 | Regional Authorities Establishment Act
(Oct 1993)
Constitutional Background
Constitutional reforms - after having been promised since the era of
King Feisal - were implemented by King Fahd in 1992. The resulting
Constitutional Government is radically different from Western style
social order. Article 1 of the Basic Law of Government stipulates that
"God's Book and the Sunnah" are the substantive constitution
of Saudi Arabia, being only amended (not changed) by reforms of state
organization. Saudi Arabian monarchy is religion bound. Furthermore,
the new Consultative Council (Shura Council, Majlis al-Shura) is
subject to nomination and re-nomation by the king, not to election by
the people.
Speeches in the 11,000 mosques are pre-censored by administrative
officials, women are not allowed to acquire driving licenses. In 1995,
more than 150 delinquents were put to death by being publicly beheaded
with a sword; thiefs are punished by cutting off their hand. Islamists
openly challenge the Saud dynasty with its 6000 Princes for decadent
and corrupt lifestyle. The King submits two of the five secret
services directly to his command. Possible successors of the very sick
monarch are the Princes Naif, Sultan, and Bandar. An option for a
non-dynastic government could be Ahmed Saki el-Jamani, a former oil
minister now businessman in London.
The seemingly absolute power of Arabian monarchy has slightly been
smoothed by the Islamic rule to take decisions by consultation. The
firm belief that greater wisdom, longer experience, and higher
knowledge are more likely to lead to the correct decision is an
ancient force behind the Consultative Council. However, the
constitutional reforms are not likely to concede to any of the western
demands for women's rights and free speech.
Parties
There are no opposition parties in Saudi Arabia. The Committee for the
Defence of Legitimate Rights under the professor of physics Muhammad
Massari is a militant Islamist Saudi opposition, currently operating
from London. Massari is now (Feb 1996) under pressure of the British
Government to leave for the Caribbeans. His movement is well-funded by
rich members of the clandestine opposition. Another opposition
movement is being funded by Ussama Ibn Ladin (Osama bin Laden) and
operates from Sudan.
History and News
 | 25 June 1996: A bomb attack kills 19 US soldiers at an air base
near Dhahran. |
| 31 May 1996: Four young Saudi dissidents are executed for the
Riyadh bomb attack of 13 Nov 1995. |
| 21 Feb 1996: King Fahd resumed his office after two months of
rulership by Prince Abdullah during the King's sickness. |
| 13 Nov 1995: A car-bomb in Riad kills seven persons, five of
them American military and civilian advisers for National Guard
training. The "Tigers of the Golf", "Islamist
Movement for Change", and "Fighting Advocates of
God" claim responsibility. |
| 2 Aug 1995: King Fahd replaces 16 ministers. Important changes
are those in Finance (Fuleiman Al-Suleim), Oil (Ali Nuaimi), and
Information (Fouad Al-Farsi). |
| 28 June 1995, Dubai, Katar: Saudi Arabia's King Fahd
acknowledges Katar's new emir, Sheik Hamad bin Khalifa ath-Thani
who successfully revolted against his father Sheikh Khalifa. |
| 1994: Demonstrations after arrest of fundamentalist Salman el-Auda. |
| 1993: King Fahd implements the Shura-Council whose 60 members
are all royalists. |
| 1991: King Fahd announces that the old system of ministerial
appointment for life would be changed to an appointment period of
four years. |
| 1975: Assassination of King Faisal and succession of King Chalid. |
| 1962: King Faisal promises to implement a Shura-Council. |
| 1932: The Beduin leader Ibn Saud (Abd el-Asis Ibn Abd el-Rahman)
creates the kingdom and names the dynasty it after himselve. |
| 1920s: Series of hostile and blody takeovers on the Arabian
peninsula. |
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