MAKKAH: The Ministry of Social Affairs in Makkah has set up a five-member committee to discover the reasons behind last week's rioting by young girls at a juvenile center, said Ali Al-Hanaki, director general of social affairs in Makkah province.
He said an additional 17 woman employees had been appointed at the center following the rioting, adding that they were called in from other centers belonging to the ministry.
"We'll find suitable solutions for the problems at the Makkah center," said Al-Hanaki who was visiting the Makkah center along with Abdullah Al-Yousuf, deputy minister for social affairs. He said the deputy minister had been sent to the center to find out the problems. "Our aim is not to punish anybody but to correct the situation," he pointed out.
Al-Hanaki said some of the accusations made by the residents of the center were meaningless. "This includes the accusation against the communications officer that he had sexually harassed the girls, had beaten them and taken their photos."
The director of police in Taneem questioned the officer and checked his mobile and found no evidence to prove those allegations.
He said the committee would study the incident in order to prevent a repeat of it in the future.
Asked about some 100 complaints to the Makkah governorate put forward by girls living at the center, Al-Hanaki said the complaints relating to rough treatment and bad food were untrue.
"If we find that the girls were treated roughly by the officials without any justification, we'll take action against the guilty," he said.
Al-Hanaki urged families to take their daughters back once they complete their terms at the center. "There is no difference between mistakes made by boys and girls. We should not leave these girls to be depressed, to become deviants and commit suicide," he told their parents.
He said the committee would present its report to Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal within five days and that it underlined the need to refurbish the center's building and provide it with recreational facilities.
Asked about a report presented two years ago by the National Society for Human Rights on the need to refurbish the building, Al-Hanaki said the delay to implement the project was caused by the contractor.
"We'll ask the contractor to carry out the project immediately. In the meantime, we may rent another building," he said.
Al-Hanaki said there was no plan to increase the number of such juvenile centers for girls. "At present we have four centers in Riyadh, Makkah, Al-Ahsa and Asir. Residents in the centers are aged between 12 and 30," he said.
