Lesson Learned from the Death of Jamal Khashoggi

In an article in the Catholic Peace Weekly, a research professor of Middle East issues writes about the death of Jamal Khashoggi, the Saudi Arabia anti-government journalist, who was killed visiting the Saudi consulate in Turkey. Many are the lessons we learn from his death.
 
Khashoggi did not like the policies of the Saudi Crown Prince and fearing for his life went to the United States, took, some college classes, and became a visiting columnist for the Washington Post. He continued writing about his desire for the democratization of the Arab world and even helped to form a political party which upset the Saudi royal family. The royal family offered him a job in an attempt to placate the journalist asking him to give up his work in the States and return to Saudi. Khashoggi rejected the offer for moral and religious reasons. His wife left him and the rumor was that the government forced the divorce.
 
In May of this year, Khashoggi attended a seminar in Istanbul and continued to ask questions. He was in close contact with a doctoral student Hatice Cengiz. They fell in love and decided to start a new life together, and traveled together to the States.
 
Later he went to the Saudi Arabian Consulate in Istanbul to get a certificate of divorce from his ex-wife to marry Cengiz. The visit to the Consulate went well; he told Cengiz not to worry, they told him to come back for the papers on October 2nd for it will take time to prepare. On the day of the visit to the Consulate, he told his girlfriend that if he did not come out of the Consulate, she should notify an adviser to the president of Turkey and gave her the telephone number to call. He did not come out; never found his body or have any idea where it is.
 
Turkish intelligence officials are believed to have eavesdropped on the Saudi Arabian consulate but are giving the information through pro-government media but slow to reveal what they know because of serious diplomatic issues. Saudi Arabia denies involvement in the death of Khashoggi and excusing it as the work of  'rogue killers' with excessive loyalty to the prince. Turkey also released a statement saying that an assassination group of 15 landed in Turkey on the morning of Oct. 2nd.
 
Turkey has been in conflict with the United States, and not all has been well with Saudi Arabia for several years. She is also in financial difficulties. So efforts are being made to better the relationship with both Saudi Arabia and the United States by using the Khashoggi incident for their benefit.
 
The western countries that take human rights, freedom and democracy as core values are pressing the Saudi Arabian Royalty to reveal the truth of the Khashoggi incident but are slow to blame. A huge amount of weapons are exported to Saudi Arabia by these countries. French President Emmanuel Macron, when asked if France will continue to export weapons evaded the question. Prime Minister of Canada said he could temporarily suspend arms exports, but no decision. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has raised her voice and will stop exporting munitions until a proper explanation comes from Saudi Arabia.
 
The killing of Khashoggi is like watching a gloomy scene in a movie that one doesn't want to remember. When, in the international community, and in the here and now of life do we ever really experience justice done? Writing this article is not a luxury is it? Rarely do we have a nation or individuals do the right thing even when it hurts.