23/05/2011 / SAUDI ARABIA
The Saudi woman who took to the driver's seat
* video
* Saudi Arabia
* women's rights
In a tough setback for aspiring Saudi female drivers, Saudi police have
arrested female activist Manal al-Sharif, who boldly posted a video of herself
behind the wheel online on Friday. Our Observer was with her for the symbolic
drive.
More than 600,000 people watched the video of al-Sharif chatting with a friend
as she drives around the eastern Saudi city of Khobar. The seemingly mundane
scene is in fact anything but. Deeply conservative Saudi Arabia is the last
country in the world to ban women from driving.
Al-Sharif was reportedly arrested on May 22 while driving, released for a few
hours then taken back into custody. A Saudi security official said she is being
accused of "violating public order", and will be held for five days while the
case is investigated. The video she made was removed from YouTube following her
arrest, as was the Facebook page she created calling on Saudi women to
collectively defy the driving ban on June 17.
Nevertheless, a new Facebook page was created almost immediately, and the video
survived on video sharing site YouTube, re-posted by Al-Sharif's supporters.
Video of al-Sharif driving through Khobar, re-posted on YouTube by noramist.
Contributors
Wajeha al-Huwaider
"I think the context is increasingly favourable to Saudi women being allowed to
drive"
Wajeha Al-Huwaider is a female Saudi activist and writer. She was the person
who filmed Manal al-Sharif driving around Khobar. She spoke to FRANCE 24 before
place before al-Sharif was arrested on May 22. Contacted by e-mail after the
arrest, Al-Huwaider responded that it was "too risky to talk", saying only that
she believed authorities were deliberately "going hard on Manal to scare other
women".
Saudi women have been fighting for the right to drive for the past 25 years. In
the 1990s, a group of about 40 women drove their cars on the same day to
denounce the ban. In 2007, I filmed myself behind the wheel on International
Women's day.
I'm under the impression that this mobilisation has somewhat changed
mentalities inside the country, but I also see that authorities haven't budged
an inch. Our leaders are like many others in the Arab world: they don't take
their people's opinions and aspirations into account.
"The fact that [Manal]uses new technologies like Facebook and Twitter means
that she is capable of reaching a much bigger number of people"
When I saw Manal's initiative of launching a `Women Drivers' day on June 17, I
immediately decided to help her. The fact that she uses new technologies like
Facebook and Twitter means that she is capable of reaching a much bigger number
of people. I remember in 2007 trying to rally my friends by email and over the
phone: it was a much longer process. In just a few days, Manal has already
alerted thousands of people [before her Facebook group was shut down, it
counted over 8,000 members] and even gotten local media's attention.
I think the context is increasingly favourable to Saudi women being allowed to
drive. A growing number of women work, and need to be able to drive to their
jobs. Their families are well aware that it isn't viable for someone else to
drive them every day.
I would like to point out that Saudi authorities say there is no written law
forbidding women from driving, that it's a self-enforcing customary ban.
Nevertheless, if a woman does go out in her car, she can get arrested and
brought to the police station. On what basis, since there is no law? It makes
no sense, especially because women are not usually allowed to enter a police
stationÂ…
"The King has to take the brave, necessary step of lifting the driving ban"
The King has gone a long way on women's rights. He authorised co-ed
universities, has made it legal for a women to be interviewed by media, etc. He
now has to take a brave, necessary step and lift the driving ban.
I don't know how the June 17 driving day will turn out. I'm a little worried by
how things are shaping up on Facebook. Many men have rallied to support the
movement, saying they are ready to protect the women who drive on June 17. But
a few days ago, another group was created by mean who threatened to come beat
those who escorted driving women with their Iqals [the heavy bands that hold
Saudi men's keffiyehs]. That's the name they gave their Facebook page.
Saudi men have parodied the videos and mocked women's will to drive. A Facebook
page opposing the June 17 initiative counts over 4,200 angry and active
members. Video posted on YouTube by lm2050.
Despite the publicity generated by Manal's initiative, I don't think much more
than 50 women will actually dare go out to drive on June 17. So what I call on
my compatriots to is, starting now, film themselves driving, even anonymously,
and post the video on the Internet [Several women responded to the call and
uploaded videos of themselves driving on al-Sharif's now cancelled Facebook
page]. He have to put pressure on authorities, to let them know how many of us
support this cause. I really hope I will get to see Saudi women drive in my
lifetime."
Wajeha al-Huwaider
Post written with FRANCE 24 journalist Lorena Galliot.
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