1 year for burning a man to death in UAE 23, January 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in The Emirates.Tags: Blood money, Diyaa, Sentencing in the Emirates, UAE justice system
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Two UAE nationals and a Russian friend have had their sentence reduced to 1 year for burning their Pakistani driver to death. Originally the sentence for burning this man to death was a pathetic three years. Now that the appeal court reduced it, they are free men, having already served one year for burning the man to death. The families of the murders settled with the victims family, consistent with Sharia law. The Pakistani driver’s life was worth $200,000 to his family.
This utter travesty of justice comes soon after Sheikh Issa, a brother of the UAE’s ruler, was set free after a video of him torturing at length an Afghan man was publicised. He was, so the court discovered, unaware of his actions at the time as he was under the influence of drugs that had been administered to him unawares.
Rape victim to be flogged. Where? Saudi Arabia, of course 22, January 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Saudi Arabia.Tags: Rape victim flogged, Saudi Arabia flogging, Saudi justice, Saudi lashing, saudi rape victim
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I wonder when I’ll be able to stop writing about heinous violations of morality and human rights like this. Not overly soon, I fear.
Reports are emerging of a Philippine worker in Dammam, Saudi Arabia who was raped by a Bangladeshi coworker. In fear of her life were she to go to the police, she did not report the crime. Soon after, when it was discovered (…) that she was pregnant, her employers reported her to Saudi authorities for undertaking an illicit sexual relationship. Since this happened in September she has been in jail where the harsh conditions, she believes, caused her to miscarry. Based on previous cases of this type [*sigh*] it is expected that she will receive 100 lashes.
Hat Tip: al Bab
Lynch on Qaradawi 21, January 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Middle East.Tags: Al Qaradawi, Marc Lynch, the Arab street, Yusuf Al Qaradawi
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The ever redoubtable Marc Lynch has an excellent post on the ever interesting Yousuf Al Qaradawi. Few people could, I suspect, have written this particular blog post, drawing as it does on a deep and detailed knowledge of the region and its intricacies, its personalities, its narratives and its language. Lynch seeks to, within reason, take the temperature of the Arab public on some key points such as Yemen and Egypt’s Gaza barrier, using Al Qaradawi as a weather vane. It’s really good stuff and something to which we bloggers must aspire.
Biblical references on US & UK rifles 21, January 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in American ME Relations.Tags: Bible references on rifles, Biblical quotes on rifles, Ezekiel 25:17, Rifle scopes, Trijicon
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It has been revealed that US and UK military rifle scopes have biblical references inscribed on them. 2COR4:6 and JN8:12, references referring to the books of Corinthians and John, have been inscribed on all optical sights by American company Trijicon. US Special Forces, US Marines and UK Army sharpshooters are among those using this Biblically blessed sight.
Here is what the references are referring to:
John 8:12 – When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
I looked up book 2 of Corinthians verse 4:6 and got:
He then made ten basins for washing and placed five on the south side and five on the north. In them the things to be used for the burnt offerings were rinsed, but the Sea was to be used by the priests for washing.
So I guess I need to improve on my bible code-reading and looking up skills. The BBC comes to the rescue and informs me that in fact (somehow or other) it refers to:
For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
So, whilst it is hardly a good thing and I will post the first puerile response from some idiot preacher in Saudi Arabia citing this as ‘proof’ of a Western Christian-Jewish conspiracy to kill all Muslims, the quotations could have been a lot worse. Imagine if it had been Ezekiel 25:17…
The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil man. Blessed is he who in the name of charity and good will shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness for he is truly his brother’s keeper and the finder of lost children. But I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers and you will KNOW my name is t h e LORD when I lay my vengeance upon thee…
If only I could memorize Arabic half as easily…
Saudi Sheikh banned from Kuwait 21, January 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia.Tags: Al Oraifi, Al Oraifi banned from Kuwait, Ali Al Sistani, Kuwait-Iraq relations, Sunni Shia conflict
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Kuwaiti authorities have banned the controversial Saudi Sheikh Mohammad Al Oraifi from entering the state. He caused outrage recently with comments describing the revered Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, Iraq’s and top religious leader, as “an atheist and a depraved man”. The Gulf News reports that Al Oraifi travels every week to Doha via Kuwait to meet friends.
This clearly shows that Kuwait is taking pains to avoid provoking its northerly neighbour. By refusing his entry, I think this is really it is quite a gesture, especially so coupled with recent announcements regarding Kuwait revoking Iraq’s need to continue war reparations. Here’s hoping that ‘Iraq’ pays attention and responds in kind if and when the need arises.
It is not much of a surprise that Qatar does not have any problems with Al Oraifi entering: they have something of a reputation for taking a rather laissez-faire attitude to such things.
Where is Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan? 20, January 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Saudi Arabia.Tags: Missing Saudi Prince, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Prince Bandar missing, Prince missing
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There’s a rumor floating around which I’d like to propagate some more insisting that Saudi Arabia’s former 22 year-long serving Ambassador to America, Prince Bandar bin Sultan has disappeared. The London Review of Books blog has more on it but here’s a brief summary.
- Unreliable Iranian media sources suggested that he had been arrested for plotting a coup of sorts
- Others suggest that he’s ill or has been ordered to silence for meddling without approval in Syria
- The hugely reliably (…) Saudi opposition sources maintain that Bandar is in Dhaban Prison in Jeddah. This is, according to the LRB blog, a high security facility where Bandar and 4 generals are being held in a separate wing
- Bandar has missed many important engagements since his last public outing in December 2008 in including missing his official reswearing in as National Security Council head in September last year – a ceremony which traditionally entails pledging allegiance to the King
- The key issue is, however, that he missed the homecoming of his father, Prince Sultan, from extended recuperation and medical care abroad in December 2009.
