We should not forget Rizana

By Saybhan Smat

(Decemebre 14, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) It was indeed mind-boggling a couple of years ago to note the concern for Rizana a poor girl from Mutur facing the death penalty in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Indeed the concern for her was unprecedented. When foreign human –rights organizations brought her unfortunates predicament to light, the government, social organizations and individual Sri Lankans did everything possible to alleviate the suffering of this poor girl. It was reported that Sri Lankans working in Saudi Arabia even collected money for her defense. These actions only proved the warm humanness of all Sri Lankans whether they be Sinhalese, Tamils or Muslims. It was a beautiful gesture that underscored communal harmony and fellow feeling.

However all these humane concerns have been forgotten, the original concern a couple of years ago has disappeared and one hardly hears anything about Rizana’s fate. To be suspended in a position between life and death will certainly cause clinical depression or an anxiety disorder which even may precipitate in schizophrenia and possible suicide. The concern for Rizana must be revitalized, it is in fact the duty of all Sri Lankans human-rights organizations and social service bodies to agitate by organizing protest meetings and even demonstrations for the release of Rizana. If we remain indifferent and silent we too will be guilty of the unjust execution of this poor girl. We are already guilty of the mental torture of this girl who is in a state of being between life and death. We have no excuse to remain silent. Compassion, humanness love and fellow feeling should stir us to action. If we remain silent the cruel Saudi regime will surely behead her in public.

Rizana from the village of Mutur in the Trincomalee district it seems is reported now to being deliberately subject to agonizing and unremitting trauma, not knowing whether she is going to live or die. There is no report of her present mental condition and it now appears that her case is forgotten. The media, the human-rights organizations, our foreign ministry and all those who earlier were concerned about her plight have become silent as if she never existed. This is very sad indeed, Rizana must be feeling badly let down and it is a wonder that she has retained her sanity or has she? Nobody Knows!

All sorts of inane and bland reasons are being given by the authorities in Saudi Arabia who claim to be Islamic, thus exposing their dubious claims to Islamic justice. The ruling Saudi Wahabi regime has once again proved to the world that they are heartless, cruel and showing no compassion whatsoever although they claim to practice pure Islam.

The last heard from Sri Lankan Ambassador Abdul Ajeed Mohammed Marleen now deceased was “that Rizana would have to wait until the case is taken up again. The date for the next hearing is unknown.” “Some reconciliatory efforts with the deceased infant’s father Al-Otaiba would prevent the maid from languishing in jail for a longer tenth.” He did not elaborate. This was revealed by the Sri Lankan Ambassador in Saudi Arabia, some time in early 2009, the Ambassador is deceased and to-date nothing is known. Apparently the Foreign ministry has conveniently closed the file on poor Rizana.

Also early this year it was reported that Kifaya Ifthikar, a social worker who met Rizana in prison, said the maid looked sick and that the doctors had advised her to undergo surgery for hernia.

The case has once again brought into question the system of justice practiced in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The rulers of Saudi Arabia are justifying the execution by reference to the sharia which they claim they are implementing.

To say that they are implementing the sharia which is of divine origin is ridiculous and absurd. Under the sharia Islam does not permit monarchial dynastic rule and all monarchs in the Persian Gulf region including Saudi Arabia are thus illegal. The legal system in Saudi Arabia which is flaunted as the sharia is in actual fact an antiquated tribal system drawing its legitimacy from the pre-Islamic Jahilia system of tribal rule.

Amnesty International has time and again pointed out that “court proceedings in trial fall short of international standards.”

While Rizana languishes in prison with no date fixed for hearing, her agony has been compounded unbearably. Where is the compassion and mercy of the monarchial regime?

From what has happened to poor Rizana Nafeek one can only surmise that the Saudi Arabian regime is making a travesty and mockery of the divine sharia and opening Islam to ridicule. This is not what is expected of the so called guardians of the holy mosques of Mecca and Medina. Prolonging the anxiety and worry of an innocent, poor house-maid is abominable before God. Woe to those who indulge in such cruelty.

-Sri Lanka Guardian