VZCZCXRO2992
RR RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHRH #0761/01 1341328
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 131328Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8364
RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH 9541
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 RIYADH 000761 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/PPD (DBENZE, PAGNEW); INR/R/MR; INR/NESA, RRU-NEA; 
NEA/ARP; NEA/RA; PA; R 
LONDON FOR SREEBNY 
DUBAI FOR PELLETIER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KMDR KPAO KDEM SA
SUBJECT:  Saudi Media:  Recent commentaries show environment 
continues to open slowly 
 
¶1.  Summary and comment.  Local Saudi print media has recently 
favored regional issues concerning local topics over international 
issues.  Editorials and commentaries from January to May 2008 have 
largely focused on three major Saudi issues:  (1) debate on the 
activities and role of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue 
and the Prevention of Vice (CPVPV or the Commission; also referred 
to as 'mutuaween' or religious police); (2) King Abdullah's call for 
interfaith dialogue, and (3) price hikes and inflation.  Reports and 
commentaries on high-interest issues of Iraq and the Middle East 
Peace Process were dwarfed by the above-mentioned domestic issues. 
Increasingly open discussion on contentious local issues suggests a 
positive trend in press freedom and use of the media to promote 
dialogue on sensitive issues.  End summary and comment. 
 
Editorials and Commentaries:  Local Issues 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶2. CPVPV:  The mutuaween. 
 
Moderate Okaz (3/20) defended the CPVPV's role and its efforts in 
protecting the community: "The commission has earned considerable 
trust of the people.  Individual errors should not extend to the 
whole work of the Commission.  Any debate or discussion raised 
should aim to constructively criticize."  An op-ed in moderate 
Al-Watan (1/31) criticized the CPVPV President for defending 
Commission members' mistakes, because the President considered the 
Commission "above suspicion."  The op-ed criticized Commission 
members for pushing people to pray while they do not initiate 
prayer.  It concluded, "The strategies of the Commission contribute 
to placing psychological barriers between the Commission and the 
people."  Another Al-Watan op-ed (4/8) stated "the latest errors [by 
the CPVPV] resulting in many deaths will not end as CPVPV members 
are human beings and are not infallible, and not above the law."  An 
op-ed in English-language Saudi Gazette (5/6) offered, "If the 
Commission hopes to minimize the negative publicity it has received 
in the past years or so, then perhaps its policies and procedures, 
especially when dealing with non-Muslims, should be clearly 
defined."  Comment:  The Saudi media is divided over the role of the 
CPVPV in society, and actively debates this role in the media.  The 
debate is often linked to several high profile cases in which 
alleged suspects have been harmed or killed as a result of CPVPV 
members' actions.  The existence of this debate is a significant 
step forward in the media.  End comment. 
 
¶3. Interfaith dialogue:  King's message disseminated. 
 
King Abdullah's Interfaith Dialogue initiative has won widespread 
praise throughout the print media.  Influential, conservative 
Al-Riyadh (3/26) in "Interfaith Dialogue ... not Wars" wrote, "King 
Abdullah's call for interfaith dialogue meets logic and interests of 
all people.  Logic has defeated wars...meetings between scholars and 
intellectuals create opportunities for coexistence."  Moderate 
Al-Jazira's (3/27) "Yes, to Dialogue" stated, "People are still 
threatened by the danger of wars and armed strife under new names; 
the latest is the war on terrorism.  Interfaith dialogue will make 
others view the reality of Islam.  Dialogue is a significant 
principle in all aspects of life."  Comment:  The media is 
increasingly being used effectively to communicate the King's 
initiatives of moderation and tolerance; these initiatives are never 
criticized in the media.  End comment. 
 
¶4. Price hikes and inflation:  Dominating news columns. 
 
Pan-Arab Al-Hayat columnist Ahmed Al-Shahlan commented that low- and 
middle-income families in Saudi Arabia have not yet benefited from 
high oil prices.  He said a recent King Abdulaziz City for Science 
and Technology study showed middle class families in Saudi Arabia 
suffer, unable to meet the [financial] requirements of housing, 
education, health, and other expenses (3/9). Some writers of 
Al-Horeya and Al-Tommar liberal websites criticized a recently 
announced five per cent inflation allowance for government employees 
as "insufficient".  A new website, www.moqqata.com, is dedicated to 
publishing the names of commodity traders who allegedly hike prices, 
and asks site visitors to boycott them.  Al-Riyadh highlights recent 
price hikes on its front page, almost daily.  Comment:  This issue 
is so contentious it resulted in a temporary ban on live call-in 
broadcast programming because of a negative debate sparked by this 
issue a few months ago.  The debate over whether Saudi families 
derive any benefits from the recent surge in oil prices is clearly a 
hot button issue.  It is so sensitive that we have not seen any 
commentary in the local dailies, only straight news reporting.  End 
comment. 
 
Regional Issues 
--------------- 
 
 
RIYADH 00000761  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶5.  Iraq.  Two noteworthy commentaries appeared recently in 
moderate, high-circulation Al-Jazira (3/14):"After Five Years of 
War" this dangerous adventure has created a breeding ground for 
terrorists.  The decision for war was an erroneous one that has 
exposed the region to more dangers.  War creates enemies more than 
friends."  A follow-on article, "Was it the Right Decision?" (3/21) 
commented, "Presidents Bush's last speech proves that American 
vision over war in Iraq is suffering a crisis.  War has destroyed 
Iraq and has resulted in severe consequences." 
 
¶6.  Middle East Peace Process.  Moderate Al-Jazira's "Israel and the 
Creation of Extremism" (3/02) stated "Israel's current crimes have 
directly contributed to ignite the fire of extremism in the region. 
Israel should not be excluded as a significant contributor to 
spreading the culture of killing and hatred.  Israeli practices have 
paved the way for extremists, and created their justifications for 
existence and spread." 
 
¶7.  Conclusion and comment.  While Saudi commentaries continue to 
focus on national issues of interest and repeat locally popular 
sentiments on the regional issues, we are seeing slow progress 
towards opening debate in the media.  Saudi media practitioners know 
there are still 'red lines' not to be crossed, but the lines are 
being pushed back.  Debate on the CPVPV is a relatively new frontier 
for the media, and the debate is active.  While the media is used 
effectively to promote government programs of moderation, we are not 
seeing any criticism of the King's dialogue initiative.  We suspect 
this is a firm 'red line' not to be crossed.  The issue of price 
hikes and inflation is probably the most heated issue currently in 
the news, and while this issue is not generating commentary (another 
likely 'red line'), it is a near-daily reminder to government 
officials of how inflation is affecting the struggling working 
class.  Long criticized as a censored media environment, this 
evidence suggests Saudi media continues to take slow yet steady 
steps towards opening.  End conclusion and comment. 
FRAKER