JEDDAH, 19 November 2007 — Saudi female students in the UK and Ireland have expressed disappointment at being refused entry to the General Body of Saudi Clubs’ 27th general committee elections, which took place on Saturday at the King Fahd Academy in London.

The General Body of Saudi Clubs is an organization that overlooks the activities of Saudi student clubs that are dotted across the UK’s universities and colleges organizing events and providing assistance to Saudi students.

“I personally spoke to the Saudi cultural attaché, Abdullah Al-Nasser, before the elections. He welcomed the role of Saudi female students in voting and attending meetings for the General Body of Saudi Clubs,” said Maram Meccawi, a PhD student at Nottingham University and a member of the Saudi Club in Nottingham.

Meccawi said that she also recently met Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah at the Saudi Embassy, who was keen to know the needs of females students needs and support them to be active members.

The women who have been denied access to the elections are members of their local clubs and are upset that they have been denied the right to vote, and nominate themselves for local and national board committees.

Less than 24 hours before the elections, students received an email from the organizers of the meeting saying that female students were not allowed to attend or vote because the General Body of Saudi Clubs is not used to having women at the meeting. After pressure from women, another email was sent saying that women could attend. However, no women did as the email was sent out late.

Eng. Muhammad Al-Alsheikh, PhD student at the University of Leeds, was elected president of the body. He told Arab News that the issue of having women attending the meeting, nominating themselves and voting has to be referred to be officially addressed by the General Body of Saudi Clubs. He added that women have not participated in the body since its inception.

“We encourage women to take part in elections and want to allow them the opportunity to do so… this is something of high priority,” said Al-Alsheikh.

However, a vote was held at the meeting over the issue of whether women should be allowed to attend the annual meeting. Most participants voted against the idea.

Ahmed Maliebary, a PhD student and lecturer in English language at Nottingham University, who was also previously a general president of the organization, said, “Voting was random and was done through the raising of hands without ascertaining whether those voting had the right to vote. Not all members of Saudi clubs are allowed to vote. It looked like most of the attendees were against women attending and voting,” he said.

Maliebary added that efforts were made five years ago when he was president to have female students as links between the “Higher Commission for Saudi Schools and Clubs” and female students for events that target women. “The attempt was unfortunately unsuccessful. Maybe the timing was not good,” he said.

However, Ilham Qattan, the only female Saudi student to hold a position in the General Body of Saudi Clubs, said women were not allowed to attend the meeting as a result of the event being badly organized.

“The Saudi cultural attaché is on our side and does not mind the existence of women in these meetings. They actually meet throughout the year,” said Qattan, who was appointed coordinator last year.

She added that some female students are impulsive and are not aware that these steps must be taken gradually. “Imposing new concepts must be gradual in order to succeed and be based on certain rules, especially that we are supported by our embassy and Saudi bureau. The decision of women voting and attending the annual general elections is there but it needs to be well directed and will be implemented hopefully during this round,” she said.

Qattan is responsible for updating Saudi students of all news and regulations concerning them. She said that there are around 5,650 Saudi male students and 350 female students in Great Britain.

Princess Fadwa bint Khaled, wife of the Saudi Ambassador in London, Prince Muhammad ibn Nawwaf ibn Abdulaziz, will meet Saudi students in an opening informal meeting. Princess Fadwa will listen to their enquiries and discuss problems