Our newspapers never seem to stop writing about the trials and tribulations of Muslims and Arabs in the United States. The emphasis is on the humiliating treatment received from the authorities, especially the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), which is the equivalent of the passports department here in the Kingdom.
Many Muslims and Arabs are no doubt mistreated, regardless of whether they are university professors or simple laborers. No one is exempted and all are guaranteed the same treatment. Our papers overflow with reports of Saudis who have returned from America after being subjected to this kind of treatment, including fingerprinting and detention for long periods which in many cases stretched into months — and not usually for convincing reasons.
The truth is that whenever I read a story about the mistreatment of Saudis, I think of the treatment that many non-Saudis here in the Kingdom receive from Saudis, regardless of whether the non-Saudis are Muslims or non-Muslims, Arabs or non-Arabs, university professors or street cleaners. It is important to note that this mistreatment is no longer confined to the passports department but is now common in most other government departments. It has also come into our homes and affects those whom we employ as servants and domestic workers.
Have any of you visited a detention center and witnessed for yourselves how some Saudis treat those who have violated our immigration and residence laws? If you haven’t done so, please do. Go to the nearest detention center where detainees are held, talk to some of them and listen to their stories.
You must remember that many of those individuals have committed no crime. They are not murderers or thieves. Their only fault is that they have violated certain laws regarding their legal presence in the Kingdom.
They did so because they needed work and were ready to accept jobs that, for the most part, Saudis refuse. They are not criminals but simply unfortunate people who fled poverty and came here in search of work.
Laws should certainly be respected and enforced — but is it necessary for any Saudis to deliberately mistreat and humiliate others? Do those unfortunate individuals cease to be human beings just because they lack a certain piece of paper from one government department or another?
Please note that I am not generalizing here. But I wish our newspapers would be more responsible and stop publishing dramatic articles every time a Saudi is treated badly somewhere in America. Those in glass houses should not throw stones.
Arab News From the Local Press 3 February 2003
