RIYADH, 9 April 2007 — Interior Minister Prince Naif yesterday urged the Saudi community not to endorse the culture of segregation between men and women. The remarks were met with applause from members of the audience where the prince was speaking.
“Segregation of men and women is not correct,” Naif told an audience consisting of officials, academics and media persons, who were attending an annual communication forum organized by the Saudi Association for Media and Communication here.
“Society consists of both men and women,” said Naif.
Speaking about Saudi women and their role in society, the minister said it “was necessary” that people realized the important role played by women and the achievements they have made.
“Women have their capabilities and they have a role to play which was given to them by the Creator...Women are our mothers, our sisters, and our wives,” said Naif, urging Saudis not to further endorse the culture of segregation that exists in Saudi society. “I hope this would be reduced.”
He also praised women in general, saying they are more patient than men and endure more hardships in their lives. “That is why the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said in a Hadith: ‘Heaven lies beneath the feet of mothers.’” He also mentioned how Muslims are required to be more obedient to their mothers than their fathers, noting the importance accorded them in Islam.
The prince, while speaking to the media after inaugurating the symposium entitled: “Media and Crises: Fundamentals and Strategies,” denied that the Kingdom had received wanted suspects from Iraq. “We have not received any suspects from them. And we understand the difficulty the government is going through there,” he said, adding that a senior government delegation from Iraq would visit the Kingdom soon “to open channels of communication” between the two countries.
Prince Naif also confirmed that the Kingdom had received a number of wanted suspects from Yemen, adding that the two governments were cooperating well on that front. “We cannot determine if they are wanted militants or criminal suspects until after we have investigated them,” he said.
Asked about the smuggling of weapons into the Kingdom from neighboring countries, Prince Naif said that there were people who were financially supporting smugglers from inside the Kingdom.
“We at the Interior Ministry have received information about this and this would be revealed later,” he said.
Asked about the possibility of Saudi-owned satellite channels, which are operating abroad, building their headquarters in the Kingdom, he said there was no objection to such an endeavor as long as the television channels were “constructive and not destructive.”
“In principle, I do not find any objection to this,” he said, adding that there are many negative Arab satellite channels whose only wish is to attract more viewers by airing profanity and immodest songs.
“These channels air what is contrary to our religion, culture, and principles,” he said, adding that other satellite channels aired beneficial programs, such as news, analysis, and useful documentaries.
Naif also urged Saudi journalists to be more responsible when reporting and to take extra care to verify the truth of what they are reporting. “They should not merely report what they hear just so they can get a scoop without first verifying the information,” he said.
He also called for more responsible journalism from Saudi newspapers and asked them to train their employees before sending them off on assignments. “That is the way it should be, not the other way round...Journalists should be trained before going out so they don’t waste time and can ask the appropriate questions,” he said.
Prince Naif also said that there was “no objection” to having private FM radio stations in the Kingdom, if it is proven that their establishment is in the Kingdom’s best interest.
Speaking about extremism in the Kingdom, the minister said that many of those who were brainwashing young Saudis had “corrupt moral backgrounds” and were losing ground in the Kingdom.
He added that the Interior Ministry had established a special section for crises and was cooperating with media institutions in the Kingdom to report accurate information whenever a terrorist incident or crisis occurs.
