Saudi Press Roundup

Abha explosion signals Daesh end
The terrorist incident, which has targeted the Special Emergency Forces mosque in Asir signals a long battle ahead with Daesh.
The truth will ultimately triumph not just because we are on the right side of the battle, but also this satanic group of Daesh poses threat to Islam and its followers.
Saudi Arabia will remain the center of Islam and a beacon of truth doing good work in all parts of the world under the banner of monotheism. The Kingdom was the first country to have called for co-existence and tolerance, taking a clear stand against hatred and aggression.
These are plausible reasons why Daesh criminals in their pursuit to draw a distorted image of Islam target the Kingdom. The forces of evil will therefore continue to target the country.
This has been since a year that Daesh has attempted to shift its savage strategy to the Kingdom as it has done previously in Iraq, Syria and Libya.
But this Daesh approach is miserably failing because every crime that the group commits in Saudi Arabia it becomes an instrument for more unity and cohesion among its citizens.
For instance, just have a look at the Daesh operations, which would earlier aim at provoking sectarian seditions by bombing Shiite mosques in Qatif and Dammam. The Saudi citizens in return responded with more tolerance and co-existence and better understanding between the two communities.
The Thursday bomb blast at the Asir mosque also failed to terrorize security men or wreck havoc among people when citizens rushed to provide assistance to the injured.
— Tariq Ibrahim, Al-Watan

Dealing with terror?
Never ever had we imagined that a day might come when a Muslim would blow himself up to kill others and such an act will inspire many sick minds to sympathize with it, worse they will join such organizations creating havoc and killing peace-loving people.
In fact, this tragic situation, which runs counter to the nature of human perception or human instinct to love for life, cannot be attributed to any differences in the interpretation of the principles of Islamic Shariah. Rather we need to analyze this state of tragedy deeply and seriously.
It seems to be a deeper malaise than just a crazy idea to re-shape the geographical contours of the Middle East. The problem, I think, is beyond the capacity of one country to deal with it individually. And this is perhaps one reason why regional and global alliances were set up to sign security deals to face this scourge of terror collectively. But is that enough? Could there be a permanent solution?
It seems the problem is arising from a variety of reasons including, among others, ineffectiveness in law enforcement, inequality in society, unemployment, poverty, behavioral and ethical deviations, excessive use of violence, and creeping weaknesses in the religious and moral scruples.
These factors should be analyzed, individually or collectively, within each country or within a group of countries such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). To make it succeed, transparency should be strictly adopted in the presentation and study of cases. Meanwhile, willingness and courage should also be shown to reach the required reforms.
— Hashim Abdu Hashim, Al-Riyadh

Ministry’s careful handling
The Ministry of Interior has handled the blast incident that occurred in the Special Emergency Forces mosque in Asir wisely and in a very careful manner. It appeared transparent while giving the exact number of casualties, which shows the ministry’s being straightforward when it comes to communicating with the people.
If the incident had happened in any other country, a layer of secrecy would have been maintained and media banned from approaching for any details.
But with the immense experience the ministry has in handling cases of terrorism, it opted for an open policy disclosing basic information and thus keeping citizens and residents abreast of what has happened. This was also to curb any attempts to instigate seditions and undermine security or even spread rumors among security men themselves.
Establishing communications with the people at this hour of crisis also testifies to a professional approach of the information center at the ministry to encourage citizens and residents standing together with the security men in fight against the deviant thought.
As regards to the incident a question may be asked. If the security men were targeted in a mosque, who is then on the right course?
The one who went to a house of Allah to say his prayers with other Muslim brothers, or the one who secretly crept into the mosque to explode a bomb on those bowing before God?
It was a dirty act to target security men and a failed attempt to destabilize security. It was aimed to frustrate successful handling of the government in foiling such terrorist operations.
Moreover, the wide anguish and condemnation from citizens and visitors of the social networking media over the terrorist act has renewed confidence in our devoted security men who have repeatedly foiled similar acts in the past.
We are all security men, let us unite together and stand closely with our sons and keep the terror elements away from deviant thoughts.
— Fahad bin Jalaid, Al-Jazira

