RIYADH, Feb 22: Only a few days after the London-based Saudi dissident, Saad Al-Faqeeh, expressed his disappointment with the pace of reforms in the Kingdom, 800 Saudi academics and professionals
, including some leading business people and women, in a fresh petition to the Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Abd Al Aziz, sent on Saturday, urged him to speed up the reforms process in the country.
Copies of the latest petition were also sent to other leaders including Defence Minister Prince Sultan bin Abd Al Aziz, Interior Minister Prince Nayif bin Abd Al Aziz and Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal.. The petition urged that recommendations of the second dialogue forum held in Makkah last December be accepted and enforced within a given timeframe.
The signatories called for steps to broaden public participation in the affairs of the state and introduce a system of elected Shura and regional councils. They also stressed setting up of trade unions and other institutions of civil society.
Reuters adds: One prominent advocate of reform criticised the petitioners for submitting the letter at the same time as Washington is calling for greater democracy in the Middle East.
"The timing is inappropriate because of the great US Middle East project," said writer Turki al-Hamad. "It looks like an invitation to America to intervene in Saudi Arabia". Signatories to the letter dismissed Hamad's criticism, saying their appeals for reform dated back to the 1991 Gulf War.
"Just because America is now calling for reform, that does not mean we should reject it," said Mohammad al-Mohaisen. Last month Prince Abdullah vowed to press ahead with change in Saudi Arabia, but also cautioned that the kingdom would steer clear of "reckless adventure".
Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal echoed his comments last week, saying reforms would be "comprehensive in scope...and realised with deliberate speed". But reformers fear that any moves towards change could be stifled by a backlash from the country's powerful religious leaders and hardliners.
"We sense that Prince Abdullah is serious, but we know there are difficulties he faces," said Ahmad al-Owais, a professor of chemistry at Riyadh's King Saud University. "This creates a fear that such recommendations will not be implemented."
