JEDDAH, 19 March — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd yesterday expressed his condolences over the death of 15 schoolgirls in last week’s Makkah school fire and promised that officials responsible for the tragedy would be brought to account.
“We have set up a higher committee to investigate the incident in order to learn the cause of the tragedy,” the king told the Council of Ministers’ first meeting after Eid Al-Adha holidays. “We will bring to account those responsible,” he added.
King Fahd reaffirmed the government’s determination to protect the lives of its citizens and provide the best possible educational facilities to both boys and girls.
Last Monday’s blaze at the Intermediate Girls’ School No. 31 in Makkah — which killed 15 students and wounded 52 others — triggered a nationwide uproar, with parents and intellectuals calling for the resignation the Presidency of Girls’ Education’s top officials.
Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard, sent a cable to Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, and chairman of the Higher Ministerial Committee, to take quick measures to prevent a repeat of such incidents.
The crown prince also threatened to take action against “negligent, incompetent and careless” officials, and ordered that a team be sent immediately to inspect all school and university buildings.
Addressing the Cabinet meeting, King Fahd denounced the Israeli government’s acts of terrorism against unarmed Palestinian civilians, urging the free world to intervene to stop the aggression. He said the Israeli oppressive acts were aimed at displacing the Palestinians and destroying their infrastructure and institutions.
“The present situation in the Palestinian territories demands sincere and decisive international action to stop the brutal aggression being committed by the Israeli occupation forces,” the king said. “The free world must make intensive efforts to protect the innocent Palestinian civilians and ensure their security and protection from the barbaric Israeli aggression,” the Saudi leader said.
The Cabinet meeting authorized the Supreme Commission for Tourism to take necessary measures for the Kingdom’s accession to the International Tourism Organization. The meeting affirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to ITO rules and regulations so long as they do not contradict with Islamic teachings.
The meeting directed the Health Ministry to hold a three-year media campaign highlighting the benefits of medical checkup before marriage and the danger posed by contagious and hereditary diseases. It urged the ministry to prepare laboratories and train the national cadre to facilitate such medical checkups all over the country.
The Cabinet authorized the foreign minister or his deputy to sign a cooperation agreement with Romania.
