More on Saudi opposition

This information comes from the Arab Digest, which is evidently a Shi’ite Arab newspaper - and brought the news of yesterday’s fire.

UPDATE:
This was also covered by http://peakoil.com/publicpolicy/demonstrations-in-eastern-saudi-continue-posters-call-for-burning-of-oil/

Here is some helpful comments on Arab Digest that came as comments from a reader:
The Arab Digest is a Leftist blog; it supports dissidents in Syria, Iran, Egypt, Tunisia, and everywhere regardless of religion. It is truly independent and run by a bunch of reporters from all over the Arab World, most of which are Sunnis. Please be fair, and do not follow Saudi propaganda in tarnishing the image of the only website that has a Qatif reporter. 

Demonstrations in Eastern Saudi Arabia continue; posters call for burning of oil!

The Arab Digest,

3 February, 2012

Demonstrations continued today in oil-rich Eastern Saudi Arabia. Above, a photo of a demonstrator in Qatif raising posters in solidarity with Yemen. The smaller poster, left, shows an oil barrel; the word oil was written in both Arabic and English, and then a hand was setting fire to it, stating underneath "a message to America. Below is a close up:

The protests in Eastern Saudi Arabia have been ongoing for several years now; the protesters from the Saudi Shiite minority, a majority in the Eastern province, are only demanding end of all forms of discrimination in public and private sector jobs, improved housing (some live in shameful slums), and a ban on incitement against their faith. The hard-line religious establishment opposes any reforms, and continues to consider Shiites heretics. Recently, and when asked on the proper punishment for protesters, the Saudi Mufti cited the following verse from the Quran:

"The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter". (below, a photo of Saudi's mufti)

While yesterday's pipeline fire remains unconfirmed, our correspondent said that it's sure that "the fire was in that specific area, but it is unsure whether the pipeline had been affected. We think it is an attack, as the weather/heat level nowadays almost never leads to such fire".

For a report/timeline of events during the past week, leading to the incident yesterday GO HERE