RIYADH, 1 November 2005 — Absence of dialogue between children and their parents has created a situation in which a section of the youth has been forced to contact psychiatrists who serve as a channel for the release of their suppressed feelings.
Interviews with a cross-section of young Saudis showed depth of the feelings that they cannot ventilate, the hopes that lie entombed in their hearts, and the fears that they cannot express. Being at the receiving end at school, at home, in the mosques, and, indeed, in the society at large, they have found themselves buried in the cocoon of silence. Participants in the national dialogue have called it “a time bomb waiting to explode”.
With no one to turn to, they look to the psychiatrist for counseling and professional advice.
“Sometimes I think that we are in a jail. We are not allowed to ask questions. All we have to do is to take down notes from our teachers who don’t speak to us,” Abdullah Al-Isa, a Saudi student, told Arab News.
However, there is a feeling among students that with the launch of the King Abdul Aziz Center for National Dialogue things could change. The center has already sent the message that it is in favor of a dialogue between different sections of Saudi society, especially in areas concerning the national interest, including educational issues.
As the center points out, one of its main objectives is to “establish the concept and etiquette of dialogue in society so that it becomes a life style and approach for dealing with all kinds of issues.” It seeks to broaden the participation of different sectors of society in the national dialogue.
In the absence of a dialogue, children argue with their fathers, while a deep gulf yawns between parents and children. As Muhammad Al-Qahtani, an intermediate school student, explains: “We spend six hours at school listening. There is no communication between the teachers and students, who are only at the receiving end in the class room.” He believes this is the root cause of tension in Saudi schools leading to assaults on teachers and the principal.
The tension that builds up at school sometimes boils over at home in the form of frayed tempers flying in all directions. According to Sharief Khandil, a ninth grade student of a government school, the display of tantrums manifests itself on the TV sports programs, where even the commentator gets carried away by the heat of the moment.
He points out that the announcer dictates terms to the guest on what he should or should not speak. There is no scope for an interactive debate. The freedom of expression is confined to a one-way street, with the audience playing the role of a silent spectator.
Even when there is an academic debate, according to Mubarak Al-Ghamdi, a second intermediate student, the dialogue takes place in a controlled environment, with the questioner heard but not shown on the TV.
