JEDDAH, 17 December 2004 — A call by London-based dissident, Saad Al-Faqih, to his followers to stage anti-government demonstrations across the Kingdom fell on deaf ears yesterday.
A handful of people heeded his call.
Security forces were deployed in huge numbers in Jeddah and Riyadh to avert any untoward incident.
Police detained some people in Jeddah and witnesses said the number of onlookers and others who came out of curiosity outnumbered the demonstrators. An atmosphere of apprehension hung in the air as people in Jeddah moved around with their daily business. But life was normal in the usually bustling city.
The spokesman for the Ministry of Interior, Brig. Mansour Al-Turki, said two people were arrested in Jeddah after they fired in the air from their car and were being questioned.
In Riyadh, riot police with helmets, batons and shields lined the main streets as helicopters hovered overhead.
Special forces wearing bulletproof vests surveyed the area.
A group of 35 Saudi religious leaders and academics had issued press statements warning people against taking part in the protests. They said the movement led by Faqih was damaging to the interests of society and the unity of the country.
“This is madness. These people are working against the nation,” said an old man in downtown Jeddah.
Others said they see no need for such actions, describing the demonstrators as outlaws with alien ideology.
The statement by the ulema called on the citizens to reject such kind of acts. “It is our duty and responsibility to advise you, because of our concern for the stability and security of the country, to reject this act, and we warn against participating in it,” the statement said.
The signatories acknowledged that the Kingdom “needed serious reform measures”, but said these needed to be carried out without recourse to events that could trigger unrest.
“Our country needs stability and solidarity given the current international circumstances and religious events,” they said.
