Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad - press photo
CAIRO- 24 December 2017: As the severed diplomatic relations continue between the tiny emirate of Qatar and four major Arab States (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab of Emirates and Bahrain), a threatening standoff escalates between the Qatari regime and the emirate’s tribes rejecting Prince Tamim bin Hamad’s policies.
A Senior Sheikh of Al Murrah tribe, Sheikh Mansour bin Rashed dissented from the ruling regime in Qatar on a video circulated by Twitter users on Saturday.
Sheikh Mansour bin Rashed condemned The Qatari Prince Tamim bin Hamad’s unreasonable policies, including hostile practices against the Qatari citizens, and his constant feud with the neighboring Gulf States.
“I denounce the ruling regime’s policy, which supports terrorism, deploys Turkish and Iranian troops in the emirate and persecutes members of Al Murrah tribe”, announced Sheikh Mansour bin Rahsed on the video.
Sheikh Mansour broke his long silence and explained that his existence inside the rich gas emirate makes him fear being arrested by the authorities, adding that he may have his citizenship revoked by the Qatari regime.
Al Murrah tribe members got caught in a lengthy dispute with the Qatari authorities after rejecting the tiny emirate’s vandalizing agenda in the region, leading to four Arab states – Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab of Emirates and Bahrain- cutting diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5.
On August, Qatari authorities revoked the citizenship of Sheikh Taleb Bin Lahom Bin Shreim and 54 members of his family who belong to Al Murrah tribe in a step considered as an arbitrary act by various Human Rights organization.
The call was made as a reaction for the tribe’s opposition against the Regime’s destabilizing policies in the region and its dispute with the neighboring Gulf States.
The Arab Federation for Human Rights (AFHR) described the Qatari call as a ”revenge” against the members of the tribe for using their natural rights to freedom of expression and movement.
The Qatari authorities took further steps when it confiscated the properties of the members with the revoked citizenship, following the call with a systematic persecution against all the clans belonging to the large tribe, such as Al Ghufran clan.
Hundreds of Banu Yaam tribe- connected to Al Murrah tribe- in Saudi Arabia gathered on the borders with Qatar on September to protest against the Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani who striped the nationality of Sheikh Talib bin Mohamed Bin Lahoum Bin Sherim.
Social media users circulated photos and videos of the gathering which is believed to be the first of its kind in a long time. The Qatari royal Sheikh Sultan Bin Suhaim Al Thani, a son of the first-ever foreign affairs minister of Doha, participated in the Yaam tribe meeting .The prince boycotted Qatari regime since the outbreak of the Gulf crisis in June. He released earlier this month a televised speech where he criticized the Qatari leadership’s position towards terror groups in the region.
The Qatari regime has also revoked the citizenship of another senior tribal leader, Sheikh Shafi Nasser Hamoud al-Hajri, a senior member of Shaml Al-Hawajer tribe, which is connected to the famous tribe of Qahtan. Along with the famous Qatari poet Mohammed Al-Marri who belongs to Al Murrah tribe.
Hundreds of members of Al-Qahtan tribe in Saudi Arabia gathered on the border with Qatar to formulate a roadmap to face Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani’s violations against Qatar’s tribal opponents.
Social media users circulated photos and videos showing hundreds of vehicles heading to the eastern area of Saudi Arabia to support the prominent leader of Shaml Al-Hawajer tribe, Sheikh Shafi Nasser Hamoud Al-Hajri.
Al-Murra resides in countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Wadi Amad of Yemen, however large segment of the tribe lives in Qatar.
The tribe was known of its staunch support for Sheikh Khalifa Al Thani, the former Emir of Qatar who was deposed in 1995 in a coup by his son Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa.
The tribe attempted to orchestrate a coup against Hamad bin Khalifa, which was foiled, to have 52 members of the tribe sent to jail in February 2000.
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