Saudi Arabia is blocking one of Arab world's most popular online news outlets because of pressure from religious conservatives who are "fighting the future."
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is blocking one of the Arab world's most popular online news outlets because of pressure from religious conservatives who are "fighting the future," the site's Saudi editor said this week.
Since it was launched in 2001, Elaph (www.elaph.com) has become a prominent source of political and entertainment news in the Arab world with around 1.5 million hits a day, said Managing Editor Sultan al-Qahtani in Riyadh. Though the site is Saudi-owned, it has been blocked by Saudi authorities since May 2006. Its owner, who has business interests in Morocco, registered Elaph in Britain. The site employs 90 journalists worldwide.
"We didn't have any official reason -- some people said it was security, some said political, or religious. But I think it was religious," Qahtani said in a weekend interview, adding Elaph was also blocked in Libya and Syria. "I think it's the political and domestic news, articles, commentaries and reportage concerning religious figures and efforts to isolate Islamist extremism in Saudi Arabia."
Elaph had already closed down its forum after the authorities blocked the site once before in 2002 over criticism about the role of the powerful religious establishment in Saudi Arabia, which imposes a strict version of Islamic law. The renewed ban on the site highlights an ongoing battle between religious conservatives and a vocal liberal elite, where the state has mainly stood on the side of the Islamists.
Analysts and diplomats say King Abdullah, who ascended the throne in 2005 promising gradual reforms, has faced pressure from clerics and powerful members of the ruling Al Saud family. Saudi Arabia polices the Internet through telecom regulator the Communications and Information Technology Commission. Other banned sites include Shi'ite news outlets, liberal and Islamist discussion forums and Web pages of dissidents based abroad. A spokesman was not available for comment.
'EXTREMIST WAVE'
"There are some people in the ruling family who want to take big steps towards openness in the kingdom. But generally the liberals are alone before the extremist wave," Qahtani said.
"They (Islamists) are against modernity itself. It''s a war against the future. In time, I think it's a losing battle for them -- no one can fight the future." Clerics and their followers, backed by Saudi Arabia''s religious police, have tried to stop many modern technological innovations, from television and radio to satellite dishes and, most recently, mobile phones with cameras.
Saudis can easily get around the government''s control mechanisms through proxy servers, dialling outside the kingdom and using more expensive fast-access services. "The policy of banning is past its time," Qahtani said.
But he said the ban had adversely effected Elaph''s popularity within the kingdom, which is home to Islam''s holiest sites as well as being the world''s biggest oil exporter.
Because it is Saudi-owned, Elaph has often been seen as an official mouthpiece of Saudi Arabia. Qahtani said the problems the site had with the authorities proved that was not the case.
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