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Qatar Opposition
Because no public dissent is tolerated in Qatar,
opposition
usually manifests itself in royal family intrigue or
behind-the-
scenes grumbling by aggrieved parties. The apparent public
tranquillity is cultivated by the amir and by the private
but
closely controlled media. Incidents in the 1980s, however,
demonstrated that opposition to the regime existed.
In September 1983, for example, a conspiracy to
assassinate
the ruler or a GCC head of state was uncovered by Qatari
authorities, and seventy people were arrested.
Contradictory
press reports said that either some military people were
involved
or that the plot reflected a squabble among members of the
ruling
family. Qatari security forces learned of the plot from
Egyptian
intelligence via the Saudi Arabians. Informed that the
plotters
were backed by Libya, Qatar declared the Libyan chargé
d'affaires
persona non grata. The target of the plot, according to
conflicting reports, was either Shaykh Khalifa ibn Hamad
or GCC
heads of state who were coming to Doha for a November
summit.
Since then, there have been other reported assassination
attempts.
In August 1985, it was reported that Shaykh Suhaym ibn
Hamad
Al Thani, one of the amir's brothers, disappointed that
the
position of crown prince was given to Shaykh Khalifa ibn
Hamad's
son, Hamad ibn Khalifa, plotted a coup and maintained a
cadre of
supporters and a cache of weapons in the north of the
country.
When Shaykh Suhaym ibn Hamad died suddenly, his sons
blamed
Minister of Information and Culture Ghanim al Kuwari for
not
responding promptly to the call for medical help. After
supporters of Suhaym ibn Hamad and his sons attempted to
kill
Ghanim al Kuwari, they were imprisoned.
Soon after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Palestinians
and
Iraqis living in Qatar came under intense government
scrutiny.
Dozens were deported, and many more were forced to leave
after
their contracts were not renewed.
Data as of January 1993
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