RIYADH, Dec 20: A group of 116 Saudi businessmen, intellectuals, university professors, scholars and leaders of civil society have submitted what they said was a “national appeal for constitutional reforms” to Crown Prince Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz last Tuesday, the Arabic press reported here on Saturday.

This is the latest in a series of appeals sent to the crown prince calling for reforms in Saudi society, with this particular appeal emphasizing on constitutional reforms in the country.

The group urged the crown prince to take strong and quick steps towards a constitutional system, apparently referring to a system of constitutional monarchy, to be supplemented by civil society so as to disseminate a culture of peaceful reforms in the kingdom.

The petition condemned all forms and sources of violence, internal and external, be it the violence of states, and governments, or violence of individuals and groups, and consider that the violence of groups is a compound matter that needs deep analysis.

The petition argued that society was deprived of its natural right to free and responsible expression of its views and its freedom. The homeland they said was also deprived from its natural right to participate with authority in decision-making relating to their interests and own fate and destiny.

Under the rule of the late King Abdul Aziz, the petition said there were small forms of people’s participation that gave a great deal of Shoura or consultation in the government’s decision-making processes and some balance was thus maintained between the authority and the public opinion. However, since 50 years, all these old simple forms were eliminated gradually, they lamented.

Commenting on the state of affairs, they further added that the establishment of any groupings for a new civil society was also not permitted over the last many years.