Sunday Times 2
Present Gulf crisis: Qatar and four neighbouring nations
Diplomatic relations severed between Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates and Egypt combinedly entered three months on August 5. They met in Manama on this day to discuss the strategies to be adopted in the future. As is common knowledge, on June 6, the four countries mentioned broke off diplomatic links with Qatar and presented 13 demands to the rulers of this nation, to respond in ten days time if the diplomatic ties were to be restored.
These demands were mainly relating to Qatar’s relations with some rebel groups active in the region. They are ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria), Muslim Brotherhood, active in Egypt, Hamas active in Palestine and Al-Houthi rebels fighting against the Yemen Government, in Al Bayda in eastern Yemen. These groups have had their distinctive roles at different times in the different countries.
2. Stop human relations violations against the citizens, and expatriate nationals. These allegations are perhaps common to all other members of the Gulf and Middle East as well. There were some fresh allegations against Qatar, for exploiting expatriate and local labour groups who are working strenuously and under unhealthy and unsafe conditions, to modernise and install facilities for the Foot-Ball World Cup Tournament to be staged in 2022.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) meeting with Qatari envoy Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali bin Jassim al-Thani in Jeddah on August 16, 2017. King Salman has ordered the reopening of the border with Qatar to hajj pilgrims, state media said, in an apparent effort to depoliticise the annual pilgrimage as a major diplomatic crisis roils the region. Pic AFP/AL-EKHBARIYA
3. Close down the Al-Jazeera media channel
4. Stop criticising the rulers of the neighbouring countries and
5. Stop interference.
This perhaps, is a sequel to some assistance Qatar has allegedly given to some anti-government forces working against these countries. Saudi Arabia especially resents Qatar’s rather close links with Iran who is a foe of Saudi Arabia. The Iranians are mostly Shiite and the Saudis are Sunni Wahabi’s. United Arab Emirates has border conflicts with Qatar over islands in the Gulf, and likewise Bahrain. There were allegations that Qatar was supporting the Arab Spring groups in both these countries. In fact it was also alleged that Qatar paid one billion dollars to a group calling itself, Artera in Iraq, paid to, Tahir-al Sham and Ahrar-al-Sham, supporting ISIS, to obtain the release of two hostages, one of them being a member of the royal family.
6. There was also the demand from Egypt, to expel the members of the Muslim Brotherhood, who supported the previous Islamic regime of Mohamed Morsi, in 2013, against Abdel-al-Sisi, from Qatar.
7. They were also urged to sever relations with Iran.
8. It was alleged that Qatar funded the anti-Muammar Gaddafi forces to topple him and he was finally assassinated. Qatar was allegedly supporting Arab Spring forces in Egypt and Libya and the Qatari flag was flown over buildings there by anti- government forces in 2011. In these incidents Turkey had supported Qatar to strengthen the Turkish base in Qatar, and she is presently an ally of Qatar
9. Qatar also has the biggest US base in the Gulf which is resented by even Saudi Arabia, who is an ally of the US.
10. On the other hand Qatar has given refuge to a Russian national, supposedly to a hacker of emails of Ambassador Yousef of UAE to Washington, which angered the UAE.
These allegations are prominent among the factors leading to the present diplomatic crisis. While the Arab countries blockaded air and sea routes to Qatar, Turkey and Iran have come to Qatar’s aid. Meanwhile, Yemen, Maldives, Mauritania, Senegal, Moldova, Somaliland, Libya, (Tobruk-based Government not recognised yet), came out in support of the allies of Saudi Arabia, by imposing sanctions.
In order comprehend fully, the events referred to above it would be necessary to briefly understand the geo-political standing of the State of Qatar. It is small, but the second wealthiest nation in the world, judging from the unutilised gas reserves.
