JEDDAH, 30 May 2006 — A man in Tabuk has complained to the National Society for Human Rights that the chief of his tribe is compelling his Egyptian wife to seek a divorce from him. The man said in his complaint that the tribal sheikh would not allow any sort of reconciliation between him and his wife, according to Al-Watan newspaper.
“The sheikh used his influence to separate me and my wife and left the children with me,” the man said. “She left all five children with me though the youngest of them needs special attention as she is totally paralytic. In fact the disputes between us were just like those of any other couple but unfortunately, my wife laid the matter before the sheikh and he persuaded her to move into his house in Duba, which is 100 kilometers away. He forced her to file for divorce from me,” he explained.
On the other hand, the wife said she wanted a divorce because her husband was a cruel man who had beat her and insulted her almost every night for the past 13 years.
“Because of his brutal treatment, I began to loathe myself and my children. I hate him and will never live with him. I sought refuge at the kind sheikh’s house because I am a foreigner and have certain limitations. Now let the court decide,” she said.
The husband countered by saying that a few days ago he had gone to the sheikh, taking the children with him. He asked the sheikh to allow his wife to look after the children.
“I told him that my sick daughter needed special attention which I could not provide. He rejected my request, claiming that what she wanted was a divorce and not the children. I sought the help of some influential people but their efforts came to nothing. I also offered to give her my house for her exclusive use with the condition that the children should be allowed to live with her. She again turned down my request,” the frustrated husband said.
The sheikh has denied all the charges made by the man. He said, “This is a wicked man who persecutes his wife, knowing well the limitations of a foreign woman in this country. She left his house because he beat her brutally. She came to my wife, hoping to get refuge in our house. After that, I tried my best to reconcile the couple but she insisted on a divorce and now the case is in the court.”
Al-Jawhara Al-Anqari, vice president of the NSHR, said cases of this type were referred to “the Committee for Family Reconciliation” and that if the committee failed, the case would be sent to court.
