Age issue takes center stage for Saudi monarchy

TEHRAN, Oct. 29(MNA) -- Over the past few months, the health of former Saudi crown prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud was always a topic in the news, and rumors about his death circulated from time to time. This compelled Saudi government officials to start contemplating about the appointment of his successor sooner than they had planned. Among the competing figures in the House of Saud, Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz, who has been the interior minister since 1975, had the best chance to obtain the position, and he was eventually named crown prince. Prince Nayef has a close relationship with King Abdullah, and he is said to have stronger ties to the major Sunni currents of the kingdom. Therefore, no one expected problems to occur in the wake of the death of the Saudi crown prince since his successor was ready take the charge. However, the aging of King Abdullah and his eventual passing could cause serious problems. The kingdom is currently facing an unprecedented wave of demonstrations, especially by the Shia of the Eastern Province, who are demanding more religious freedom and a greater say in the political system. This complicates the situation. In fact, the passing of Abdullah will cause massive problems and will intensify the popular demonstrations. Saudi citizens are demanding their basic civil rights, such as the right of self-determination, freedom of speech, and freedom for religious minorities. How Saudi society is going to be run after King Abdullah is the most important challenge facing the monarchy, and any misstep will only widen the chasm between the people and the government. Meanwhile, most of the second generation of the House of Saud are opposed to the ideologies of their fathers. Many of the young princes are more inclined to some modern political concepts. Some of them have even criticized the government for denying the people their basic civil rights. This is another challenge for the aging members of the royal family. The unfolding situation in Yemen will also have serious implications for the civil liberties movement in neighboring Saudi Arabia. Yemeni dictator Ali Abdullah Saleh’s days are numbered, and when he finally meets the fate of some of the other Arab dictators in the region, it will embolden the Saudi people to express their demands more forcefully.