The Canadians are mighty upset. And they have every reason to be. It was reported that some Canadians were abused and mistreated at a Middle East Education and Training Exhibition in the city of Jeddah last week. They were manning a booth to promote the different Canadian institutions to prospective Saudi students. Their crime? They were women!
Members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice closed down the booth, believing it to be an affront to the Kingdom’s laws of segregation. This in spite of the permission previously obtained by the Canadians from the authorities for the presence of properly attired women to conduct the business of wooing Saudis seeking higher education to some of their respectable institutions.
The Canadian Embassy shortly afterward released the following statement: “The closure of our booth was an unjustified, unprofessional act that damages the image of Saudi Arabia internationally. Prior to the event, we specifically inquired whether women staff would be permitted at the exhibition and were told by the organizers that they would.”
The president of the Canadian Education Network George Chrysomilides stated that this was a first in their 10-year history at the event. “From what I hear ... the religious police were very rude. They shouted at them in a way that was disrespectful and they shut down the Canadian Embassy booth as well as the LaSalle College booth. We did everything that Saudi rules require. Why did they have to close it down?” said the president.
He added that in the past both men and women jointly manned the Canadian Pavilion booth, with full respect to the rules of attire.
Even when he took his wife to the event three years ago, she donned her abaya over her clothes.
And just over a month ago, a personality no less than Interior Minister Prince Naif publicly stated that “segregation of men and women is not correct,” and that “society consists of both men and women.”
In discussing the role of Saudi women in society, the minister said it “was essential” 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 the minister, urging Saudis not to promote the custom of segregation that exists in Saudi society. “I hope this would be reduced,” he declared.
Over a year ago, a government figure no less powerful than the king of Saudi Arabia took it upon himself to invite a delegation of Saudi businesswomen to accompany him on state visits to India and China. The trip was reported by the local press and broadcast media, with pictures of the king with the delegation. Obviously there was no issue of segregation then.
So why now, and under whose interpretations of the laws? Why should some people try to undermine any action or policy designed to modernize our society and accelerate the progress of this country? Where do they indeed plan on having this country end up? The suffocating reins of extremism?
What rights do people have to override established laws? And abuse others along the way?
This time it was the Canadians who were the target. Who will be next? And will it ever stop? Have they become a law unto themselves? Have they outlived their usefulness?
The Canadians are justified in stating that such incidences tarnish the image of Saudi Arabia globally. This particular incident was picked up by most of the world’s press, and has effectively portrayed all of us as fanatics. I deplore what happened to the Canadian representatives at the exhibition and offer my apologies. I am also deeply offended by the actions of the commission.
It is time that personal interpretations and beliefs of our laws and social customs were put to rest.
Instead of exerting their efforts to get rid of child abuse through beggary so evident on our streets, or protecting female domestics from abusive employers, or advancing the rights of unpaid employees, the commission appears to have only one focus in mind, and it is defenseless women!
