http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=70810&d=28&m=9&y=2005
Wednesday, 28, September, 2005 (24, Sha`ban, 1426)
'Women Driving: Minority Dictating Terms'
Raid Qusti, Arab News
RIYADH, 28 September 2005 - A member of the Shoura Consultative Council
has said that a small group in Saudi society is behind the Council's refusal to
discuss women driving in the Kingdom. In an interview with Arab News, Muhammad
Al-Zulfa, the Shoura member who earlier attracted considerable attention for
proposing that the idea of women driving be discussed in the Council, said the
same small group in Saudi society "exerted great influence over the majority of
men and women in the country."
Elaborating on what the "small group" was and the ideology it followed,
Al-Zulfa said: "Some are from the religious establishment and others are
traditionalists who are simply not ready for change."
He said many Saudi men and women supported the idea and that "action and
reaction" in the media had helped some of those who were originally against it
to alter their views. Al-Zulfa said it was unfortunate that many Saudis mixed
up the rights of women in Islam with the Kingdom's social traditions. In time,
he said, women in the Kingdom will drive; it is "just a matter of time,
determination, and education."
He said many Shoura members believed in changes that would benefit
society but they refused to get involved in discussions because of fears of
what certain people might think of them. He said they should speak their minds
and not fear pressure.
Al-Zulfa went on to say he wished the courage found in some Saudi writers
and in the local media would spill over to the Shoura Council. He lauded some
journalists for writing what they believed and for fighting for the betterment
of society.
He said the reforms the government wanted to implement were sometimes
rejected by the people, contrary to what the rest of the world perceived. "I
always say that the government of Saudi Arabia is more advanced than its
people. In every society, the people ask for their rights from their
government. In Saudi Arabia sometimes it is the opposite; it is the government
which says, 'This is your right and we want to do this and this for you.'"
The Shoura member said he was not at all opposed to different points of
view and a variety of opinions. At the same time, he did not believe these
points of view and opinions should be imposed or forced on people who did not
share them. "If some people want to believe in certain things, that is their
choice. Unfortunately, however, this small group wants to impose its ideas and
force people to accept their ideas and beliefs."
He said many changes were taking place in the Kingdom while it held to
its Islamic principles and was guided by Islamic law. One change that he noted
was the National Day becoming for the first time an official holiday. This was
a first in Saudi history. "We used to celebrate it in a very different way.
There were some people who questioned why it was celebrated and on what basis.
This year people celebrated the National Day in the streets of Riyadh. I see
this as a new beginning for the Saudi people."
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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