http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=71731&d=15&m=10&y=2005&pix=kingdom.jpg&category=Kingdom
Saturday, 15, October, 2005 (12, Ramadhan, 1426)
Abdullah Wins Applause for Assurance on Women Driving
Maha Akeel & Hassan Adawi, Arab News
JEDDAH, 15 October 2005 - Saudi women yesterday applauded the statement
by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah that they would be permitted
to drive someday. Women then called for a dialogue to convince opponents of
women driving to change their misconceptions. In an interview with ABC News
broadcast yesterday, King Abdullah told veteran reporter Barbara Walters that
the issue required patience, and he would not impose it against the will of the
people, issuing a royal decree. He noted that women drive on the Kingdom's
deserts and in rural areas.
"I believe strongly in the rights of women," the king said during his
first television interview since acceding to the Saudi throne on Aug. 1. "I
believe the day will come when women drive. In time, I believe it will be
possible. And I believe patience is a virtue." Walters, known for her
interviews with celebrities and world leaders, was blunt in her questioning.
"You cannot just make a decree that women drive? You're the king," she said.
"I value and take care of my people as I would my eyes," Abdullah replied.
"Is that an answer?" Walters queried. "Yes, I respect my people, and I
value their well-being," the king said. "It is impossible that I would do
anything that is not acceptable to my people."
Princess Adelah, daughter of the king, recently made a similar comment
about women driving and that the issue has also been brought up in the Shoura
Council. "The king himself when he was crown prince said that within a few
years many developments will happen for women, and they will receive many of
their rights," said Dr. Suhaila Hammad, a senior member of the National Society
for Human Rights.
"I think our political leaders are in favor of permitting women to drive,
but what is preventing it are society's perceptions and religious
misinterpretations. There is nothing in Islam that states that women shouldn't
drive. In fact in the olden days, women used to ride camels and horses - the
transportation means of the time," Suhaila told Arab News while commending the
king's statement.
"We have to convince those who oppose women driving, and we should have a
dialogue on the issue. What we need is for our religious scholars to issue a
decision about it, and people will follow," she said.
Suhaila does not favor conducting a survey because most people, including
women who don't know much about their rights, lack awareness and are influenced
by the opinions of a few. The NSHR has recently received a petition by 120
women asking for their right to drive, but there was also a petition by 500
women forwarded to the king asking him not to grant women that right because
they think it contradicts Islam.
"Women should be allowed to drive," teacher Amani Badaghesh told Arab
News. She also emphasized the need for employing women in the Traffic Police
and Public Security to change societal attitudes about women driving.
Amal Al-Ghamdi, 21, a student at the College of Education in Jeddah, said
she hoped that Saudi women would soon be able drive their vehicles to help them
stand on their feet without depending on male relatives or foreign drivers to
play a more active role in society.
Housewife Um Turki said she believes that King Abdullah's statement will
have a great impact on changing society's mistaken notions about women driving.
She, however, favored fixing a certain age limit and times for women driving to
ensure their safety.
In the interview, King Abdullah said that religious extremism is found
everywhere. He doesn't deny its existence in the Kingdom, but he said he was
surprised at linking of extremism with Saudi Arabia. He emphasized that Islam
is a religion of peace and that the Kingdom is fighting terrorism. Those who
accuse it of funding terrorism should present at least some type of evidence.
The king also talked about the Kingdom's efforts to lower oil prices.
Even though Saudi Arabia benefits from high oil revenues, the high prices had
harmed poor countries.
"What the king said is consistent with the Kingdom's policy since the
'80s of stabilizing global energy market so that oil suppliers and consumers
have a balanced relationship," said Dr. Ihsan Bu-Hulaiga, an economist and
Shoura Council member. "This is a long-term strategy for oil prices to be
affordable for major consumers - not necessarily low but not excessively high -
in order to discourage alternative energy sources from becoming more
affordable," he said to Arab News.
The high oil prices had a negative global economic impact. "With
continued high oil prices, the least developed and poor countries can't pay
their oil bills, and Saudi Arabia is not trying to be opportunistic or have a
short-term gain. Saudi Arabia was the first to call for a dialogue to
coordinate policies between major producers and consumers," he said. It is in
the best interest of Saudi Arabia to have a long-term strategy that looks at
the market supply and demand and draw a policy that is productive and
efficient, said Dr. Bu-Hulaiga.
In his wide-ranging interview, King Abdullah also talked about the
Kingdom's efforts at bringing peace to Iraq and to foster world cooperation
against terrorism. He said that Saudi Arabia has its differences with American
policy especially with regards to the Palestinian issue and the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan.
He also said that none of the Middle Eastern countries, including Saudi
Arabia and Iran, should have nuclear weapons and hoped that Iran would not be
an obstacle to peace in Iraq.
King Abdullah said he had dispensed with the traditional royal protocol
of having his subjects kiss his hand.
"I have tremendous distaste for such matters because I believe that one
only bows before God, not another human being," he told Walters on ABC's
"20/20."
ABC News staff said the new king "appears determined to present American
viewers with a new vision of Saudi Arabia, starting with the fact that he has
chosen to do his first-ever television interview with a woman."
- With input by Mohammed Rasooldeen
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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