Saudi court has ruled that the value of one woman’s life is equal to that of one man’s Leg. The court ordered a Saudi to pay a Syrian expatriate blood money after he killed the man’s wife and severed both his legs in a car accident six months ago.

******

(Washington DC- January 24, 2005) … A 12 year old boy was lashed 80 times in the street by a Saudi court hours after he was arrested at the annual Muslim pilgrimage (Hajj), Saudi newspaper Okaz. reported Monday.


+++++++++++++


Saudi police crush protests against royal family
Dissident's call for demonstrations met with overwhelming forceThe Associated Press
Updated: 12:24 p.m. ET Dec. 16, 2004RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - Police chased would-be protesters through the streets of a port city and arrested others in the Saudi capital, responding with overwhelming force Thursday to calls from an exiled dissident for demonstrations against the Saudi royal family.
Group calls for democracy
Al-Fagih’s group says it seeks to replace the monarchy with a liberal, democratic government. In today’s Saudi Arabia, the king wields absolute power. There are no legal political parties. Public protests are banned and the press is controlled.

While some Saudis question al-Fagih’s motives and liberal credentials, he is believed to have strong support among the masses, where his criticism of the Saudi royal family’s excesses strikes a chord. http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6723864/

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jwhop
Knowflake

Posts: 2787
From: Madeira Beach, FL USA
Registered: Apr 2009

posted February 05, 2005 05:24 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for jwhop     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Take your argument up with the Associated Press Petron. It's their story.

quote:
Reporting out of its Riyadh bureau on Friday, however, the Associated Press detailed preparations for the watershed vote under the headline, "Election Fever Catches on in Saudi Arabia":
"The country's first nationwide elections, beginning next Thursday, are only for local councils, with voters electing half of the councils' members," said the AP. "But the ballot is seen as a concrete step in a reform process no one had expected."

You could also take that up with a Saudi activist who had this to say.

POLITICS-SAUDI ARABIA:
Fair Deal for Women? Well, No One Knows
Peyman Pejman

Dubai, Oct 7 (IPS) - When conservative Saudi Arabia announced last year that it would hold partial municipal elections in which people for the first time could vote directly, the reaction of many in and out of the country was nothing less than shock.

Now reform-minded activists are pushing the envelope even further by announcing that several women will nominate themselves for the elections.

And what has been the government reaction to this ground- breaking and taboo smashing revelation?..........
http://www.ipsnews.net/new_nota.asp?idnews=25759

Or you could stick with the story told by what I would term a public relations firm for Saudi Arabia. Immaterial to me, except that elections have been held in Afghanistan and Iraq and are scheduled for Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Pressure is being applied to Syria and Iran as well.

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Petron
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posted February 05, 2005 06:58 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
well then at least ap specified the country's first nationwide elections.....
speaking of saudi pr maybe they got their story from this guy, who also has his connections to info from the oil industry....

Neil Bush says Arab P.R. machine not as good as Israel's
In a controversial speech, the president's younger brother tells Saudi audience Arabs must play U.S. media game better.
By Jake Tapper

Jan. 24, 2002 | Presidential brother Neil Bush, while giving a speech Monday in Saudi Arabia, condemned the American media for stereotyping the Arab world and urged Arab leaders to hire lobbyists and public relations representatives to combat these negative images as well as to sway public opinion to a more sympathetic view of Arabs in the Arab-Israeli conflict, according to reports in foreign media outlets. Bush implied that Israel has done a better job of getting its message across in the American media. http://archive.salon.com/politics/feature/2002/01/24/neil_bush/index_np.html

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Petron
unregistered
posted February 05, 2005 07:44 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
monarchy

Suffrage:
none adult male citizens age 21 or older
note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April 2005

chief of state: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud
King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud
cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and includes many royal family members
in November 2004, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs initiated voter registration for partial municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April 2005
Legislative branch:
Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)

Economy - overview:
This is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities.
Unemployment rate:25% http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sa.html


In recent years, Saudi Arabia has experienced a significant contraction of oil revenues combined with a high rate of population growth. Per capita income has fallen from $25,000 in 1980 to $8,000 in 2003, up from about $7000 in 1999. The decline in inflation-adjusted per-capita income from 1980 to 1999 set a record, being by far the worst such decline suffered by any nation-state in history. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia

