Mothers’ pain

Badea Abu Al-Naja’s report “Divorced woman pleads to stay in the Kingdom” (Oct. 28) was a touching story. A woman’s life is being made miserable by laws that do not take into account human emotions.

It is surprising that the law can be so heartless as to lay down that non-Saudi women divorced by Saudis have to return to their home countries, leaving behind their children, even those as young as four months. That is cruel. The rules should allow such divorced mothers to nurse and take care of their children. In fact, they should get special permission from the government to stay near their children.

The mother in this case is lucky in that she is an Arab with a close relative in the Kingdom. Those who do not have such support and help have harsher realities to deal with.

H.M. Ahmed, Jeddah published 3 November 2008

Haj restrictions

I wholeheartedly support the move by the Haj Ministry to seek the help of imams to discourage people from performing unauthorized Haj. However, the effect of such sermons will be limited. The ones, whether Saudis or expatriates, who go for Haj year after year, contributing to the strain on services leading to tragedies, are aware that they need to perform pilgrimage only once in their lifetimes. There may be a few among them who do it for Allah’s reward. Most do it because they have relatives or friends who have come for Haj, or because it is fun.

This is a situation where soft power needs to be backed up by hard power. Let imams advise them, appeal to them and exhort them, as the ministry suggested. Let those who were not impressed by the imams’ advice, appeal and exhortations be met by the police at checkpoints and straightaway deported. Just two well-publicized cases of deportation will bring down the enthusiasm of most expatriate repeat pilgrims.

Saleh, Jeddah published 3 November 2008

Home-schooling

The report “Unannounced fee hikes in schools put parents in a dilemma” (Oct. 20) highlighted the problems of education in the Kingdom. My friends who teach in “international schools” themselves talk about the pathetic standard of education in them. One of these friends sends his children to his home country for the summer vacation where they are enrolled in summer schools; they learn more in those two or three months than they do here in a year. That is a measure of the quality of teachers in these schools. Anybody with American or British nationality automatically is deemed to be qualified to be an English teacher without anyone checking their degrees or professional competence. Parents put their children in well-known schools and pay high fees only to discover later their below-average standards. Then they hire private tutors, paying more money.

The only feasible solution in the circumstances is home-schooling, at least for the primary level. People should get together and start home-schooling groups that teach parents how to educate their children. Lots of information is already there on the Internet and I am sure there is no dearth of talent here in the Kingdom.

Majid Khan, Jeddah published 3 November 2008

Feudal Pakistan

Reports such as “Newlywed girl fed to dogs, shot dead in ‘honor killing’” (Oct. 28) shows that Pakistan is still a surviving, actually thriving, feudal society. It is no mean achievement after half-a-century of “democracy.”

The feudal claim is that honor killing is part of their “tradition.” They must be thanked for not justifying such crimes, as some others do, by claiming they are Islamic. Not that it is going to help Muslims or Islam. Some will blame it on the Qur’an. Pakistan is supposed to be an Islamic country. So the blame will fall on Islam too. The one that will not be blamed is the real villain: The primitive mentality of many mostly illiterate Pakistanis. Pakistani women keep telling me that they’re free and modern Muslims. But that’s true only of a small part of the population. If Muslims are free and modern, where are they? Why don’t we see, anywhere in the Muslim world, the modernity and freedom that we are supposed to see in an Islamic nation? So please save the gibberish. Just because some of your relatives and friends are modern and free, it doesn’t mean for a second that Pakistan, as a whole, is either free or modern.

S.H.A, Chicago published 3 November 2008

Sabotaging progress

Mamata Benerjee’s reported apology to TATA Group for her role in closing down the Singur project tells the whole story of how India’s industrial growth is being sabotaged by cynical politicians for their own selfish ends. Such unprincipled politicking calls for a decision by the country’s young men and women whether they want people like Mamata Banerjee or Ratan Tata to guide them. The choice is between those who will create jobs and progress and those who will destroy hope and future. That was not the only case of politicians forcing themselves into arenas they have no business to be in. It was only recently that Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s Raj Thackeray interfered in a Jet Airways deal. It is worrying that the venom of these politicians is endangering the country’s growth and development. These are no longer rare incidents, but a new emerging trend. My request to these politicians is to please leave businesses alone.

Mohammed Imtiaz Nehal, Riyadh published 3 November 2008

Syria’s fury 2

Waiting until Jan. 4 for the US to withdraw from Iraq is not possible for the Iraqis or the US because the UN mandate authorizing the military runs out on Dec. 31. If there is no agreement by that date, the US military must leave. If that is good for the Iraqi politicians, then let it be. I believe the Iraqis will be scared witless if the security the US provides is lost. They may be able to make it on their own but the odds are not along those lines. I hope the mandate expires. The US should not have any part in helping other countries. Let them be led by Iran, or Syria or Russia.

D.L.L., Riyadh published 3 November 2008

Syria’s fury 3

Bully nations have proved to the world that, if they are to learn hard lessons, they have to be hit hard. The world needs the balance of power that comes when there is more than one superpower. What I wonder is why nations like Russia, China and India are not forming a body like NATO as a fit response to the West’s bullying attitude?

Marx Envi, Cyprus published 3 November 2008

Syria’s fury

As an American who lived in Saudi Arabia for 15 years, I agree with Linda Heard: “Syria’s fury is justified. Who can blame Damascus for getting cozy with Moscow?” (Oct. 28). I too am fuming about the attack inside Syrian territory. I’m ashamed of how the Bush administration has no regard for human rights. If it is any consolation, an Obama administration will be, compared to this, like day is to night.

Stephen Smith, United States published 3 November 2008