Discrimination against Shias a security threat to S Arabia

By: Mohamed Ali

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Unrest within the Shiite population is one of several ‘key threats’ Saudi Arabia faces to its energy infrastructure, a new report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) said.

The report, entitled “Saudi Petroleum Security: Challenges & Responses” examines the current and projected strategic importance of Saudi and Gulf exports, the nature and vulnerability of Saudi energy facilities, and the ways the Kingdom is dealing with the risk of terrorism and insurgency to protect its petroleum infrastructure.

The report states: “Saudi Arabia alone holds one-quarter of the world's proven oil reserves, with 259.4 billion barrels. According to the Energy Information Agency (EIA) of the U.S. Department of Energy, it has another 2.5 billion barrels in the Saudi-Kuwaiti Neutral Zone, and may contain up to 1 trillion barrels of ultimately recoverable oil ... Studies by the CIA, EIA and IRA all have found that Saudi Arabia is a key petroleum exporter and central to a steadily more interdependent global economy.”

“There is also the concern over the large Shiite Muslim population in the Eastern Province (Al-Ahsa, where much of the petroleum infrastructure is located),” the report states.

According to the report Shias have suffered from economic, political, and religious discrimination. The Saudi government has recognized that this represents a potential security threat and has taken steps to address Shia grievances.

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