The 1987 Sharjawi 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 d'etat attempt
editIn the early morning of June 17, 1987, while Sultan was on a trip to London since June 11, Abdulaziz with few hundred forces loyal to him seized Sultan's palace in Sharjah. Abdulaziz told the Emirates News Agency that his brother had resigned as ruler of Sharjah at the request of his family after admitting to gross financial mismanagement.[4] Abdulaziz ordered Sharjah International Airport closed. He also sent troops to the leading Sharjah-based newspaper, Al Khaleej, and evicted all editors and workers from the building.[3] Abdulaziz fortified his position with sandbag checkpoints inside the palace grounds. Other key installations, including the telephone exchange and main post office were seized.[2]
Sultan's wife denied the abdication of Sultan to Emirati officials. Sultan also had the full support of the rest of his family, which issued a statement the same night calling events in Sharjah “totally unacceptable.”[3] Initially, throughout the rest of the evening federal government media reported that Sultan had abdicated in favor of Abdulaziz, which led people to believe that Abdulaziz had the support of Abu Dhabi and the rest of the federal emirates. After midnight, Dubai put out a statement saying that they still regarded Sultan as the legitimate ruler of the emirate of Sharjah and described the coup as a ”reckless act.”[4][5] Sultan returned to the United Arab Emirates on June 18 and stayed in Dubai.[5] He stayed in the Dubai Ruler's guest palace in Jumeirah, where he was greeted by leading members of the ruling families of other emirates.[5]
Abdulaziz claimed Sultan's corrupt advisers squandered state money on expensive gambling in Europe and America and that under his leadership he would fight for the widows, workers, and debtors. Despite his pro-working class message, Abdulaziz platform did not resonate with the largely conservative population of Sharjah, and he saw little popular support.[3] Abdulaziz named members of his new executive council, but no one accepted and senior Al Qasimi sheikhs streamed into Dubai’s guest palace to pledge loyalty to Sultan.[3] Over the course of the coup it also became clear that Abdulaziz had failed to win over the whole of the Sharjah Amiri Guard, the standing force of Sharjah which consisted of approximately 2,400 members.[3]
By midnight June 18, it was clear that the UAE's leadership was unanimously opposed to Abdulaziz, and were going to take steps to reinstate his brother. On June 19, the Federal Supreme Council sent a delegation to Abdulaziz who still refused to call off the coup.[1] The Federal Supreme council formed a committee made up of the rulers of Ras Al Khaimah, sheikh Saqr bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Ajman, sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Fujairah, sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi and Dubai deputy ruler sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
On June 20, the Federal Supreme Council met in Al Ain and reinstated Sultan as Ruler of Sharjah after a compromise was negotiated where Abdulaziz will be named as Crown Prince of Sharjah.[5][3] In June 21, the Federal Supreme Council sanctioned a deal with Abdulaziz where he and his forces would surrender their arms, and walk out of the palace, in return Abdulaziz would renounce his claims on Sharjah and he would be named Crown Prince and all participants in the coup where to be given a blanket amnesty.[3]
However on June 21 Abdulaziz refused to attend an arranged meeting that would have finalized the compromise plan. Abdulaziz changed his message, instead calling for joint rule with his brother, and calling for a new executive council in Sharjah as well as personal control over Sharjah's oil and financial departments.[7]
Abdulaziz finally accepted the deal on June 24 and called off the coup attempt.[3][8][9]
Aftermath
editThe attempted coup was seen as a test by international observers of the effectiveness and strength of the federal government in the UAE, which has sought since 1971 to draw the smaller emirates into greater cooperation on federal issues.[7] The committee appointed by the Federal Supreme Council consisting of the sheikhs 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 coup d'etat efforts would be unsuccessful.[5]
Sultan was disturbed by the precedent of the federal government media reporting that Sultan had abdicated in favor of Abdulaziz and where Abu Dhabi was seen to favor Abdulaziz as it portrayed the fragility of the union, stating that it would cause a “Central American situation in the Gulf” opening the region up to frequent coups and foreign intervention. The power struggle between the two brothers would then continue in an uneasy truce until 1999 when a new Crown Prince was named.[3]
Neighbouring countries Saudi Arabia and Iran both backed a return to the status quo.[3]
Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Al Qasimi died of natural causes on January 23, 2005.[10] 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, sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed bin Sultan, being named Crown Prince in 1999.[11] The coup would largely be forgotten in the wake of the Gulf War just three years later.[5]
References
edit- ^ a b c PHILLIPS, JOHN. "Sheik rejects pleas to abandon coup in United Arab Emirates". United Press International. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ a b c 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 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 "EMIRATES ACT TO END COUP CRISIS". Chicago Tribune. 19 June 1987. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g Matthew, Francis (30 September 2008). "A trip down memory lane: Francis Matthew, Editor-at-Large". Gulf News. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ PHILLIPS, JOHN. "Troops dig in during coup crisis". United Press International. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ a b Richey, Warren. "Gulf federation works to end power struggle in Sharjah". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 14 January 2024.
- ^ 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.