It is in the Arabian Gulf jutting into the space of Saudi Arabia, and having common borders with UAE, and Bahrain. The original settlers in the 1700s had been pearl fishers and nomadic herders. As the population increased in this community, in 1867, Bahrain, raised issues on borders. They however, recognised later the sovereignty of this country. The Al Thani family became the rulers who migrated from a place named Najd in Arabia, from which other tribes descended in Bahrain and UAE as well. At the invitation of the Emir of Qatar, Turkish Ottoman forces established a garrison in the years 1871-1913. In 1966 the British were invited to extend support in external relations, but the British were in the region exploring petroleum products, since 1939.The revolutionary development took place in Qatar too with new oil fields, and gas fields. Strangely in 1960 Qatar invited UAE and Bahrain to establish a confederation, which did not materialise. In 1968 Britain withdrew from Qatar and in 1971 she became independent. However in 1972 Khalifa bin Al-Thani usurped power in a palace coup. The country had been stable and in 1990, she supported Kuwait against Iraq’s Saddam Hussein, to gain liberation. Maybe now Kuwait’s Emir Al Sabah, is showing gratitude by supporting Qatar, in negotiations, and sending foodstuffs and economic support. Sheikh Khalifa was deposed by his son Hamad in 1995, on allegations of funds transfers to his personal accounts while he was abroad. Al Jazeera was started as an independent channel by a family member of Al Thani’s in 1996.With the idea of introducing democracy municipal elections were held and that too irked countries like Saudi Arabia, in 1999. However, there was dissention in the family and in 2001 a cousin of the emir and 32 others were jailed allegedly for planning a coup.
In 2002 Al Udaid air base was developed by the US and it was considered as necessary for external security. In 2003, a new constitution to establish, a parliament was promulgated with 45 members, 30 elected and the rest appointed. These measures were not to the liking of other Gulf states. In August 2003 Emir Sheikh Hamad appointed his younger son Sheikh Tamim to succeed him as the Emir, by-passing the elder son, Jassim. He is also a Sandhurst trained soldier and specialist in defence like his father. They tried to balance relations with both the West and Russia and China to the country’s advantage. However, in 2004, a former Chechnyan President taking refuge in Qatar, Zelimkhan Yanderbiyev was killed in an explosion, in Doha, and two Russian agents were apprehended and sentenced which led to a deterioration of relations between Russia and Qatar, leading to an extradition of the two Russians to Russia. This was quoted as an instance of Qatar interfering in the affairs of other nations. There were groups belonging to dissident factions of militants freely moving in Qatar. A car explosion near the British School in Doha killed a British national and injured 12 others. Due to these incidents the government had to be cautious in their dealings with foreign countries in the sphere of defence. The Gulf Cooperation Council warned Qatar on these incidents.
In the meantime, Qatar was becoming the world’s foremost liquified exporter of gas. With these incomes it was possible for Qatar with Dubai to become the two biggest shareholders on the London Stock Exchange. The country was becoming liberal in religious freedom reflected by the permission given to the Roman Catholic church to establish their church freely in Qatar. On their assistance to Palestine, in the conflict with Israel, they severed trade ties with Israel in 2009. In the field of sports, Qatar won their bid to host the Football World Cup in 2022, for which they are building the infrastructure. They were members of the contact group on Libya, and in 2011, it was said they were responsible for the ouster of Leader Muammar Gaddafi, thus helping the opposition and western powers. In the same vein Sheikh Hamad, visited Gaza, after the Hamas won control of the territory from Israel. In the face of these moves by Qatar, its neighbours, South Africa, and Bahrain temporarily withdrew their ambassadors from Doha, in 2014. In a show of support to Yemen Qatar and four other Arab States, took part in the air strikes against al-Houthi rebels in Yemen to appease the human rights lobbies. Qatar changed its immigration and visa laws on the changing of jobs by expatriate labour who have been brought to a specific job in 2016, and now they have allowed prior-visa- free travel to the country by nationals of some selected countries like India.
In the backdrop of the diplomatic impasse three months ago, Qatar is being helped by the west and other friendly countries. The factors that had been stated against Qatar by the others are according to some, really unfounded.
Some analysts believe that this is another example of a small nation, wealthy, who does not want to become an appendage to a big neighbour, but steers clear to have an independent foreign policy, while building good neighbourly relations; the tussle is of course between Saudi-Arabia the regional hegemon supported by United States’ Donald Trump, who changes his policy all the time and the State of Qatar, who stands on their feet, with a few neighbours, weathering the storm. How this crisis will fizzle out is anybody’s guess.
(The writer was a foreign service ambassador who served in Qatar.)