Saturday, March 05, 2011

DUBAI: Several hundred people protested Friday in the Shiite-majority east of Saudi Arabia, calling for the release of an arrested preacher and other detainees, witnesses said.
An appeal was made on Facebook for a “Day of Rage” Friday in the kingdom’s east to demand the release of Sheikh Tawfiq al-Aamer, a Shiite preacher arrested Sunday.

Hundreds of people protested after Friday prayers in the town of Al-Houfouf for the release of Aamer and others, witnesses said.
A similar protest was held in Al-Qatif but was dispersed by police, witnesses said.
Thursday night, 22 people were arrested as police dispersed a protest in Al-Qatif that was demanding the release of prisoners, said Ibrahim al-Mugaiteeb, the president of Human Rights First in Saudi Arabia.

“The protesters demanded the liberation of nine ‘forgotten’ prisoners in Al-Qatif, and also of Sheikh al-Aamer, whose picture they carried, and called for national unity between Sunnis and Shiites,” Mugaiteeb told AFP by telephone.
Aamer was arrested “after calling for the establishment of a constitutional monarchy” in the kingdom, according to the website www.rasid.com, which specializes in information on Saudi Shiites.

Another protest took place Thursday night in the small coast town of Awwamiya, also in the eastern province. In addition to the release of prisoners, the protesters called for better access to jobs and to be treated as equals in the kingdom.

“We want the prisoners free but we also have other demands,” said Radi al-Suwaileh, who was in Thursday’s Qatif march. “We want equality.”

“We want jobs. I graduated from a U.S. university but did not get a job for 10 months,” said one young man who gave his name as Mohammad.
“We want freedom, we want equality,” one woman chanted.

Shiites, who are mainly concentrated in the oil-rich eastern province, make up about 10 percent of the Saudi population. They complain of marginalization in the country.
Meanwhile, at least three people were arrested after repeating slogans against the Saudi monarchy in Riyadh, witnesses said.
A dozen men gathered at the exit of the Al-Rajhi mosque, one of the most important in Riyadh, repeating slogans denouncing “oppression” and the monarchy, according to witnesses.

They were attacked by worshipers before the police intervened and arrested at least three people, including one of the leaders of the small demonstration, the witnesses added.
Activists have called on Facebook for a “Day of Rage” on March 11 and for a “Saudi revolution” on March 20.
Last week, King Abdullah returned to Riyadh unveiled $37 billion in benefits to help lower- and middle-income Saudi nationals. – AFP, Reuters