A Sad Day

Susie of Arabia

This. Announcing one’s sins is seen as encouraging others to also break the rules, or in other words, promoting crime. This might explain why many people in Saudi Arabia seem to be in denial about the existence of crimes and bad behavior here in the first place – because it is not to be discussed. But is this healthy for the society?

During the past several months, there has been unprecedented talk of reform here in this country. Several religious leaders have spoken out in favor of sweeping changes and a loosening of the strict codes of enforced morality that grip this country, ranging from support of women driving to relaxing the stiff rules which prohibit gender mixing. I wrote about some of these topics in a recent post on this blog.

My last post told you about an MTV True Life program that showcased four different Saudi young people here in Jeddah. Each of their stories focused on different challenges that these youth face living in Saudi Arabia. This program has caused quite a stir here in the Kingdom. I think it showed how very normal the youth here are and how they have similar feelings and aspirations to young people all over the world. But it now appears that the religious police have filed a suit against these young people for the crime of muhjahara. By next week, the Islamic Sharia Court will make the decision as to whether to proceed with the charges against the show’s participants or not.

I truly hope that the court decides against pursuing this case. The outcome will reveal exactly how deeply committed the current leaders are as far as reform and progress for Saudi Arabia. Although these young people are not representative of all youth here in KSA, there are many that feel the same way as they do – and many adults as well. They took a giant courageous step to appear on the show and articulate their feelings about the changes they would like to see in Saudi Arabia, their homeland. They only want to better their country and make it more livable, especially for young people. It is widely agreed that the kingdom is sorely lacking in activities for its residents, and when events are planned, many times they are shut down. Instead of punishing these spirited youngsters for bringing attention to problems here, Saudi Arabia should focus on making changes to improve the quality of life for all of its citizens.

Dr. Khalid Alnowaiser, a Saudi lawyer, wrote this excellent op-ed piece recently for Arab News called "Challenges Facing Young Saudis," which emphasizes the changes he feels are necessary for Saudi Arabia to move forward in today's world.