| (WASHINGTON DC) March 10, 2003… Five days after Secretary Colin Powell’s decision not to list Saudi Arabia as religious freedom violator, the Saudi defense minister said his government will never allow the construction of a single church under any condition.
The minister Sultan Al-Saud told Okaz daily Sunday, “there is and won’t be any church in the kingdom, we rather have our heads cut off.” He said that everyone understand this won’t happen regardless of all the noise.
Last week the US state department refused to list Saudi Arabia as country of particular concern, largely a symbolic step regardless of recommendations by many human rights organizations. The main human rights organization Saudi Institute, which issues the largest religious freedom report on Saudi Arabia said it was not looking for the CPC because it politicize the issue of religious freedom in the country, and allow some American officials to gain credibility on the suffering of millions of Saudis. “We don’t want the US authorities to play politics with our people’s blood and tears, director Ali Al-Ahmed said. “If they were relay concerned, they should at least help release some religious prisoners, or investigate the use of American-made tanks against Ismaili religious minority in Najran,” he said.
Sultan, the second most powerful man in the country, has made various bigoted statements against several faiths, including Shia Muslims and Jews.
In October Sultan insulted Shia Muslims by saying there were only four Muslim sects, referring to the Sunni branches if Islam. There are three million Shia Muslims in the country, in addition to over 200 million Shia Muslims around the world. In 1992, Sultan ordered mass removal of all Shia officers from Saudi military. The ministry of defense has a longtime policy of preventing Shia from senior military positions.
Sultan also attacked Jews last year and blamed them for media attacks against Saudi Arabia, “you can see them wear yarmulkes and it’s clear who is behind these attacks,” he said.
Sultan also admitted what SIA news exclusively reported Monday that American troops are controlling the Saudi civilian airport of Araar, 200 miles from Iraqi capitol Baghdad. He said the airport was closed and will be used to assist Iraqi refugees in case of war.
He then attacked Saudi opposition calling them “barking dogs.” It wasn’t clear if he was referring to the Islamic Reform Movement in Arabia, based in London or SIA news because it broke the story of American troops in Araar, which embarrassed the government.
The government tried to keep the matter secret but SIA news produced an official document showing the closing of the airport, and reported an eyewitness account of American troops controlling the airport. |
