Eerily foreshadowing the present issues and events occurring in the Middle East, MTV aired a documentary, Resist the Power! Saudi Arabia, this past May, chronicling the attempts of four young Saudis to push their country toward change and more freedom. The documentary centers in Jeddah, a city on the west coast of Saudi, bordering the Red Sea. This city is less conservative than the capital city of Riyadh, allowing its residents to enjoy a measure of freedom that would be very difficult to achieve in the center of the country, nearer the seat of power of the House of Saud.
Still, these four youth question why there cannot be more freedom in their country. They question practices and traditions that have been held for generations. The documentary features:
Ahmad is a young man trying to convince the city council of Jeddah to allow women not only to attend city council meetings, but be allowed to speak about their concerns for women in Saudi Arabia.
Fatima is a young woman challenging the traditional role of women in Saudi by challenging the long held tradition of the black only abayah. She designs and sells fashionable abayahs in beautiful colors out of her home.
Aziz is a young man looking for love on the internet, questions the tradition of arranged marriage and the restrictions between young men and women meeting and socializing in public.
Breeze of the Dying
A group of young musicians struggle to play their choice of music. They choose to play heavy metal. And, their chosen attire of black t-shirts often depicts satanic symbols and words not acceptable to the muttawa (religious police).
I watched this documentary with fascination. I had the privilege of living in Saudi Arabia from 1988 to 1990. My second son, born in Riyadh, is the same age as these young people. The country shown in the documentary was almost unrecognizable compared to the one I experienced. In the late 1980's, Saudi was a world not only of black abayas, but of veils, scarves, and only eyes showing. Young Saudi men wore the traditional robes and head coverings. In this film, young women show their faces and young men interchange their wardrobe from the traditional to t-shirts and jeans. What has fueled these changes?
This is a generation of youth exposed to western ideas and freedoms, not only through their educations abroad, but through the global reach of the internet. Can a case be made that these two factors have contributed to the youth of Saudi Arabia challenging their long held traditions?
Education abroad
According to the Ministry of Higher Education in Saudi Arabia, a staggering 110,000 Saudis study abroad under the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Abroad Program begun by King Abdullah in 2006. The majority study at over 900 universities in the United States. The United Kingdom hosts 15,000 students, while 10,000 study in Canada. Young people returning to Saudi Arabia after living in open, free societies bring new ideas home with them. It is not surprising that while King Abdullah saw this program as a public relations positive for his country, it has brought unforeseen consequences. These young people understand they can still hold to the tenets of Islam as set forth in the Quran while enjoying remarkable freedom. The do not question their religion. They question traditions that restrict their freedoms. Through thoughtful study and experience, they conclude that freedom and Islam are not incompatible.
Internet
The youth in Saudi use the internet to convey information and ideas in a way unimaginable just a few years ago in a Kingdom that forbids public gatherings and public civil discourse. At the end of February, three statements from three different groups within Saudi Arabia calling for change were posted on the internet. In reaction to the strength and far reaching power of the internet to disseminate information, all three sites carrying the statements were blocked by the government. The internet is proving a difficult beast to control. Links to all three statements are still posted on a blog, Saudi Jeans, written by a young Saudi studying in the US.
Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter skirt barriers, opening up instant communication. Statistics show 3.5 million Facebook users in Saudi Arabia. Twitter has seen an increase of 104% in users in the Middle East from 2008-2009. Saudi Arabia's rulers are in their 60's and above. An astounding 70% of the populace they rule is under the age of 30. In a clash of generations where the use of technology and the internet are key to control and power, the youth of Saudi will always be a step ahead of their authorities.
Yet, through all my research, I sense a deep respect in the youth for authority, especially Islam. In the film, Resist the Power! Saudi Arabia, all the young people exhibited a deep love for their country and are truly optimistic about its future. In a stark contrast to the situations in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, King Abdullah is immensely popular. The young people of Saudi clearly want to see reform come through peaceful means rather than through destroying their country.
Many in the Saudi community are waiting and watching. As Saudi Jeans writes in his blog, "We are in for some interesting times in the Middle East, and I can't wait to live them." I for one, have a soft spot for the birthplace of my son. I sincerely hope change comes to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through calm communication, dialogue, and compromise on both sides. The Saudis would then bring hope along with a positive role model to the troubled Middle East. Their people, young and old, deserve no less.
Eileen Fant - I am the wife of a retired career military officer. I have homeschooled my four children in two foreign countries, six different states ...
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