Shoura Council President Abdullah Al-Asheikh has rightly denounced “the irresponsible” statement by Swedish Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom against Saudi Arabia. (“Swedish antics condemned,” March 19)
The country, which is at the lowest end of morality, which tops the list of most cases of rapes in the world, which has a dubious distinction of exporting arms, which is repeatedly taken to task by the UN Human Rights organization and Amnesty International as also by the US Human Rights Reports for various cases of human rights violations, has this audacity to talk about Saudi Arabia.
The hard fact is that these countries are envious of Islamic countries like Saudi Arabia, which is relatively peaceful, which is placed at the bottom of the world crime list and which is very calculatedly but surely opening space for those women, who want to study, work or run business.
This is unlike several Western countries that have unleashed women as a consumers’ product, as wild creature that are free to do anything and as a showpiece to entertain the world of men, which is again against the norms of a civilized and a normal society; and surely which is against the principles of Islam. Such a misguided behavior coming out of a responsible country is therefore not without reasons. It smacks of agendas that go far beyond the news headline. Countries like Sweden consider within their right to campaign against Islam, ban the veil, stop Adhan (call to prayer) and defame the Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) — all in the name of “freedom” and “human rights.” Al-Asheikh is right when he says it is clear interference in the Kingdom’s internal affairs and which goes against international charters and diplomatic norms.
I appreciate the bold stand that the Kingdom has taken to rebuff Sweden in castigating the Saudi judicial system. The silly statement by the Swedish minister is indeed an attack on Shariah. — Ahsan Usmani, Makkah
Sweden’s childish act
