The Haia has to realize that its strategy of always presenting itself as the victim of media conspiracies will not help any more.
It is true that the Haia has been unfairly criticized on some occasions in the past. On the other hand, it is also true that there are many known instances of errors or excesses that vindicate media criticism against it.
However, the presence of errors and the excesses of the members of the Haia, combined with the reluctance of its administration to rectify its errors, would not have come under fire in the media.
There are, obviously, many ways the Haia can salvage its battered image.
It should react to negative media reports with total transparency, and desist from blindly defending the errors or the excesses of its members.
It should build good relations with the media instead of always claiming that it is the victim of a media conspiracy bent on distorting its image.
In fact, the public does not learn of the errors of the Haia from the media, except when they become victims of the violations and excesses of those employed by the Haia.
The Haia should also dispel its delusion that it possesses certain privileges, such as immunity from being held accountable.
It is, undoubtedly, subject to regulations defining its tasks and jurisdiction and its staff have no justification to think that their organization is above the law.
Its members should engage in self-examination and self-criticism so that they become aware of present-day realities and come to terms with the contemporary world.
It should hold periodic meetings to promote a culture of transparency and openness among its members.
Anybody who reads the half-page statement of the Haia published in Okaz daily last week would have noticed that instead of supplying information about the role of the Haia on the issue of the Tabuk girl, the Haia devoted most of the space to dictate lessons to the media and to justify a ban on professional and objective reporting.
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