http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article45393.ec
'Exploitation' of women during Janadriya denied Saudi women attend the traditional Arda dance, or War dance, during the Janadriyah Festival of Heritage and Culture on the outskirts of the Saudi capital Riyadh on April 1. On the right is one of the performers. (AP) By MUHAMMAD HUMAIDAN | ARAB NEWS Published: Apr 20, 2010 23:10 Updated: Apr 21, 2010 01:31 JEDDAH: There were no attempts to take advantage of women working at the Janadriya festival, according to the event's director- general on Monday. Saud Al-Roumi strongly denied allegations by some newspapers and web sites that there were "ethical violations" against women during the National Festival For Heritage and Culture. "These allegations are totally untrue and uncalled for. There was nothing of the sort during the festival or after that," he told Arab News. Al-Roumi slammed claims published by Kuwaiti writer and poet Misfir Al-Dousari in a Kuwaiti newspaper. He wrote that some festival officials took advantage of their positions to establish "unethical relationships" with women who worked for the women's committees by taking advantage of their need for the jobs. "Nobody will ever believe such claims, which are totally barren of truth. The festival was organized by the National Guard and all its activities and arrangements were reviewed by the deputy chairman of the Supreme Organizing Committee, Prince Miteb bin Abdullah," Al-Roumi said. He added that the organization of the festival was very thorough and consummate and that women played an effective role at the event. He explained that there were three women's committees. There was an education and upbringing committee chaired by Iqbal Al-Arfaj, one on media and protocol headed by Lubna Al-Ajami, and a cultural committee led by Jawahir Al-Abdul Aal. "All female committees were chaired by women. There was no scope to exploit or blackmail any woman," Al-Roumi added. Al-Roumi asked people not to heed such untrue allegations and said no complaint about harassment or unethical attitudes toward women was ever made to the organizing committee. Al-Dousari published his allegations on Friday in the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jareedah. He began his article by commending the festival before discussing allegations of unethical behavior against women. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
