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POLITICS-SAUDI ARABIA: Fair Deal for Women? Well, No One Knows
By Peyman Pejman
Dubai, Oct 7, 2004 (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?
Not a word. Absolute silence.
''We are not sure what it means that they have not said a word,''
Mohsen Awaji, a political activist who advocates the participation
of women in the upcoming elections told IPS in an interview. ''It
is just part of the overall confusion of this process.."
Awaji and others call it confusing because the government has
released very few details about the elections, including its
precise date, how many members the council will have, what its
role and responsibilities will be and who will be the election
officials. Neither is it clear how many election polls will be
carried out and where would be their venue.
In August, newspapers in Saudi Arabia have published an
election law whereby citizens will be able to choose half the
members of municipal councils.
The Saudi authorities had initially said the elections would be
held by this month. But the lack of any sign of preparation led
many observers to conclude they had been postponed.
Saudi Arabia has traditionally been run by the ageing and
conservative ruling family. Although a Shoura (consultative)
assembly is in place, its members are appointed by the
government and it has no executive powers.
While some analysts have suggested that Saudi Arabia's
decision to establish a half-elected municipal council was the
result of outside pressure to implement political reform, others
like Awaji disagree.
''Saudi society is going through its own transformation. At the
end of the day, Saudi Arabia will march with the international
community, with or without the government's approval,'' he said.
While so far only two women have officially expressed their
interest to run in the elections, there are reports that half a dozen
might contest in the end.
Before they can do so, however, the government will have to
officially sanction their decision. The elections bylaws published
by the government give voting rights to Saudi ''citizens'', without
distinguishing between males and females.
Registration process has not started yet, so no one knows
whether the government will accept the application of female
candidates.
But many have suggested that in this male-dominated society
where women do not have the right to drive, vote, travel abroad
without explicit permission of a male sponsor, electing women
would be too much of a shock to the system.
Muhammad ibn Abdullah Al-Quwaihes, the chairman of the
Shoura's infrastructure and services committee, recently told the
Kuwaiti newspaper 'Al-Watan' that women should not be elected,
but could be members of subcommittees of the municipal
elections.
''I believe that there will be other steps such as the formation of
women's committees for every municipal council,'' he said.
Others take a slightly more moderate approach, saying women
should have the right to vote but maybe not get elected.
Meanwhile, women seeking representation are adopting a
tone that they hope would divert attention from their gender and
take the heat off the hardliners.
''I know there has been all this newspaper chatters about
whether women should run or not,'' said Fatin Bandugji, one of
the two women who has expressed interest in running in the
elections.
''I am not running because I am a woman. I am running
because I have a programme I want to see implemented. I want
to see things done and as a society we need to see things done.
We need results," she told IPS.
The question of women running in the elections has a deeper
meaning for reform-minded Saudis.
Saudi Arabia - an absolute monarchy - has never had political
elections at any level since its creation in 1932. The desert
kingdom has come under pressure from the U.S. and
campaigners for change.
U.S. politicians and commentators say the country's mixture of
autocratic rule and puritanical Wahabi Islam has provided a
fertile breeding ground for fanaticism and violence. Domestic
reformers have been more vocal than ever in their criticism of
unemployment, corruption and the absence of free speech.
''A lot of people in Saudi Arabia are becoming pessimistic with
(de facto ruler Prince) Abdullah (bin Abdel Aziz),'' said one Saudi
intellectual and reform activist. ''They are saying, 'what happened
to the promises you made?' ''
He said pushing for the participation of women is a signal to
the government that the reform process has started and
conservatism and stubborn-mindedness of some members of
the royal family cannot stop it.
''We need to push them. We need to pressure them. Today, it
is the question of women. Tomorrow, we will demand total
participation in the municipal elections. The next day, we will ask
that the Shoura members also be directly elected,'' said Awaji.
That maybe is just what the government is concerned about.
Some in Prince Abdullah's court have suggested that the pro-
reform activities can, if not measured, help the extremists and
terrorists.
''Some have argued that if the reformists try to change society
too quickly, it will benefit the radicals and they will have a better
chance in gaining support for their cause from the more
conservative elements of the society, or even members of the
royal family," said one Saudi observer.
Pro-reformists argue that this is a scare tactic.
''Things like being able to vote and being elected are basic
human rights. Every citizen should have that and it has nothing to
do with opposing the government," responded Awaji. (END)
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