Model education
The foundation of education is centered on two important things: Buildings and curriculum.
The first allows students to meet their requirements by means of well-equipped classes, labs, sports facilities; and the second is a suitable but scientific curriculum to make children morally fit and scientifically prepared to serve the nation once they graduate from such educational institutions. Minister of Education Dr. Azzam Al-Dakhil realized the first condition when he opened an integrated school last May which is first of its kind and which presents a welcome model.
The second yardstick, which is related to quality of education, should come into being at the same level of the (model) school project and be generalized in all parts of the Kingdom.
Private school owners are those who invested their money in building schools with modern buildings and relatively good education based on global curriculums taught in their original language (English) in addition to Arabic and Islamic studies.
In these schools, parents see the progress of their sons and daughters in terms of subjects and the level of the English language, which they speak as their “mother tongue,” in a manner that they discover a “wonderful world” of scientific books written in this language and, hence, allow them to build creative characters.
Definitely, not all private schools are run at the level described above but a few of them have managed to provide their students with distinct education.
However, such schools manipulate the situation to hike fees annually for alleged exorbitant operation costs. We believe this manipulation will not stop unless the minister of education initiates a model education program coping with our values that could create a talented generation proficient in more than one language conducive to a wonderful future.
— Siraj Abu Saud, Al-Sharq

Javad Zarif’s sermon
The Lebanon-based As-Safir newspaper has recently published an article by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
The article is based on regional dialogue including respect for the territorial integrity, sovereign independence of all countries, non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, peaceful settlement of disputes, prevention of threat or use of force, and efforts to bring about peace, stability and progress in the region.
There could be no difference of opinion with the Iranian foreign minister on the principles of dialogue and rights of neighbors.
However, this statement, which was termed by Zarif as “ethical and imperative, which cannot be ignored in our contemporary world,” no longer carries its historical value.
Maintaining neighborly relations too have certain principles that are subject to bilateral as well as international laws. Selection of a neighborhood has therefore no longer any importance in light of laws binding all people together. Countries never select which nation it would like to have relations with. It all depends on one’s behavior and abiding by the laws that define a country’s neighborly relationship.
Any one-sided change in a country’s geographical locations is a pure fiction and the Iranian foreign minister’s article was closer to imagination when he combines his idea with wishful thinking.
He based his article on the idea that neighbors need to return to their senses and avoid intervention and violence, so you’d think that the one who wrote the article is the foreign minister of Switzerland.
Since we cannot change our (Saudi Arabia and Iran) locations, we are thus created to be neighbors. Iran is not only a neighbor from a geographical viewpoint, but we share with it common values, history and kinship ties.
We hope the smiling minister will apply one quarter of his ideas contained in the article, and at that time we can assure him that the Gulf people and other Arabs will implement the remaining portion of the sermon.
— Dawood Al-Sheryan, Al-Hayat

Working under the sun
The Kingdom is currently experiencing an extreme hot climate, notably during midday particularly in several parts of the Eastern Province where temperatures has topped 50 degrees Celsius.
In several other cities, temperature averaged 46 degrees Celsius during the same period. Evenings are no exception. In Riyadh for instance the temperature recorded was 44 degrees Celsius at 10 p.m.
There are so many laborers working in different projects under direct sun heat on the order of their employers or contractors with scant regard for the health of their laborers.
The Ministry of Labor has already issued a memo banning work under sun heat with the exception of certain sectors, which necessitate emergency works.
However, employers in most cases tend to ignore the ministry’s order, rarely telling their workers about the existence of such laws and therefore they deny them their rights in these adverse weather conditions.
Workers do not know that the contractor who forces them to work under sun heat is commiting a violation punishable under Article 236 of labor law which imposes a fine not less than SR3,000 and not exceeding SR10,000, closure of the firm for up to 30 days, final closure or combining the two penalties.
The laborers also do not know that the Ministry of Labor has allocated a phone number (19911) to receive inquiries related to violators of the work ban law.
Nevertheless, conscience of some people never responds for a moment to see workers working under hot sun while they sit in air-conditioned rooms and offices.
It’s an Islamic duty to have mercy on hired laborers. These Islamic duties and rights are needed to be spread among them. For those who show mercy to others, Allah will have mercy on them.
— Ibrahim BaDawood, Al-Madinah