Saudi protest dispersed by police, shots heard

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Saudi protest dispersed by police, shots heard

Mar 11, 2011 1:13 AM | By Reuters

Saudi police have dispersed a demonstration by Shi'ite protesters in the

oil-producing Eastern province with up to four people wounded as shots were

heard, witnesses said.

One witness said police fired stun grenades to disperse the crowd of around 200

people. Another witness and a Shi'ite activist said shots were fired.

" There was firing, it was sporadic, " the witness said.

He said he could not see where the firing was directed. It was not immediately

clear whether rubber bullets or live ammunition were fired. Witnesses and

activists said up to four people were wounded.

The incident came a day before a planned protest in Saudi Arabia, an absolute

monarchy where protests are forbidden as being against Islam.

A Facebook page calling for protests in Saudi Arabia had gathered more than

30000 followers. But it was not clear whether people would take to the streets,

as they have done in the oil-rich eastern province which has been the scene of

minor protests over the past three weeks.

A spokesman from the interior ministry could not be reached for comment.

Brent oil prices (LCOc1) jumped by $3 per barrel on the Saudi report, fully

erasing earlier losses to trade close to $116 a barrel at 1900 GMT. Earlier in

the day, oil was falling on the back of Europe's debt woes.

A loose coalition of liberals, rights activists, moderate Sunni Islamists and

Shi'ite Muslims has called for political reform. Saudi rulers say the country

has no need for protests or parties as an Islamic state applying sharia (Islamic

law).

Leaders of the minority Shi'ite community met King Abdullah and also the

governor of the eastern province to seek the release of some 26 Shi'ites

detained for taking part in protests.

Saudi Shi'ites, who make up about 15% of the population, often complain they

struggle to get senior government jobs and the same benefits as other citizens.

The government of Saudi Arabia denies these charges.

The US government said it was aware of protests being dispersed in Saudi Arabia

and reiterated its support for the right to peaceful assembly.

Earlier this week, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said protests

were not the way to seek change and that foreign meddling in his country's

affairs was not welcome.

" The principle of dialogue, I believe, is the best way to address the issues

facing society, " Prince Saud, a nephew of the king, said. " Change will come

through the citizens of this kingdom and not through foreign fingers, we don't

need them. "