******

"Pressure is being applied to Syria and Iran as well"---jwhop

******

Islamic Republic of Iran
theocratic republic

chief of state: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)
head of government: President (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani (since 3 August 1997); First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-Yazdi (since 26 August 2001)
cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over appointments to the more sensitive ministries
elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 8 June 2001 (next to be held June 2005)
election results: (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani reelected president; percent of vote - (Ali) Mohammad KHATAMI-Ardakani 77%

Legislative branch
unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats with the 18 February 2000 election; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7 May 2004 (next to be held February 2008)
election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 43, religious minorities 5, and 2 seats unaccounted for

Diplomatic representation in the US:
none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy

Suffrage:
15 years of age; universal
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html

******

QUESTION: (Inaudible) new nuclear facilities in Iran? Could you
perhaps sort of elaborate on the distinction between of Iran's pursuit
of weapons of mass destruction, Iraq's pursuit and North Korea's
pursuit of weapons of mass destruction?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE:Iran is a democracy. Iraq and North Korea
are not. http://www.usconsulate.org.hk/uscn/state/2002/121301.htm

******

Syrian Arab Republic
republic under military regime since March 1963

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)
head of government: Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-UTRI (since 10 September 2003)
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of President Hafiz al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held 2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president
election

Legislative branch:
unicameral People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 2-3 March 2003 (next to be held NA 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, independents 33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receives one-half of the seats

Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sy.html


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jwhop
Knowflake

Posts: 2787
From: Madeira Beach, FL USA
Registered: Apr 2009

posted February 05, 2005 08:07 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for jwhop     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Right, right and you can vote for whoever can get on the ticket. Except, you can't get on the ticket to be voted for without the approval of the government. In the case of Iran, that means the radical Islamic clerics. Perhaps you recall that in the last election, the clerics refused to let some candidates run for office...perhaps not.

Oh yeah, I remember the democracy of Iraq as well. Saddam got 100% of the popular vote. Castro didn't do as well....only 97 or 98% as I recall. That's OK, Castro will do better next time...or else.

Doesn't even pass the giggle test Petron.

Islamic Republic of Iran
theocratic republic

As for Syria, the constitution guarantee a Baathist rule...since at least 50% of the seats go to them. Some democracy Petron. I don't think that's what most people think of when they are thinking about democratic government.

Syrian Arab Republic
republic under military regime since March 1963


What's in a name, eh Petron?

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Petron
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posted February 05, 2005 10:12 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
saudi arabia has a long way to go to catch up with iranian democracy

yes i remember the last iranian elections...do you?

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jwhop
Knowflake

Posts: 2787
From: Madeira Beach, FL USA
Registered: Apr 2009

posted February 05, 2005 10:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for jwhop     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Yeah I do remember. Apparently, you don't.

Last Updated: Monday, 23 February, 2004, 13:47 GMT
EU criticises Iranian elections

Jack Straw described the elections as "flawed"


The European Union has criticised the recent parliamentary elections in Iran as a "setback for democracy".
An EU spokesman, Diego de Ojeda, told reporters it was clear that the elections had not been held according to international standards.

UK Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, said the "flawed" polls would have an impact on EU trade talks with Iran.

The international criticism comes in the wake of an ongoing dispute in Iran over the number of people who voted.

The conservative-dominated Council of Guardians has accused the interior ministry of "playing with figures" to lower the politically sensitive turnout rate.

The ministry has put the nationwide turnout at just over 50% - the lowest in any general election since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

But the Council says the real figure is closer to 60%.

The turnout became a major issue because of questions about the legitimacy of the election after the Council had disqualified around 2,500 reformist candidates.

The Council said the disqualifications were necessary because of the candidates' alleged indifference to Islam and to the constitution, or accused them of questioning Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's powers.

In the run-up to the polls some pro-reform groups had called for a boycott, while supporters of clerical rule urged people to vote.

International ties

The EU has been pursuing a twin-track dialogue with Iran based on trade and human-rights issues.

A draft statement from an EU foreign ministers' meeting voiced "deep regret" at the conduct of the polls.



