Topic: Legitimacy of Government during Popular Uprising
Country: Saudi Arabia
Delegate Name: Hayley Kord
School: Fishers High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Saudi Arabia position papers GLIMUN 2011 committees
Saudi Arabia has mixed opinions on rebel governments based on who is being occupied and the situation at hand. Saudi Arabia believes that keeping stability and doing what is best for that particular country is the best thing to do when it comes to uprisings and deciding whether to support either the government, or the resistance. The most important thing for Saudi Arabia, up until a certain point, is to keep things consistent and make sure to not affect negatively the current monarchy that is standing.
During the Gaddafi hold on Libya, Saudi Arabia was late to recognize the National Transitional Council (NTC) as Libya’s legitimate national representatives in hopes to keep consistency within the country. However, once it became present to Saudi Arabia of the actions being taken by Gaddafi, Saudi Arabia changed its support to the National Transitional Council and agreed to supply them with weapons to fight of Gaddafi and his supporters. However during uprisings in both Yemen and Bahrain Saudi Arabia was not all for supporting the rebels. As both Yemen and Bahrain were showing resistance to the Saudi Arabian rule, Saudi Arabia decided to add in pro-Saudi rulers to keep the countries doing what they are supposed to, despite massive protests that could have toppled other regimes. Also, earlier this year Saudi Arabia was the first of the Arab League to speak against the “brutal crackdowns” Syria was taking against protests in August of this year. King Abdullah said in a written statement that:
“What is happening in Syria is not acceptable for Saudi Arabia. Syria should think wisely before it’s too late and issue and enact reforms that are not merely promises but actual reforms, either it chooses wisdom on its own or it will be pulled down into the depths of turmoil and loss.” ("Saudi Arabia Calls for Syrian Reforms – Middle East – Al Jazeera English." AJE – Al Jazeera English. 08 Aug. 2011. Web. 18 Nov. 2011.)
Saudi Arabia believes that the best thing for the United Nations to do regarding the government during times of popular uprising, is to judge the country based on how their actions will not only affect the United Nations, but also the current monarch, the people of that country, and the country itself. If the country is not benefited by the United Nations recognizing a new representative for that country, then the United Nations should not react. Saudi Arabia believes that in situations such as ones involving Saudi Arabia, Yemen, and Bahrain, the United Stations should allow the countries to figure it out on their own. However, if that country is being harmed by the actions of the monarch, the United Nations should recognize the resistance as the new representative of that country and take action against the previous monarch, as was done not only towards Libya earlier this year, but also towards Syria.
