Mohammed bin Salman began this year trying to reform the KSA’s regional relations and gaining new allies, thereby relinquishing the formation of more regional and international enemies; the thing he has been doing ever since he became the de facto leader of the kingdom.
The decision to reconcile with Qatar is a great indication of this new approach; however, others believe that it is insufficient to clear him from his violations of people’s rights abroad and at home, especially in Saudi which he turned into a large prison and eliminated the freedom of opinion, expression, and even thought.
Despite his efforts to improve his image externally, some still question the time during which bin Salman will try to fix the situation at home as hard as he tries abroad!
Since he assumed power, he has been arresting, kidnapping, threatening and suppressing everyone who tweet outside his flock.
The Saudi prisons are overcrowded with reformists, men and women, and who have no crime except wanting to live in a democratic state in which everyone is granted their rights, and these demands are completely consistent with bin Salman’s visions, but since he did not call for it then he would he crushes everyone who thought about them before him.
Despite this repression stemming from the mentality of a teenager, bin Salman’s record has more heinous and brutal crimes in the Kingdom, including Al-Huwitat tribe which has inhabited Al-Khariba lands for hundreds of years, where their homeland is, and where they won’t have another, if they got displaced as bin Salman wishes.
Al-Hawitat tribe are subjected to a massive crime of forced displacement for the Neom project to be completed. About 20,000 people must be evacuate their lands to be seized by bin Salman to build his project.
This land can be replaced with another for bin Salman’s project without harming the people of the land, however he continues his crimes that may amount to a genocide of the tribe’s members if they do not give up their lands.
Bin Salman’s reform plans, including the Gulf Peace Agreement, are still ambivalent and contradictory; on the one hand he promotes himself as the reformist leader, the master of peace initiatives and the leader of the region’s stability, and on the other hand he refuses to abandon oppression and tyranny thinking that that he is making his glory.
Nevertheless, nobody can underestimate initiatives of reconciliation.
Peace is good, but is it not the right of the Saudi people to enjoy this good too? Shouldn’t their ruler try to reconcile with them; is it not the right of Al-Huwaitat people to be guaranteed a comfortable life in a safe homeland?
Isn’t it time for bin Salman to fix his mistakes are at home too!
