National dialogue forum started work in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, Politics, 12/29/2003

Saudi Arabian scholars and intellectuals started on Sunday a forum that aims at eliminating what is called r"eligious extremism" in the Kingdom, which witnessed the killing of 50 persons in attacks targeting residential sites.

The forum which is called the "second intellectual meeting for national dialogue" will discuss the phenomenon of religious extremism with the participation of 15 researchers in the political, cultural and media fields.

The government aims behind this forum during four days of close door sessions in Mecca to understand the reasons that led to the occurrence of the attacks made recently against the Kingdom.

Member of the forum's media committee, which is organized by King Abdul Aziz center for national dialogue, Ahmad Turkistani, said that the meeting will conclude short and long term solutions for this phenomenon.

There is, however, no open aggregations to discuss the social and political issues in Saudi Arabia. Beside, the freedom of expression is still limited, but the fears of officials of an internal civil explosion and of more attacks pushed a partial detente, and opened up channels for expression.

After tthe Riyadh explosion in May and November this year, the Saudi authorities launched campaigns against gunmen suspected of being behind the explosion. Several mediation efforts were proposed to create dialogue between the government and what they described as extremists, but all were rejected by the government which threatened to solve the matter via weapons.

On the other hand, the Saudi news agency said that the Saudi authorities detained 4047 persons, and confiscated large amounts of weapons and drugs to the southern part of the country on the border with Yemen. No mention was given to the timing of the detention, and the country of origin for these weapons.

Previous Stories:
  Launching second meeting for national dialogue in Saudi Arabia   (12/27/2003)
  Okaz: Saudi Arabia: appoints a minister for the Shoura council affairs   (12/27/2003)
  Saud al-Faisal on peace in the Middle East   (12/24/2003)

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