ONE of the ongoing issues in the evolution of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been that of defining a civil law based on Shariah that transcends local and tribal practices in the legal realm to apply equally to all citizens of the Kingdom. The journey embarked on yesterday by two young Saudi men to spread the message that “racism” and “tribalism” have no place in a modern Saudi Arabia may seem like a publicity stunt. The two men are to drive an SUV through all regions of the country, meeting with regional governors, tribal leaders, notables, businessmen and citizens to drive home their motto: “No to racism. No to tribalism.” Publicity stunt it may be, but it is a worthwhile one, especially as it is sponsored by Prince Mishaal Bin Abdul Aziz, Chairman of the Allegiance Pledge Commission, which should guarantee that the men receive plenty of publicity at each of their stops. Actually, in many ways, it is up to the press to ensure that the men get the exposure that their message deserves to bring them. With both national newspapers and national television stations, Saudi Arabia should be fully informed about these men's government-sanctioned mission. Tribalism is a deeply ingrained feature of Saudi society, which is common to much of the Arab world. And, of course, there are tribal customs and traditions that members of the various tribes have every reason to want to continue. However, a civil society agrees to a blanket of uniform law that is applied to everyone equally. This means that certain aspects of tribal traditions are made subservient to the laws that treat everyone equally, regardless of what tribe one comes from or with which tribe an individual or group may be in conflict. Ultimately, everyone should prosper equally when civil law is applied uniformly. The individual is assured equal and uniform rights everywhere within his or her country and many traditions of tribal life will continue undisturbed. We all know that Saudi Arabia is not a mono-racial society and history and simple geographical location have exerted influences on the far-flung regions of the Kingdom. Bringing these disparate regions under the umbrella of a single, uniform civil law, however, brings strength, both economical and cultural, to the nation and its individual components. From many comes one. Civil society allows us all to prosper. __
