Umma Islamic Party, Saudi Arabia's First Political Party, Formed By Moderate Scholars

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Ten moderate Saudi scholars say they've formed the kingdom's first political party and have asked the king for recognition.

After the turmoil in Egypt and Tunisia, there have been demands for reforms in Saudi Arabia, which follows strict Islamic rule.

Sheik Mohammed bin Ghanim al-Qahtani said on Thursday he is on the coordination committee of the newly formed Umma Islamic Party. He says the party sent a letter to the Royal Palace on Wednesday requesting recognition.

His statement says it's time to endorse political rights, including the right to elect a government, promote the role of women in society and preserve women's rights.

The party's nine other founding members are university teachers, political activists and businessmen.

Comments

[mymy1]

02:33 PM on 02/14/2011

Saudi Arabia (SA) is the center of Islamic radicalism and the worst dictatorship in the world. Absolaute monarchy with no political rights for anyone. Women are subguated with not much right even for a simple act of driving let alone voting. With 100's of billions of petrodollar SA has been undermining democratic movements throughout the region. I can certainly say that they are opposed to the democtaic movements in the region more than Israel and USA. The region will not achieve its potential until democracy comes to SA. However, with production of 12 million barels of oil a day it will be extremly difficult to change the regime. Another reason is that there is not much civil society in SA. One way to pressue SA to change is to have other countries in the region becoming democratic.

[rhf123]

01:23 PM on 02/14/2011

Wow, what's next, considering non-Arabs as full humans?

[ThinkCreeps]

08:05 AM on 02/14/2011

I'm a bit surprised they could muster ten scholars.

As a nation, they're at least two wise men short of a nativity scene.

[joefargo]

10:49 AM on 02/13/2011

And, now, if they allow a dozen academics to create a party, they can rest for the next three decades in the glow of being the favorite ally to the U.S. --- despite their being the primary funding source for terrorism, the country from which nearly all the 9/11 hijackers came from, the country that financed the Taliban, etc. Our relationship with Saudi Arabia makes a mockery of the sacrifice our troops have made in Afghanistan. The bullets and bombs that kill and maim our soldiers were purchased with Saudi money, much of which came from selling us oil. Let us boycott Cuba and Iran, but the primary financiers of terrorism are our friends.

[sold2aol]

11:48 PM on 02/12/2011

Second party to be form will be the KAISA. The King Abdullah Is So Awesome party.

[ivan ko]

08:28 PM on 02/12/2011

This is a joke.

[gakabani]

07:27 AM on 02/13/2011

It is a joke as expected. The whole kingdom is a joke with money.

[patman77]

07:35 PM on 02/12/2011

now that the boosh clan is not around to prop you up for massive oil profits they reaped.

[messy]

07:09 PM on 02/12/2011

The King is dying, the Crown prince has Alzheimers, the third in line is very old as well and is running the country, and the time is coming when the sons of Abdul-Aziz bin Abdul-Rahman are going to run out. There's about a thousand princes running around and which of them will become eligable for the crown is such a secret that no one may actually know it.

[gakabani]

07:28 AM on 02/13/2011

Time for a family feud. A big one that may lead to violence.

[marknez21]

04:39 PM on 02/12/2011

Too late . Wait for people uprising. Your kingdom is on waiting list after Algeria and Yemen.

[Craig2]

12:25 PM on 02/12/2011

If the Royal Oligarchs of Saudi Arabia have invited this consideration to form political parties. To offer them legitimate voices in governing. That could set a tone for changes in North Africa. Is it time for Democracy on the South Mediterranean? From Morocco look east and envision a band of Nations, Democracies all, clear to India? Indonesia? Formosa? There is Iran, kinda stuck there in the middle. These people too are ready to step into the 21st Century. It's good to live in interesting times.

[danglines]

11:54 PM on 02/11/2011

Good that it was finally done. Long over due.

[santiago sherwood]

03:05 PM on 02/12/2011

beheading to follow when the decent comes out.

[duxguts]

11:40 PM on 02/11/2011

Are women allowed to join this party without the consent of their husbands?

[danglines]

11:54 PM on 02/11/2011

It's a start, finally.

[tpk]

09:04 PM on 02/12/2011

Women are not even allowed to drive a car in SA.

[ThinkCreeps]

08:11 AM on 02/14/2011

You try driving a car from inside a mailbox.

[JISantiago]

10:58 PM on 02/11/2011

Let's not read too much into this. To me, it looks some kind of a smoke-screen.

[Craig2]

10:19 PM on 02/11/2011

Very brave citizens. Let's see if there is a very smart King.

[LiberalLee]

12:05 PM on 02/13/2011

The King is dying and his heir has Alzheimer's.

[JohnnyPDX]

08:53 PM on 02/11/2011

Don't think there is much chance of a 'revolution' in SA since everyone is rich. It is not that they will be marching for jobs or their share of the oil pie

[hanoum]

11:50 PM on 02/11/2011

Everyone is rich? Not at all.

[patman77]

07:39 PM on 02/12/2011

the citizens are well compensated.enough to keep them loyal. the women have no rights and they financed the screaming monkeys from there that hit the twin towers.

[tpk]

08:42 PM on 02/12/2011

The median income in Saudi is $15.000 a year. I don't call it rich. Unemployment rate is 10.5%, they will be marching for jobs. You are describing situation in Kuwait.

[LiberalLee]

12:06 PM on 02/13/2011

And they only count MEN as employed or not.