Sharecroppers and Potentates of Jeddah, No Seppuku in Arabia…………
“At least 40 Saudi officials have been arrested in an investigation into the authorities' response to devastating floods in Jeddah, local media say. Some 150 people were killed in the floods in the port town last month. The officials included a number of senior assistants to the mayor of Jeddah, the reports said. The Saudi government have launched an unprecedented public investigation after a wave of criticism over the handling of the floods. Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, who ordered the inquiry, has said that those responsible will be punished. Local government officials, consultants and, and construction contractors are among the people arrested by police, it was reported. Heavy rainfall sparked a flash flood in the town, Saudi Arabia's second city, on 25 November. Angry Saudis have blamed local authorities for not providing basic protection from floods and failing to act fast enough. Arabic media reported that the arrests did not necessarily mean the officials were being accused, but that the it was necessary for them to be detained to ensure the inquiry could be completed. .…….”
These are mostly small officials, salaried men they are investigating. They make no decisions, but they can turn a blind eye, accept a gift (called a bribe in less genteel company). The ones they need to get are those they will not get: those who paid the “gifts”, and the ones who stole the land, zoned it, and sold it for construction. That goes well beyond Jeddah. The (very) high officials behind all these plans, the potentates who believe they own the land, all the land, and dispose of it as they see fit. They truly believe they own the land, and the people are mere tenants, sharecroppers. They won’t get those; they are not into self punishment, the oligarchs (all over my Gulf). But these arrests do make nice headlines, no?
I guess they don’t know about Seppuku; they are not Japanese. They do behead and crucify some people, but not those types.
Cheers and Happy New Year
mhg
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