Clear evidence of cruel and inhumane treatment of women was demonstrated in the tragic incident of 2002, whereby 14 girls died in a fire at a girl’s school in Saudi Arabia. Reasons being that the girls were not “modestly and properly dressed”. This has raised a debate in the country about the treatment of women and criticism towards Mutawa, the religious police that prevented rescuers to enter the building and save lives. The blame though, rested on a woman inside the school that was cooking tea.
This incidedent at the Saudi girl’s school is clear proof that discrimination against women is occurring on a large scale in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
FROM SAUDI PRESS
We tracked down some articles in the Saudi Press that evaluate this issue and have placed them on our blog in order for you to formulate your own opinions.
Many journalists including Nabila Hosni Mahjoub and Abdullah Abulsamh use the metaphor “jail” when describing the girls school:
“What about locking the doors and windows and making the school seem like a women’s jail? … The reasons behind this tragedy are many with the most important being negligence and indifference.”
Article by Nabila Hosni Mahjoub, Kingdom & Gulf, Sunday, March 17, 2002
In another article titled “The female problem”, Abdullah Abualsamh, targets directly those who were responsible for the incident.
This journalist attacks the male dominant culture and indicates it is:
“male obsession which transformed a girls school into a jail”.
And concludes:
“Fear of women being modestly and properly dressed continued to grip the minds of those in charge of girls education… The system is no longer relevant and cannot be justified”
Some good reliable reports about the incident can be found at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1874471.stm
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2002/03/15/saudia3801.htm
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