December 18, 2003	Thursday	Shawwal 23, 1424

DHAHRAN, Dec 17: In an interesting development, a tribe in Saudi Arabia has been asked to organize balloting to overcome the feud in electing deputy chief of the tribe.

According to reports in the local press a tribe in the southern Asir region has been directed by the Saudi interior ministry to organise balloting to resolve the contentious issue of electing a deputy chief.

It has been reported that members of the Asfa tribe in the mountainous Asir region have been debating and arguing on the issue of electing a deputy chief of the tribe for the last four years now, following the death of the previous deputy chief.

The former deputy chief had appointed his son to the position but some tribe members have been objecting to the nomination of the son of the deceased leader.

When the son Ali Bin Salim Qhurmna succeeded his father, some members of the tribe protested, because they believed that the late deputy chief had agreed to let 10 tribal leaders elect a successor.