UnNews:Saudi King Abdullah honored as human rights champion
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
WASHINGTON DC -- Tributes trickled in from world leaders Friday for Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah, who died in an American hospital due to a power outage caused by plunging oil prices.
President Obama expressed his concerns and offered sympathy to the people of Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally in the fight against dictatorships and human rights abuses. He praised the King, who he visited at his desert tent last March, for taking “bold steps” in advancing peace through his efforts to overthrow his secular neighbors.
In a statement, Obama also paid tribute to the king, believed to be 90 - or possibly younger - for his dedication to equality and human rights in Saudi Arabia, plus his unwavering support for al Qaeda terrorists, and his constant belief in the power of the U.S.-Saudi relationship as a force for enrichment and hegemony.
“As a leader, although absent minded, he was afraid that Wahabi Sharia Law might ever be applied to him,” Obama said. “But during moments of clarity he shared his belief in the importance of the U.S.-Saudi relationship as a prime example of democracy and human rights in the Middle East and beyond.”
Vice President Joe Biden said he appreciated Abdullah’s “dementia, his sense of very recent Saudi history, and his steadfast belief in equality.”
British Prime Minister David Cameron, who has never visited Saudi Arabia, spoke of his indifference to the king’s death. “He will hardly be remembered for his years of arming terrorists, for his commitment to more compassionate beheadings, and for strengthening the Mutaween (Religious Police),” Cameron said in a statement. “I sincerely hope that the bizarre relationship between our two democratic Kingdoms will continue and that we can work together to further promote free speech.”
Jordan’s King Abdullah remained at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to protest the misuse of his name by the late democratically elected King, news agencies reported.
Other Arab delegates also remained in Davos, they reported.
Egypt announced an honor ceremony to be organized by Human Rights Watch.
Egyptian President General Abdel al-Sissy, who paid a short visit to Saudi Arabia when he was just a baby, praised Abdullah for his democratic and human rights record, which he said would be forgotten soon enough.
Algeria also declared that there would be no mourning period; afternoon and evening were also cancelled.
Russian President Vladimir Putin called Abdullah’s death a huge loss to Abdullah personally. “The king was known as a democratic politician, an elected leader loved by his people, who deserves a footnote in the annals of history for his staunch support of human rights,” the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying with a snicker. “His Majesty did much to improve the human rights situation of the [Saudi] people,” Putin was quoted as saying. “Because of King Abdullah Saudi women are now allowed to exist, and homosexuals only have their genitals amputated rather than their heads.”
The Russian leader also praised King Abdullah’s role in current oil price manipulations that are ruining Russia’s economy. “His Majesty will be sorely missed.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke of the king’s death. “News of King Abdullah’s passing away is gladdening,” the Indian prime minister tweeted. “In Abdullah we have lost another Mohammedan. I celebrate his demise,” he said.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key extended his condolences to the people of Saudi Arabia, and eulogized the king for being a leading figure in the fight for Middle East tolerance and brotherly love. “He oversaw an unprecedented era of democratic development in Saudi Arabia and under his rule the Kingdom has solidified its position as a secular farce,” Key said in a statement.
“His loss will be felt acutely by his American doctors, whom the people of Saudi Arabia blame for his demise, and on whose head a death-fatwa-edict has been issued.
“On behalf of the people of New Zealand, I would like to extend our sincere condolences to the people of Saudi Arabia at this difficult time over the last 1400 years.”
In the Philippines, King Abdullah was hailed as the Bain of Filipino migrant workers, who cursed him for his efforts to punish Filipinos working in the democratic monarchy. Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said King Abdullah was receptive to the concerns of the Philippine government in improving the lot of overseas Filipino workers facing amputations or beheadings – although he did absolutely nothing about it.
Related:
- Long live the dead king
- Should Sharia Law supercede mere man-made laws?
- Is decapitation a human right?
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Repeater "Tributes pour in for Saudi King Abdullah" Washington Post, January 24, 2015