The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia - Essay Example

Saudi Arabia and Core Values in International Relations By Saudi Arabia and Core Values in International Relations Human rights are seen as a means to live a life of dignity and the path to realise the same, and it should be seen to mean nothing more or less (Donnelly, 2013, p. 17). They are applicable to everyone and cannot be taken away. They cannot be divided and the fulfilment of one right furthers that of another right. They do not discriminate against anyone and treat all humans as equals. However, the word ‘rights’ does not connote the absence of obligations, which are required to bestow upon man these very rights. Saudi Arabia obviously requires this context because the laws of the state were found to be unfair, and below par with international standards. The state is infamous for its human rights track record. Saudi Arabia is an example of a traditional Islamic state. The government follows the traditions as ordained by religion. One family rules the entire nation hereditarily. The administration is restricted to the upkeep of customs and representing the nation on the global arena. Customary rules restrict personal choices socially, and this is done politically by means of the government (Rummel). The government takes its right to rule its citizens based on Islamic law (the Sharia) and on the Basic Law of 1992. The Basic Law provides the type of government, the rights of the people and the powers of the state. The Quran and the Traditions of Prophet Mohammed (the Sunna) form the constitution of Saudi Arabia. The government appoints the clergy who judge all issues related to the constitution. However, the king has the final say in all matters. He decides the result of all disputes of a constitutional manner. He can create new laws and amend existing ones. Though he should aim for consensus among the royal family, and consult others before taking decisions, he is only constrained by the Sharia. He is not accountable in reality for any of his decisions. The Saudi government claims that it is on the path of democracy. Though it has taken a few half-hearted steps towards democracy, this is both for domestic as well as international consumption. The monarchy is wary of upsetting the apple cart. Hence, the process of setting up democratic institutions is a painfully slow process in Saudi Arabia. Whenever there is a threat to the authority of the state, for instance, in the case of the Arab Spring, the government quells rebellion by appeasing the people that matter in the issue (Magen, 2012). Hence, Saudi Arabia can only delay the onset of democracy but not prevent it altogether (Ibid). One of the most important human rights is that of security. Every individual looks for the protection and maintenance of life as a basic need. One thinks of other needs only after ensuring his survival. While food, clothing and shelter are the basic needs of man, he is primarily responsible for the fulfilment of this need. The state steps in as the protector of its citizens by securing their lives in society (The Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights, p 1). Every citizen expects that (s)/he can live in a crime-free society without fear. One expects that property is also secure to the extent that one can prove ownership and possession thereof. This is required for business to flourish. The state should assess the risks to life and property of its citizens and provide security to its citizens. It also has the responsibility to protect foreign nationals residing in its territory. The security that it offers has a bearing on that provided by organisations to their employees. Saudi Arabia is more forthcoming when it concerns the security of Western nationals. Harsh Islamic laws and the fear of execution prevent people from disrupting peace or staging protests. As far as organisations are concerned; they negotiate with the state to provide security to their employees, when things go out of hand or providing security clashes with the interests of the state. This is particularly true in case of occasions where there is opposition to the company in question. Given the large number of expatriates who work in Saudi Arabia, it is goes without saying that the onus of their security is on the companies concerned. Human rights include freedom given to man; for instance, the right of not being tortured emanates from its importance for everyone (Sen, 2004). Freedoms can be of several types. Freedom of speech means that man can fearlessly speak his will without any fear. In Saudi Arabia, no form of dissent is tolerated. There is no guarantee of a fair trial if one speaks one’s mind. The same is the case with the freedom of expression which can be in myriad ways. The freedom to profess one’s religion is heavily restricted for minorities who cannot easily import articles or literature specific to worship. Likewise, Shiites also feel discriminated in relation to the majority Sunnis. Freedom from discrimination on the basis of gender has a lot to achieve. Women are severely restricted in the public space. They do not have equal opportunities to jobs and have legal drawbacks too, all in the name of religion. This includes inheritance, value of testimony, divorce, and guardianship of children among several others. Various spheres are out of bounds for women. When we look at the state of affairs in Saudi Arabia from the perspective of order, things look pretty orderly on the surface. This is due to the monarchy prevailing there. Dissent is severely proscribed. Hence, one cannot protest as a form of expression. The fear of execution by beheading deters most people from opposing the monarchy. The other reason is the absence of rule of law. While rules exist, they are not in line with international laws (or the laws in other nations). The interference of the clergy compounds the problem as different clerics interpret different issues in different ways. One cannot expect a fair trial in Saudi courts. It should be borne in mind that the monarchy uses its wealth in terms of the oil resources to appease disgruntled sections of society. This is another way of buying peace, other than that of using brute force to obtain compliance. Justice is another area that is lacking in Saudi Arabia. Though it has a clout in the Islamic world in general and the Gulf region in particular, it does not offer all its citizens equal justice. It is poignant that the king, who is head of state, can arbitrarily change his decisions as he is accountable to none. People cannot predict whether justice would be done to them. Harsh punishments are a reason for people to shy away from the judiciary. People would rather mind their own business than confront the monarchy. Expatriates are another group that is at the receiving end in terms of justice. There is a complaint that Western expatriates have better services and rights, when compared to those from Asia or Africa. Welfare is another core value in international relations which is found lacking in Saudi Arabia. The government treats people like the Bedouins as second class citizens. They are persona non grata in the eyes of the administration which makes them difficult to leave the