Saudi women challenge driving ban in the oil kingdom
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A group of women in Saudi Arabia is for the first time to lobby the kingdom's government for the right to drive cars.
Members of the Committee of Demanders of Women's Right to Drive Cars plan to deliver a petition to King Abdullah by Sunday, Saudi Arabia's National Day.
Correspondents say the demand is likely to be rejected, as conservatives argue if women are allowed to drive, they will be able to mix freely with men.
The issue of women driving has recently become the subject of public debate.
Two years ago, a member of the Consultative Council sparked a heated debate when he pointed out there was nothing under Islamic law or the constitution that justified the ban, and that the council ought to discuss ways of lifting it.
Mohammed al-Zulfa's comments later prompted the Saudi interior minister to dismiss calls for the ban to be lifted, saying the country had other priorities.
'Social issue'
The current driving ban applies to all women in Saudi Arabia, whatever their nationality.
It was originally unofficial, but became law after an incident in 1990, when 47 women challenged the authorities by taking their families' cars out for a drive.
After strong criticism from the Saudi religious authorities, the women were jailed for one day, their passports confiscated and many lost their jobs.
A founding member of the Committee of Demanders of Women's Right to Drive Cars, Fawzia al-Oyouni, said its electronic petition would highlight what many Saudi men and women consider a "stolen right".
"We would like to remind officials that this is, as many have said, a social and not religious or political issue," she told the Associated Press. "Since it's a social issue, we have the right to lobby for it."
"This is a right that has been delayed for too long."
King Abdullah has in the past said that he thought a day would eventually come when Saudi women were allowed drive.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7000499.stm
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Btw bear in mind that banning women from driving is a cultural practice under the pretext of religion. There are other Muslim majority countries where women are allowed to drive
If we looked back in history, we will see clearly that these guys who signed the statement are the same kind of people who opposed King Faisal 30 years ago when he decided to start girls’ education in the country. They are using the same language, and the same lame excuses. What happened then? King Faisal said, “we will open the schools anyway, and if you don’t want your daughters to study at our schools then don’t let them.” King Faisal was a wise man. He did not weaken to those people, and today, more than 55% of students in Saudi universities are females." -
I'm not sure how the women rights are like over in Saudi. But I suppose if they are allowed to work and actually dared to protest, they won't kena honour killings. I mean, HOW DARE THEY, if their country is into honour killings?
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there are no honor killings in saudi lah..those are just media propaganda..if there is such thing as honor killings, that is basically an ignorant cultural practice under the pretext of religion
btw, women are allowed to walk freely by themselves in saudi, they might not be able to drive but 90% of saudi citizens have PERSONAL chaffeurs, dont listen to the bias media!!
OH, u might be wondering why women would wana drive when they basically have chaffeurs..thats because saudi arabia follows the orthodox school of islam that forbids men and women who are not related form mixing and u know the chaffeurs are man so... -
That's what I said... no honour killings in Saudi.Originally posted by rendezv0uss:there are no honor killings in saudi lah..those are just media propaganda..if there is such thing as honor killings, that is basically an ignorant cultural practice under the pretext of religion
btw, women are allowed to walk freely by themselves in saudi, they might not be able to drive but 90% of saudi citizens have PERSONAL chaffeurs, dont listen to the bias media!!
OH, u might be wondering why women would wana drive when they basically have chaffeurs..thats because saudi arabia follows the orthodox school of islam that forbids men and women who are not related form mixing and u know the chaffeurs are man so...
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okok sorry!! read wrongly
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I found Saudi hardcore Islamic authorities actions rather weird. They are just trying to maintain the high social standing of men by discriminating the women under the pretext of Islam.
This discrimination has existed for hundred and thousand of years. These Arab men are such losers. If we interpreted carefully, we will notice that some of the Islamic laws are pretty biases against the women. So who set the Islamic laws in the first place? Men.
Disclaimer: what I said is for topic of discriminations of Arab women. Nothing to do with Islam. -
I think its be wise to say Saudi men, not Arab men.
Anyway, Saudi men dont mind the women driving, they dont mind the women working as 2 incomes int he family help them to have a better lifestyles. Heck, they even BUY roses for valentines day in the black market despite the government ban on "pagan festivals"
The problem is the religious leaders who are trying to impose their tribalistic misogynistic values under the pretext of religion -
The Religious leaders feared that the influx of foreign culture and mindset will erode away their power. That's why they went to the extreme to protect their power. haiz, we can see, as usual, this is a political power struggle between the conservatives and the socialists, and nothing to do with religious issues.Originally posted by rendezv0uss:I think its be wise to say Saudi men, not Arab men.
Anyway, Saudi men dont mind the women driving, they dont mind the women working as 2 incomes int he family help them to have a better lifestyles. Heck, they even BUY roses for valentines day in the black market despite the government ban on "pagan festivals"
The problem is the religious leaders who are trying to impose their tribalistic misogynistic values under the pretext of religion -
ive listen to the excuses given by by the religous leaders saying women are emotional beings who might think of other thinks when they drive and accidents can occurOriginally posted by Spartans:The Religious leaders feared that the influx of foreign culture and mindset will erode away their power. That's why they went to the extreme to protect their power. haiz, we can see, as usual, this is a political power struggle between the conservatives and the socialists, and nothing to do with religious issues.
face it lah..the Saudi men cause more accidents in driving already..those filthy rich Saudi teens already know how to drive at such a young age and causing so much damage and accidents with their daredevil road stunts and driftings esp at Jeddah
i personally think king abdullah might want to lift the ban step by step from an interview i read 2 years back with barbara walters but it was being overshadowed by the religous authorities -
heh heh, i remember in american dad, they moved to saudi and the dad was so happy to be the man of the household, like really the MAN of the household.