U.S. calls Saudis to respect people’s right to protest
The United States has called on Saudi authorities to respect the right to protest following a massive clampdown on anti-government protesters in the ultra-conservative kingdom. “The United States supports a set of universal rights, including the right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression,” AFP quoted State Department spokesman Philip Crowley as saying on Monday. “Those rights must be respected everywhere, including Saudi Arabia,” he added. “The Saudi position on protests is actually not new. We have communicated our position to the Saudi government as part of our regular ongoing dialogue and have been for some time.” The remarks come as protests and any public displays of dissent are forbidden in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi interior ministry on Saturday announced anti-government protests as “illegal.” On Sunday, Saudi senior Wahhabi clerics censured opposition demonstrations as “un-Islamic.” The Council of Senior Scholars in a statement said, “Reform and advice do not take place through demonstrations and methods that fan sedition. The council stresses that demonstrations are prohibited in this country, and that the Islamic way of realizing common interest is by offering advice.” A group of Saudi youths has posted a message on Facebook, calling for a “Saudi Revolution” on March 20 to demand democratic and political reform in the monarchy. The Facebook group, which has over 17,000 members, also called for a “Day of Rage” rally on March 11. Tens of thousands of Saudis have already joined the drive …
[Lebanese] army asks UNFIL to help demarcate maritime border line
BEIRUT — The Lebanese Army called for the establishment of a maritime security line similar to the border Blue Line during Monday’s tripartite meeting with the Israeli Armed Forces, said United Nations Interim Forces (UNIFIL) spokesperson Neeraj Singh. “Officials of the Lebanese Army suggested the establishment of a maritime security line and asked for UNIFIL’s assistance on this matter,” Singh told The Daily Star Tuesday. Singh also expressed his worries regarding the number of security incidents that might occur on a border maritime zone between Lebanon and Israel. “UNIFIL is worried [about] the number of maritime security incidents which would escalate as a result of tensions between the two sides,” he said. Lebanon has recently expressed fears that, in the absence of maritime borders Israel could extract gas and oil reserves from Lebanese waters . . . According to Singh, UNIFIL stands ready to assist in the demarcation of a maritime security line if both Lebanon and Israel agree on the involvement of the organization in this matter …
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