No More Saudi Human Rights Violations

Read the Saudi Gazette and you will learn that my friend King Abdullah has launched a campaign to ensure that there will be no further human rights violations in the desert kingdom, long known for its oppression, intolerance and savagery. If you don't believe it, take the time and read the article yourself:

King approves promotion of human rights culture

Saudi Gazette staff

Riyadh – In a move to make human rights most secure in the Kingdom, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah has approved the launch of a nationwide campaign to promote human rights culture, said Bandar Al-Obyan, chairman of the Saudi Human Rights Commission, Saturday, in a statement carried by Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The royal approval would allow the commission to outline the broad policies of the campaign, offering an ideal opportunity to further link human rights to the overall work of the government.

The Commission said it will launch the campaign with the help of educational and media organizations across the Kingdom, vowing the release of the detailed plan of the campaign after deliberating with human rights activists and agencies in the Kingdom.

The commission will hold training sessions for all Saudi authorities concerned with human rights, Al-Obyan said.

The projected national human rights campaign has vowed to spread the message of tolerance and respect of the World Charter of Human Rights, and above all that one message of human rights that Islam has guaranteed humanity, he added.

The human rights culture is not novel to Saudi culture, rather it is deeply-rooted in Islamic heritage, and it needs to be prompted and enforced, Al-Obyan said.

The campaign will educate the public on the Kingdom’s legal procedures and instructions that protect their rights, he said, warning against any violation of human rights in the Kingdom.

One of the goals of the campaign is to check all government employees’ behavior with the public against the principles of human rights, Al-Obyan said.

The dissemination of the human rights culture in the Kingdom is, in fact, clear evidence of the King’s vision for promoting peace, security and integrity for all people living in the Kingdom, he added.

(http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2009110253314)

Bravo, Abdullah! I am certain that Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International are proud of you and can continue to solicit funds in Saudi Arabia.

What's the matter? You don't trust Abdullah? In the space of this short article, I counted the words "human rights" 14 times, and if that's the case, surely the Saudis mean exactly what they say. Eye gougings, lashings, beheadings, the severance of limbs, religious fanaticism and abuse of women will all continue, but at least there will be "human rights".

Welcome to the world of Middle East doublespeak.