The interior ministry says there was a record low turnout
"The Council of EU foreign ministers expressed its deep regret and disappointment that large numbers of candidates were prevented from standing in this year's parliamentary elections... making a genuine democratic choice by the Iranian people impossible," it said.

In September 2003, the EU threatened Iran with economic repercussions unless it restored international trust in its nuclear programme.

Washington has also criticised Friday's poll, describing it as neither free nor fair.

But the candidate expected to lead the conservative bloc in the new parliament called on the US to recognise the legitimacy of Iran's 25-year-old Islamic revolution as a first step to restoring relations.

"We believe the US government is not willing to hear our nation's message during the last 25 years," Gholamali Haddadadel, whose daughter is married to the son of the supreme leader, said.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3512985.stm

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Petron
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posted February 05, 2005 10:35 PM           Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
still theyve been voting for many years now and making progress
women are allowed to vote and run for office below president

heres an article from 2000....
nothing like saudi arabia or iraq under your friend saddam

Monday, 21 February, 2000, 22:19 GMT
Iran's hardliners at crossroads
Hardliners face some soul-searching
By Baqer Moin of the BBC Persian Service

In Iran's first relatively free parliamentary election in 20 years, cities considered the bastion of rightwing forces have fallen one after another to the reformists.

It is a rude awakening for the conservatives.

This is the first election in which the younger generation of Iranian politicians has participated with vigour, bringing messages of freedom and reform.

Ayatollah Khamenei: Undermined by his rightwing links

The conservatives have been in Iranian politics for over four decades.

They have organisational skills, financial resources, religious commitment and factional interests to promote.

They have captured most Iranian institutions, including the Assembly of Experts, which appoints the supreme leader, and the constitutional watchdog body, the Council of Guardians.

They still have a strong hold on the judiciary and strong ties with paramilitary forces, including the police.

Young people are fed up with restrictions on their lives

Within clerical institutions, a number of leading senior clergy also support the conservative cause.

Although they work in the name of Ayatollah Khomeini and his successor Ayatollah Khamenei, they have promoted their own factional interests.

This has been at the cost of alienating a large majority of the electorate with their isolationist foreign policy, and strict social and cultural policies such as the severe women's dress code and the joyless life for young people.

Soul-searching

The conservatives have not been alone in imposing their views. The radical left-wingers who had the upper hand for a decade under Ayatollah Khomeini were no angels either.

To some degree they faced a similar fate when they lost in the 1992 Majlis [parliamentary] elections.

Helped by former President, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, the conservatives evicted the left from most revolutionary institutions.

Support for Khatami's reformers was overwhelming

The left-wingers, including President Khatami himself, began a period of soul-searching, self education and reflection, admitting their past misdeeds.

It was this period that brought the left-wingers into closer contact with the aspirations of the majority of Iranians, and it was then that the path of reform was chosen.

Reform

When the 1997 presidential election came, the left - now turned liberal reformists - were in a position to pull off a major victory headed by President Khatami.

The question now is whether the right will pursue the same model and begin revising their policies and approaches in order to return with vigour if President Khatami's policies come unstuck.

This would be the most obvious course of action if the right are to become a fully-fledged modern political force in Iran.

Conservative clerics face a dilemma

However, the temptation for the hardliners among the right-wingers is to use their institutional strength to create further obstacles for President Khatami's policies.

There are also those who argue that some of the extreme elements within the judiciary, security and paramilitary forces may in fact create a major crisis for the country similar to the Tehran University uproar last year, in the hope of crushing the reform movement.

However, even if this happens, it may only bring temporary respite for the extreme elements.

Undermined

The chances for reform now very much depend on how President Khatami, alongside parliament, handles the minority rightwing faction.

The country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has a key role to play in ensuring that those rightwing elements within the institutions under his command work within the constitutional framework.

The right-wingers have elevated him far above what was envisioned for him in the constitution.

This has not strengthened his position, but rather undermined him due to his association with the rightwingers.

The reformists do accept the supreme leader as a constitutional leader, but they want him to submit himself to constitutional supervision.

And they also realise the country has a sizeable rightwing force whose rights should be recognised.

It is now up to the rightwing forces to make the next move; whether to join constitutional politics or resort to extra constitutional campaigns.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/651189.stm

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