The 1987 Sharjah coup d'etat attempt was a failed bloodless coup d'etat attempt by Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi against his brother Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, the ruler of the Emirate of Sharjah, in 1987. The economic recession in the 1980s oil glut and the mounting debts of the government of Sharjah at that time were the raison d'etre used by Abdulaziz for the coup attempt.[1][2]
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| Date | June 17, 1987 - June 24, 1987 |
|---|---|
| Location | Sharjah, United Arab Emirates |
| Participants | Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi |
| Outcome | Coup d'etat failed Negotiated settlement by the Federal Supreme Council
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The coup ended through a negotiated settlement by the Federal Supreme Council led by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the president of the United Arab Emirates. The negotiated settlement re-affirmed Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qassimi as the ruler of Emirate of Sharjah while naming his brother Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Al-Qassimi as the Crown Prince.[3]
Background
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Sharjah is the third largest emirate in the United Arab Emirates, with a population of approximately 220,000 to 269,000 in 1987. The discovery of oil in 1980 in Sharjah led the emirate to embark on an ambitious development plan, however when oil prices plummeted in 1980s oil glut, the emirate was left with around 400 million USD$ in debt.[1][3][4] In addition, Sultan's government has raised discontent among business owners with economic policies such as in October 1985 when his government prohibited the sale of alcohol in public places, dealing an economic blow to the tourism industry in Sharjah.[3][2]
Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Muhammad al-Qasimi was the heir apparent of Sharjah. However, after his brother, Khalid bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, was killed during another coup attempt by Saqr bin Sultan Al Qasimi, Abdulaziz was passed over for his younger brother, Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi.[3] Despite being passed over, by the time of the coup Abdulaziz was the Commander of the Sharjah Amiri Guard and the Chairman of Sharjah's Chamber of Commerce.[5] At the time of the coup, a diplomat stated that Abdulaziz had been planning the coup for years.[6]
Coup
editIn the early morning of June 17, 1987, while Sultan was on one of his many trips to Britain, forces loyal to ‘Abd al-‘Aziz seized and fortified the Emir's court, so when the population woke in the morning they found it surrounded by soldiers in trenches, jeep-mounted guns, helicopters patrolling the air, and snipers on the roof.[4][3] ‘Abd al-‘Aziz also saw support from local Sharjawi police, who kept protesters and loyalists away from the Emir's court.[5] The plotters positioned troops at key intersections throughout the city, and even installed artillery pieces near government buildings, but did not interfere in the day-to-day lives of Sharjah's citizens, and allowed the free transport of people and materials in and out of the Emirate with journalists noting a general calm and peaceful atmosphere in the city.[7] However, the Sharjah International Airport was closed, and Dar Al Khaleej, the largest newspaper in Sharjah was shut down and evicted by the plotters, with the reporters fleeing to Dubai.[1][4]
Early in the morning, ‘Abd al-‘Aziz told the Emirates News Agency that his brother had resigned as Sheikh at the request of his family after admitting to gross financial mismanagement.[4] Sultan's wife who was in Dubai at the time quickly denied this to Emirati officials, with Sultan being rushed to Dubai shortly after to condemn the coup.[3] ‘Abd al-‘Aziz announced that the corrupt advisers squandered state money on expensive vacations to Europe and America for their families, and even used state money for gambling and that under his leadership he would fight for the widows, workers, and debtors.[3] Despite his pro-working class message, ‘Abd al-‘Aziz's platform did not resonate with the largely conservative population of Sharjah, and he saw little popular support.[3] However, he did get support from the Emirate's business elite, who supported his secular pro-tourist economic outlook.[6] Over the course of the coup it also became clear that ‘Abd al-‘Aziz had failed to win over the whole of the Sharjah Amiri Guard, the standing army of Sharjah which consisted of ~2,400 members. Of which one third, or 800, joined ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, while another 800 where pro-Sultan and the remaining 800 where loyal to the Emirati federal government.[3] However, it seemed that the leaders of the Emirates would be willing to recognize and accept him as the new leader of Sharjah, with Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Sheikh of Abu Dhabi, and then President of the UAE, seemingly supporting the coup as a way to reduce Dubai's political influence and Abu Dhabi's debt, however, backed off after it became clear that ‘Abd al-‘Aziz was isolated both internationally and domestically.[3] Reuters described the coup as a generation defining political event for residents of Sharjah, but that it was largely a power struggle between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.[8]
