page_title: List of active separatist movements in Asia
section_title: Saudi Arabia
hierarchical_section_title: List of active separatist movements in Asia / Saudi Arabia
context_page_description: This is a list of currently active separatist movements in Asia. Separatism includes autonomism and secessionism. What is and is not considered an autonomist or secessionist movement is sometimes contentious. Entries on this list must meet three criteria:
  They are active movements with current, active members.
  They are seeking greater autonomy or self-determination for a geographic region.
  They are the citizens/people of the conflicted area and doesn't come from other countries.
  Under each region listed is one or more of the following:
  De facto state: for regions with a de facto polity
  Proposed state: proposed name for a seceding or anticipated sovereign state
  Proposed autonomous area: for movements toward greater autonomy for an area but not outright secession
  De facto autonomous government: for governments with de facto autonomous control over a region
  Government-in-exile: for a government based outside of the region in question, with or without control
  Political party: for political parties involved in a political system to push for autonomy or secession
  Militant organisation: for armed organisations or insurgencies
context_section_description: Summary
  In 2013 Robin Wright’s colorful map of a politically re-divided Middle East in the New York Times, which illustrated her article “Imagining a Remapped Middle East.” The map, entitled “How 5 Could Become 14,” shows a hypothetical future division of Libya, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia into 14 potential new countries along with two additional city-states. I was immediately reminded of Ralph Peters’ troublesome remapping of the same region. As explained in a previous GeoCurrents post, Peters’ intriguing mental exercise in redrawing national boundaries was widely misinterpreted across the Muslim world as indicating a nefarious plot to enhance US power. As a result, the region’s pronounced anti-Americanism was further inflamed.
  Furthermore, in June 2012 the Yemeni newspaper Al-Shareh revealed the names of high-ranking Yemeni state officials and tribal sheikhs who had been receiving monthly bribes from Saudi Arabia. This sparked anger among Yemenis, and a group of Yemeni activists founded the "Asir Movement" in order to reclaim the provinces of Asir, Najran, and Jizan, which Yemen conceded in the 2000 Treaty of Jeddah. A "rights organization which has worked to denounce Saudi Arabia’s abuses in northern Yemen", the Asir Movement described itself as a “civil popular” movement that seeks to raise "internal Yemeni awareness" about the situation and to explore legal remedies against Saudi Arabia "for their involvement and assistance in abdicating Yemen’s historical right to its territories", all while emphasizing Yemeni unity. The movement sought to speak out against the 2000 Jeddah border agreement as well as the 1934 Taif Agreement that was signed in 1934 to end the Saudi–Yemeni War.
  The Qatif conflict refers to the modern phase of sectarian tensions and violence in Eastern Arabia between Arab Shi'a Muslims and Arab Sunni majority, which has ruled Saudi Arabia since early 20th century. The conflict encompasses civil unrest which has been sporadically ongoing since 1979 events, pro-democracy and pro-human rights protests and occasional armed incidents, which increased in 2017 as part of the 2017–19 Qatif unrest.
  Najran
  Ethnic group: Shia Arab
  Proposed state: Najran
  Militant organizations: Ismaili Defense Group, Ahrar al-Najran, Najran Valleys Liberation Organization
  Organization: Najran Ismaili Association
  Political party: Disobedience (Tamarrod), Najran Now
   Asir
  Ethnic group: Arab
  Proposed state:  Asir
  Advocacy groups: Abha Asir Highland Organization, Asser Regional Movement (ARM)
  Movement: Asir Movement, Idrisi Movement
  Militant organization: Democratic Popular Front for the Liberation of the Pennisula
  Organization: European Asir Organization
   Jabal Shammar (Ha'il Region)
  Ethnic group: Arab
  Proposed state:  Jabal Shammar
  Advocacy groups: Dhi Qar Shammar Tribal Union, Jabal Shammar Exile Association, Shamariyeh
  Militant organization: Al-Sanadid Forces
  Movements: Asir Movement, Idrisi Movement, Shammar Revival Movement, Qajtanite Movement
  Organization: Haiyel Shammar People's Organization
  Political party: Shammar Nation
  Al-Hassa (Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia) (Qatif conflict)
  Ethnic group: Shia Arab
  Proposed state: Al-Hassa
caption: Najran