[nasional_list] [ppiindia] The Girls of Riyadh: You Don't Know How Lucky You Are

From: "Ambon" <sea@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <"Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@freelists.org>
Date: Fri, 10 Feb 2006 05:01:58 +0100
** Forum Nasional Indonesia PPI India Mailing List **
** Untuk bergabung dg Milis Nasional kunjungi: 
** Situs Milis: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ **
** Beasiswa dalam negeri dan luar negeri S1 S2 S3 dan post-doctoral 
scholarship, kunjungi 
http://informasi-beasiswa.blogspot.com 
**http://www.arabnews.com/?page=9&section=0&article=77575&d=10&m=2&y=2006

Friday, 10, February, 2006 (11, Muharram, 1427)


      The Girls of Riyadh: You Don't Know How Lucky You Are
      Reem Al-Faisal, Arab News 

     
      A few weeks ago a friend called to tell me about the latest cultural 
storm brewing in Saudi society: A book entitled "Banat Al-Riyadh" (The Girls of 
Riyadh) by Rajaa Al-Sanea. My friend wanted to know my opinion of the book. 
Discovering I hadn't read the novel yet, he began informing me enthusiastically 
of the groundbreaking subjects the book has tackled, such as gender issues, and 
class and regional differences. My friend applauded the writer's courage in 
challenging the social taboos of Saudi society and exposing many of its dark 
secrets, which the society has refused to confront to this very minute.

      My friend objected to the harsh and unjust criticism that the writer has 
received in the Kingdom. At the end of the telephone conversation with my 
friend I too was enthused and eager to read the book. I took the opportunity to 
buy the book, banned in Saudi Arabia, when I was traveling outside of the 
country.

      I started to read the book enthusiastically, eager to discover this 
writer that has shaken the foundations of our society. I proceeded to acquaint 
myself with the five young women of the book. (Yes, there are five women, not 
four; everyone seems to forget the narrator.) At first I felt interest and some 
sympathy for the difficulties these women faced, knowing full well that the 
writer is only using these young and superficial girls to go deeper into the 
ills of our society and delve into the dark heart of Arabia. However, as I read 
about one flirt after another, and young women facing their first broken heart, 
abuse, betrayal, and even divorce, I realized that what the book was addressing 
was not so much the problems unique to Saudi culture, but issues that confront 
all rich, pampered kids everywhere in the world. Several pages later and I 
began to dislike these young girls with their superficial intellect and slight 
souls.

      We do get a spattering here and there of the difficulties hidden in Saudi 
society, such as the simmering dislike and contempt between the different 
regions, especially among the western Hejazis and the central Najdis; the 
long-suffering of the Shiite minority inflicted upon them by the rest of 
society.

      She also exposes some of the problems faced by most Saudi women as being 
nothing more than chattel, victims to the whims of their male masters - they 
like to call them guardians but we know better. If the male who controls your 
destiny is God-fearing and knows Islam well then you are fine, but if he is a 
limited man taking tradition and Islam to mean one thing then your life is a 
tragedy and you have limited room for maneuvering.

      The young women of the book do face certain difficulties, but these are 
tempered by the many opportunities and luxuries they have. They can basically 
do everything a girl of her class in the world can do. Many of the women 
outside of Arabia would cut their arm off to have the so-called limited luxury 
these women enjoy. How many Saudi women have the choice to go and spend a few 
weeks in London all expenses paid after a divorce, or are sent to study in San 
Francisco to mend a broken heart? How many women not just here but in the rest 
of the world get this kind of family support?

      Anyone who feels for these poor girls should go tell that to the woman 
living in a small town in the south of Arabia; the woman whose husband just 
divorced her to marry his third younger wife; leaving the woman with three 
small children to take care of, forcing her to move back in with her father, 
who, for his part, isn't too happy to see her return with four more mouths to 
feed; and her ex-husband doesn't really care about the kids or her and there 
isn't a way to force him to live up to his responsibility; and she can't find a 
job since 90 percent of women of working age can't find a decent job anyhow.

      So forgive me if I don't cry my heart out for these women whose greatest 
tragedy in life is that they haven't received red roses on Valentine's Day.

      This is an amusing book, no more, no less. The immense controversy the 
book has caused is its best quality.

      I write this article because I'm disappointed in the book. I read it 
expecting it to be more than it is and I hoped that finally a writer dared to 
speak out for the oppression of the Shiites, or the abuse of women, or of 
simply the little injustices and mundane cruelties we observe in our daily life 
and just pass them by with an aching heart and a silent tongue.

      Saudi Arabia is not a utopia even though we insist obtusely that it is. 
Oh, how I wish my land was a utopia of happy citizens, but I would settle now 
for a society that faces its ills with dignity and tries to correct them.

      As for those clueless girls in Riyadh: You don't know how lucky you are.


      * * *

      (Reem Al-Faisal is a Saudi photographer. She is based in Jeddah.)
     


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



***************************************************************************
Berdikusi dg Santun & Elegan, dg Semangat Persahabatan. Menuju Indonesia yg 
Lebih Baik, in Commonality & Shared Destiny. 
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia
***************************************************************************
__________________________________________________________________________
Mohon Perhatian:

1. Harap tdk. memposting/reply yg menyinggung SARA (kecuali sbg otokritik)
2. Pesan yg akan direply harap dihapus, kecuali yg akan dikomentari.
3. Reading only, http://dear.to/ppi 
4. Satu email perhari: ppiindia-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
5. No-email/web only: ppiindia-nomail@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
6. kembali menerima email: ppiindia-normal@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    ppiindia-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
 


** Forum Nasional Indonesia PPI India Mailing List **
** Untuk bergabung dg Milis Nasional kunjungi: 
** Situs Milis: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ppiindia/ **
** Beasiswa dalam negeri dan luar negeri S1 S2 S3 dan post-doctoral 
scholarship, kunjungi 
http://informasi-beasiswa.blogspot.com **
[nasional_list] [ppiindia] The Girls of Riyadh: You Don't Know How Lucky You Are

Other related posts:
