Another child marriage victim

This has reference to your news report – another child marriage victim – 22/04/10.



Some people have a deep-rooted and biased concept about the Kingdom: The whirl winds may come and go every now and then here, but the change of wind will never come. It is untrue. Over the years, we have seen many changes like the rain in the summer. We have also seen the same rains, thunders and lightning in this desert which we used to experience in our countries.

Similarly we heard some voices which we had never expected to be heard in the Kingdom. The thoughts of some Saudi writers still echo. Khaled Al Maeena’s open page editorial on 9/11 – catch the criminals- is still vibrant. Tariq’s article –fanaticism- was a true revelation of the liberal Saudi mind. And many more. Such voices played a great role to focus the menace of terrorism in the Kingdom. Now it is crystal clear that the Kingdom is the only country that conquered it with iron fist. And the efforts of Nourah Alkhereiji, Nimah Ismail Nawwab (well known Saudi poet), Lubna Hussain etc to stand for woman rights and human rights are commendable. They are instrumental in order to streamline the society. What a powerful article Nourah wrote earlier in Arab News regarding the child marriage – Mufti has spoken against it - (23.08.08). Her article was there to light such dark minds. I fully agreed with her points of view then: the people who have no concern about the under-aged are mentally sick and of course need psychological treatment at any mental asylums. Two years later, we still listen to pathetic condition of children. Children of 10 or15 years are not at all matured enough to shoulder family life. They are still children being looked after by their parents. A concerted movement from both the government and the good hearted people is the need of the hour to deter such crimes.