From CDHR
October 10, 2007
A Family in Turmoil
By Ali Alyami
The Saudi royal family is known for its size, greed and determination to exclude the people from decision-making processes and is also known to have total grip over the country, its people and wealth. The ruling princes are mired in family fights over whose sons and grandsons will inherit the throne and important governmental positions after the passing of the unhealthy and aging sons of the first King of the Country, Abdul Aziz. While King Abdullah is misleading the public and the international community by talking about reforms to give the people some say in the State’s affairs, he is busy forming commissions to ensure that the public remains disenfranchised for the foreseeable future. Given recent events, specifically Prince Talal’s call for limited power sharing and King Abdullah’s continuing work to appease the many competitive younger princes, it is obvious that there is a palace coup brewing over power. It looks like the stability of the country through political inclusion is secondary to the needs of the power-and money-hungry younger generation of princes. This may be the beginning of the end of totalitarianism in the Saudi Kingdom, especially if the public takes advantage of the widening conflict within the ruling family.