This refers to Jon Park’s letter, “Expat compounds” (May 7). Responding to Abdulateef Al-Mulhim’s column “A German girl in a Saudi wedding," Park says: “It is a great shame that some of the new compounds in the area look like huge American “Supermax” prisons. The sprawling and supremely ugly British Aerospace compound blighting Half Moon Bay would not have passed even the preliminary planning stages anywhere in Europe.”
In fact, expat compounds are nothing but money-making centers. Typically, a high-rise compound wall has barbed spiral wiring and its adjoining roads are encroached with huge concrete barricade blocks. The compound is guarded by uniformed guards at its main entrance. All of this seem to give an illusion that Westerners live in fear in the Kingdom. Some compounds are charging excessive rents, such as, over SR 250,000 per year, which costs heavily to the employer. Fear of terrorists has almost disappeared since the government's crackdown on them and hence, there is nothing to fear about in the Kingdom.
If terrorists want to attack Westerners, they can still do that when these people visit malls, markets and other open places. Why is there a need for such high-priced compounds? Or is it fashionable to stay in one? Are Westerners required to stay in high security prison-like compounds?
Also, the concrete barricades erected by compound owners on roads alongside the compounds create traffic chaos.
I don’t think Saudi nationals are staying in these high security and high-priced compounds because of their cultural background. (Ibrahim Hussain, Alkhobar)
Need for recycling
I have been living in Jeddah for the past four years and I have noticed that there is an excessive need for recycling bins here. I commend the municipality for placing several garbage bins on the streets, so that those of us who want to, can throw the trash in the bins instead of littering them on the streets. However, bottles and cardboard boxes that are thrown along with the garbage can be recycled. Several times, I have noticed poor people scavenging garbage bins for these cardboard boxes and other recyclable items so that they can sell them. It would be in the interest of public health to provide a clean medium for the collection of recyclable items. (Madiha Faheem, By e-mail)
Indian reality show
It is good to see Mr. Perfectionist Aamir Khan’s maiden TV reality show “Satyamev Jayate” (Truth alone prevails) first episode throw light on the sensitive issues of female feticide and human trafficking in India. The jeopardy was very well highlighted by Khan with a focus on the real causes for decline of sex ratio and human trafficking in India. This meaningful and thought-provoking reality show sends a strong message both to the literate class and the government to take all possible measures by educating the masses as well as implementing and enforcing the rules and laws to prevent feminine gender discrimination, female infanticide and human trafficking. Khan's program threw light on the plight of thousands of women from poor families in eastern states, who are being sold in places such as Rajasthan due to a dearth of women. We should draw inspiration from such reality shows to make the lives of Indian women better. I believe that one episode is far too little to change the way a nation thinks. But it is enough to remove the veil of ignorance from people's minds. Instead of waiting for things to change, each enlightened human being has the responsibility to get out of their comfort zone. I hope a future episode focuses on the issue of dowry, which causes so much heartbreak among families and leads girls to commit suicides. I salute the whole team of Satyamev Jayate. Khan's reality show can bring a revolution to small screen in India. Satyamev Jayate touches the heart and opens the eyes of Indians around the world. (Mir Gazanfar Ali Zaki, Jeddah)
Letters to the Editors: Compounds are money-making centers