Update: here
Update of the update: he’s alive!
Kuwait to forgive Iraqi debts 19, January 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Iraq, Kuwait.Tags: Iraq debts, Kuwait, Kuwait debt forgiveness, Kuwait invasion
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The Kuwaiti Foreign Minister has announced that Kuwait will forgive the outstanding Iraqi debt stemming from their two decade old invasion. He stated that Kuwait did not want anything but ‘good relations and security’. Theoretically, Iraq still owes Kuwait some $36bn from old loans and war reparations.
How Kuwait, a fantastically rich country with a tiny population, high levels of literacy, 100% employment for its nationals, one of the most generous welfare states on earth, free utilities, frequent loan forgiveness for nationals who can’t resist the latest Hummer, a comprehensive healthcare system and scant security issues given the US guarantees and continued presence on its lands, could have waited until now is beyond me. Better late than never, I suppose.
Saudis demand internet censorship 18, January 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Saudi Arabia.Tags: Al Manar blocked, Internet censorship, OpenNet, Saudi Arabia, Saudi Arabia internet censorship, Saudi conservatism
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Al Sharq Al Awsat reports that there are between 700-1000 requests per day from Saudi Arabian internet users to the Ministry in charge of censoring the internet to block what they deem to be unsuitable material. The same article finds that there are only 200 requests for sites to be unblocked, creating a 4:1 ratio.
Brian Whitaker, using OpenNet Initiative statistics, fleshes out these findings in an interesting post.
We found that the kingdom’s filtering focuses on a few types of content: pornography (98% of these sites tested blocked in our research), drugs (86%), gambling (93%), religious conversion, and sites with tools to circumvent filters (41%). In contrast, Saudi Arabia shows less interest in sites on gay and lesbian issues (11%), politics (3%), Israel (2%), religion (less than 1%), and alcohol (only 1 site).
There are a few more surprising things to note in the OpenNet/Whitaker report.
- Jewish orientated sites are not blocked as much as one might initially assume.
- Seemingly more ‘non Sunni’ orientated websites were blocked.
- Al Manar’s was blocked (Hizbollah’s TV station).
This topic highlights a fascinating point. I think that from a Western perspective we automatically assume that people intrinsically want more freedom of speech, less censorship and more democracy, writ large. Yet this is just not the case in Saudi Arabia. Of course, many people there do want these attributes, yet overall I firmly get the impression that it is the government dragging the country forward* and not the people dragging the government as we automatically presume: it’s not as if the government is necessarily wedded to the past and is pushing again a tide of a pent-up, reform minded populace.
Eventually I imagine that demographics will have the last say. The younger generations certainly appears to be less conservative so I’d expect the worst excesses of Saudi’s draconian religious conservatism (the executing of witches, the hideous moral and religious police etc) to be curtailed somewhat but I still think that social mores will take much longer. It is one thing for a 20 something Saudi man to chat to girls via Bluetooth or to go to Bahrain for a debauched weekend, but quite another for him to be happy for his daughter to engage is similar practices.
*Yes, before anyone gets all ‘Said’ on me, I understand the irony of using this term.
Qatar to buy Manchester United? 18, January 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Qatar, UK.Tags: 2022, Glazers, Man Utd, Manchester United, Manchester United buyout, Qatar, Qatar to buy Man Utd, World Cup
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There are a few reports doing the rounds suggesting that a group of Qataris may be about to launch a £1.2bn bid for Manchester United, the richest and most successful British football club of the past decade. Whilst rumours such as these always swirl around there is clear logic and pedigree behind this potential move.
- Qatar likes top brands. Investors from Qatar have already taken stakes in many of the bluest of Europe’s blue chip companies. From Volkswagen/Porsche to EADS to Barclays, Qataris like a top-class brand name.
- Qataris have the money. Qatar is an incredibly rich little country. Less that a quarter of a million nationals sit atop the third largest gas reserves in the world and the 13th largest oil reserves.
- Qatar 2022. Qatar is hoping to attract the World Cup to the small Peninsula in 2022 but face exceedingly tough competition from countries like England. To boost their chances so far they have used their practically unlimited budget to guarantee exclusivity at the Confederation of African Football and paid millions for England to play Brazil in Doha last November. In this light, therefore, the acquisition of Manchester United, one of the largest clubs in the world, would yet further place Qatar on the footballing map.
- Qatar wants returns. Despite being seen by some as a ‘buyer of Western baubles’ Qatar invests in Western companies/businesses for returns. Manchester United, despite the huge debts foisted on them by the Glazers are intrinsically an exceedingly profitable club and as such would represent a good financial decision, especially considering the Qataris probably would not need to finance the deal with as much debt.
Islamic solidarity games cancelled for lack of solidarity 18, January 2010
Posted by thegulfblog.com in Random.Tags: Arabian Gulf, Islamic Solidarity Games, Islamic Solidarity Games canceled, Persian Gulf, The Gulf
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Some time ago I wrote about the threat to the Islamic Solidarity Games being cancelled because of a disagreement between Arabs and Persians. The second Islamic Solidarity Games were due to be held in Iran in October 2009 but before issues of whether they were going to go ahead at all could be resolved, Swine Flu came to the rescue and forced planners to cancel the games. Iran was due to reprise (or prise?!) its role in April this year, but this time the Games have been canceled because of the dispute.
The key issue is over the medals and other promotional material being emblazoned with the phrase Persian Gulf. Despite the fact that Persian Gulf is the historical and contemporary legal name for the body of water, Arab states do not like it and prefer to call it the Arabian Gulf or just the Gulf.