By midnight going into June 18, it was clear that the UAE's leadership was unanimously opposed to ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, and were going to take steps to reinstate his brother.[5] ‘Abd al-‘Aziz changed his message, instead calling for joint rule with his brother, and calling for a directly elected democratic parliament to be established in Sharjah as well as personal control over Sharjah's oil and financial departments.[7] By this time Western media started to take notice of the unfolding situation, with The Washington Post suggesting on June 20, that the coup could lead to an inter-Emirate war between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, which the UAE "blandly" denied.[2] Additionally, ‘Abd al-‘Aziz's pro-worker message, coupled with his soldiers using Soviet surplus equipment, led many to fear the coup was orchestrated by the Soviet Union.[2][1]
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, then the UAE's Minister of Defense, is credited with most of progress during the negotiation, and with making Zayed abandon ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, as well as drafting the proposed settlement and acting as principle negotiator at the Emir's court.[9] Additionally, the UAE was pressured by Saudi Arabia to resolve the dispute diplomatically before the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries general assembly in Vienna that year.[10] On June 21, the Federal Supreme Council sanctioned a deal with ‘Abd al-‘Aziz where he and his forces would surrender his arms, and walk out of the palace, in return ‘Abd al-‘Aziz would renounce his claims on Sharjah and he would be named crown prince, or deputy emir, a title which would be inherited by his son, and all participants in the coup where given a blanket amnesty.[3] ‘Abd al-‘Aziz accepted the deal on June 24, and walked out of the emir's court with his son and military leaders.[3][10][11]
Aftermath
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The first coup in the Persian Gulf region since the 1973 oil crisis, foreign pundits speculated that the coup could spell the end for the UAE as a whole, with the 16 year-old federation nearly coming apart due to inter-Emirate rivalries.[3] Pundits speculated this coup would at least result in a reduction in oil output throughout the Persian Gulf.[7] Sultan was deeply disturbed by the precedent sent by the Federal Supreme Council's amnesty deal, stating that it would cause a “Central American situation in the Gulf” opening the region up to frequent coups and foreign intervention.[3] A committee of the Emirs of Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Fujairah led by Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum investigated the cause of the coup, and provided steps to ensure that any subsequent efforts would be unsuccessful.[5] After the failed coup Sultan purged his own guard and instead hired the Dubai emiri guards for his personal protection.[3] Sultan also spent several months after the coup living in Dubai claiming it was for his, and his family's safety.[5]
The power struggle between the two brothers would continue in an uneasy truce.[3] This would come to an end when `Abd al-`Aziz bin Muhammad Al Qasimi died of natural causes on January 23, 2005.[12] Before then the dispute largely ended with the death of Sultan's son and heir in 1999 with a compromise candidate from a distant branch of the family being named heir apparent.[13] This situation would be cemented with the 2019 death of Sultan's only other son, and the 2021 naming of Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi as crown prince, or deputy leader.[8] The coup would largely be forgotten in the wake of the Gulf War just three years later.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b c d PHILLIPS, JOHN. "Sheik rejects pleas to abandon coup in United Arab Emirates". United Press International. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d Phillips, John. "TROOPS SET FOR FIGHT IN ARAB EMIRATES". The Washington Post. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Huxley, Christian (20 September 1987). "A Central American Situation in the Gulf". Middle East Research and Information Project. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d "EMIRATES ACT TO END COUP CRISIS". Chicago Tribune. 19 June 1987. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Matthew, Francis (30 September 2008). "A trip down memory lane: Francis Matthew, Editor-at-Large". Gulf News. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ a b PHILLIPS, JOHN. "Troops dig in during coup crisis". United Press International. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ a b c Richey, Warren. "Gulf federation works to end power struggle in Sharjah". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ a b Ghantous, Ghaida. "Ruler of UAE's Sharjah appoints new deputy". Reuters. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ Salah, Hisham. "How Sheikh Mohammed helped foil coup attempt in Sharjah". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ a b PHILLIPS, JOHN. "Renegade sheikh gives up palace coup". United Press International. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "Council Returns Ruler of Gulf Emirate to Power". Los Angeles Times. 21 June 1987. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ "Ministry mourns death of Abdul Aziz". Gulf News. 23 January 2005. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ Rugh, A. (2007-03-05). The Political Culture of Leadership in the United Arab Emirates. Springer. p. 156. ISBN 978-0-230-60349-3.