country for want of valid travel documents. The low level of education also forces them to be restricted to low-paying jobs. Hence, the welfare measures undertaken by the government do not reach such marginalised sections of the society. The attitude of the government in particular and the people in general to the expatriates shows the rate of discrimination among different expatriate groups. Lucrative jobs are offered to Western employees even when there are qualified people from other parts of the world. Likewise, banishing women from public life and space means that they cannot rise to the level of their male counterparts. The various disabilities women face stands testimony to the type of welfare that they can possibly receive from the state. The above mentioned core values in international relations are found lacking in Saudi Arabia in varying measures. This shortcoming has far-reaching consequences and implications for the state as a whole. Lack of freedom causes grievances to pile up and discontent to simmer among the population. The lack of avenues to freely express or speak leads to this right being exercised on the sly. Advocacy groups tend to operate from outside Saudi soil, given the restrictions placed on this type of freedom. Discrimination in the name of race does not make Saudi Arabia a lucrative destination for expatriates. The result is that the state is deprived of the services of quality personnel. This also breeds mediocrity among the Western expatriates who are expected to perform no better. Discrimination in the name of gender has its own problems. Segregation of the genders does not help build a healthy relationship among the sexes. While education among women has steadily increased, they have not found commensurate employment. This has a bearing on the economy of the state. The legal disabilities also hold back women in society. Hence, material progress without intellectual development leads to dissatisfaction in the long run. The extent to which diverse groups co-exist is proof of the manner in which intra-faith minorities (especially Shiites) are treated. Discrimination on the basis of creed has the potential to destabilise the nation, as the groups concerned look to secede from their country. Excluding certain groups from welfare measures does not augur well for the land. It is an irony that a prosperous nation like Saudi Arabia has disadvantaged sections to the extent that they leave in conditions below par. Instead of using the wealth of the nation in short-term measures like appeasing sections to quell dissent, it would be a positive step to remove the disabilities that the Bedouins, for instance, suffer from. In terms of justice, a legal system based overwhelmingly on religion, does not help it to be in line with the legal systems followed elsewhere and internationally. Dialogue between legal luminaries and exchange of ideas are hampered if the common ground between them is very little to start with. Security is another casualty in Saudi Arabia. Since the state uses brute force to quell uprisings, companies only need to corrupt government officials rather than examine whether they are acceptable to the local community. Organisations which do not enjoy the trust of the community will not be able to sustain in the country for long. Similarly, the minorities should be reassured that their life and property is not in jeopardy because of the religion or creed that they profess. There can only be forced order in a closed society like Saudi Arabia. The fear of execution only holds back people temporarily. Unless the state sheds most of its extreme attitude, it stares at a revolution in the making. The Arab Spring in the neighbourhood is not lost on the citizens, who are just bidding their time. With rights groups operating from various parts of the world, it is only a matter of time before the inevitable happens. One of the stumbling blocks in Saudi Arabia’s quest for taking its rightful place in the international space is the posturing by the conservative section of the country, be they the clerics or the ordinary man. There is a need to involve the Wahhabis in dialogue for any meaningful progress to be made. One should note that the nation was founded on the principles of Wahhabism at the outset. They range from the hardliners to the pragmatic. They should be made to see reason that Islam can be interpreted in a different manner without deviating from the core principles of the religion (Meijer & Aarts, 2012, p 20). A major reason for the growth of the Al Qaeda is the role of the US in West Asia. Added to this was the king’s refusal to tolerate any dissent. The voices of the minority Shiites who were out of the scheme of Wahhabism so far are now becoming louder for civil rights. The tag of extremism has unwittingly passed to the Saudis. Hence, they should take the initiative in containing if not wiping out terrorism (BBC News, 2014). Poison is being spread in the name of religion. Similarly, traders in the oil wealth of Saudi Arabia employ religion to promote terrorism. When the silent minority reject these devious means through firm action, barbarism can be wiped out. The monarchy is oblivious to the changes in its society since its inception. It is pushing the nation into disaster. The people are in fetters, both economically and politically. There is a dearth of jobs and discontent is brewing on the political arena. The youth and women are a lot that is no longer willing to wait for their time to come (CDHR, November 3, 2014). In total, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a long way to go in terms of its track record. However, it is making small steps in this regard. It has started revamping its judiciary to provide the rule of law. Allowing religious minorities to pursue their faith in a small measure has been another step. Violations by Saudi nationals have also been investigated into. Being the largest nation in the neighbourhood, and with its enviable position vis-à-vis Islam, Saudi Arabia should be a beacon of hope to the Islamic world. References BBC News (2nd December 2014) Saudi Arabia Profile. Available at: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-14702705 Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, CDHR, Washington DC, (November 3, 2014) Saudi Vulnerability, Rulers and Merchants Common Objectives, Emulate Christians, Eliminate Terrorism. Available at: http://www.cdhr.info/ Donnelly J (2013) Universal Human Rights in Theory and Practice.US: Cornell University Press. Meijer R & Aarts P (2012) Saudi Arabia between conservatism, accommodation and reform. Netherlands Institute of International Relations ‘Clingendael’. Available at: http://www.clingendael.nl/sites/default/files/20120000_research_report_rmeijer.pdf Magen A (2012) On Political Order and the “Arab Spring”. Israel Journal of foreign Affairs, 6 (1): 9-21. Rummel RJ (n.d.) The International Actors. Available at: https://www.hawaii.edu/powerkills/WPP.CHAP3.HTM Sen A (2004) Elements of a Theory of Human Rights. Philosophy and Public Affairs, 32 (4): 315-356. The Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights. [Online] available at: http://www.voluntaryprinciples.org/files/voluntary_principles_english.pdf Read More