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October 6, 2006 |
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SAUDI ARABIA SIGNS WITH UNICEF AN AGREEMENT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF HEALTH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN LEBANON. Saudi Arabia is not supporting Al-Qaeda terrorist head Osama bin Laden or his organization. Minister of Interior Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz made the remarks at a meeting of senior officials of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice in Riyadh. "How can the government of Saudi Arabia support an organization that targets and kills its own people?" he said, as quoted by the Arab News. Prince Naif also urged Saudi religious scholars to speak out against extremists and deviants, and to guide the next generation onto the right track. He stressed the role of universities and media outlets in educating the Saudi youth and raising their awareness. Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the Minister of Interior, held an open meeting with participants in the second gathering of directors of branches and heads of the commissions of virtue promotion and vice prevention in the kingdom's cities and provinces. The open meeting, attended by general president of the commissions of virtue promotion and vice prevention, was held following the conclusion of the gathering. During the dialogue, the minister answered participants' questions. One of the questions was on a recommendation of a ministerial committee to support the commission with jobs and pay raises. Prince Naif answered that the recommendation will be implemented and said workers in this field should be fully qualified to perform their duties. He called for providing them with competent, specialized and effective training by capable and sincere instructors. On a question on the successful security campaign against violations by illegal expatriates, he said the campaign will continue and above that he hoped to stop people who undermine the country and its religion. Furthermore, he urged citizens not to employ illegal workers. Replying to a question on the continuous support of the Saudi leaders for the commission, Prince Naif said this is one of the first duties of the leaders and officials. He added that those persons who try to defame Muslim scholars or a body serves religion such the commission of virtue promotion and vice prevention, they are either ignorant and stooges for others or they have no faith and in this case they should be treated as others. If they say truth, they should be debated, but if they say falsehood they should be punished. Prince Naif noted that the information system is clear and shortcoming is due to those who implement and follow up this matter, adding I hope that responses should always be objective. The sayings of these persons should be discussed in order to be incriminated legally and religiously, he added. As for supporting the commission with security men, he said the kingdom is a continent and has been witnessing a great expansion in population growth. He noted that this expansion needs thousands and thousands of men and that is what we are doing to complete. Prince Naif pointed out that there should be policemen whose mission is only to work with the commission and should not have other tasks, adding that we will discuss this matter with officials in the commission. He laid stress on specialization in police. Undoubtedly, it is wanted the presence of a force to support the commission, Prince Naif said. Interior Minister Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz patronized the conclusion of the three-day deliberations of the second meeting of Senior Officials of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. On arrival at the venue of the session, Prince Naif was received by Chairman of Shoura (Consultative) Council Sheikh Saleh bin Abdullah bin Humaid; President of the Supreme Judicial Council Sheikh Saleh bin Mohammad Al-Luhaidan; Director General of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice Sheikh Ibraheem bin Abdullah Al-Ghaith and a number of senior officials. On their parts, Sheikh Ibraheem Al-Ghaith; Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah Al Al-Sheikh; Sheikh Saleh Al-Luhaidan and Sheikh Saleh bin Humaid delivered speeches on this occasion, in which they expressed their gratitude to the Saudi government for supporting the commission and thanking the officials in charge of it for their important role in the community. Speaking on the occasion, Prince Naif said it is an honor for Saudi Arabia to have such a religious commission working for the good of the people, adding that the Kingdom will continue to abide by the Holy Quran and the Prophet's Practice and Tradition as the bases on which this country is established, pointing out that Islam deals with all aspects of life positively. Prince Naif also said that our country which applies Islamic Shariah (law) is facing challenges and dangers that aim at dividing us and defaming Islam which in turn, prompts us to remain united. He added that Islam is the religion of justice, mercy and humanity saying that we were targeted by those who claim to be Muslims but they are executing the desires of the enemies of Islam. He said that Allah guided the late King Abdulaziz to unite this country under the flag of the testimony of faith with the help of a number of Muslim scholars so that it is based on Islamic Shariah and that no one to be thanked for that except Allah the Omnipotent. Speaking about the latest terrorist attacks, Prince Naif said that this group of people has an ideology which is not derived from Islamic teachings, adding that everyone should defend his religion, country and the upcoming generations. He also said that these terrorists claim that we support the West but the reality is that our strategy stems from Islam and that they are the enemies of Allah. Prince Naif said "We are all responsible and we all have to face these challenges under the leadership of our Muslim scholars, using the Islamic Shariah," pointing out that if we do not believe in our Shariah and scholars, we will not be able to work for the good of this Ummah. Speaking about the role of security forces, Prince Naif referred to the recent events in Jeddah saying that our forces worked hard for nineteen hours to make sure that innocents are not hurt, pointing out that it is an honor to the Kingdom to have such faithful forces. He also said that we have hosted many scholars , like Abdulrazzaq Afifi, who were faithful to this country and to Islam, adding that we are proud to serve such good Muslim scholars who work for the good of Islam and Muslims. Speaking about Al-Qaida, Prince Naif said that it was established by 'known others' and not Saudi Arabia, wondering how we establish it while it has killed innocents in our country. Al-Qaida found Bin Laden and they put him in the front because he has the Saudi citizenship although he is originally from somewhere else. On his side is Al-Zawahiri and their spiritual father is Abdullah Azzam and we know who they are and what their mentality is like. Prince Naif said "I remember someone who lived and died in Saudi Arabia and before his death he said that my role-model is Hassan Al-Banna and he did not say Prophet Mohammad or name any of his companions." Prince Naif also said that such men have become tools in the hands of enemies and we have to face them with the Islamic argument, reality and bravery because they are dangerous, urging the attending scholars to spread the truth as much as possible to protect the community from the intellectual danger. Meanwhile, he called for debate and dialogue instead of using other channels to express one's opinions, pointing out that we have to protect this country because it has the Two Holy Mosques and it is the place from which Islam spread all over the world. "We must be careful and cautious about the intellectual danger. We, as government, will do our best to serve the people and rule by Islamic Shariah and we should cooperate in this regard. " Interior Minister Prince Naif called Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden a silly intelligence agent. He also refuted Western allegations that Saudi Arabia was supporting Bin Laden and his terrorist organization. "How can the government of Saudi Arabia support an organization that targets and kills its own people," he said while addressing a meeting of the directors and senior officials of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. "Bin Laden is a silly person and an intelligence agent. He is not a Saudi. He came from another county and obtained citizenship," the prince told the gathering that included Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz Al-Asheikh and Shoura Council Chairman Saleh Bin-Humaid. Prince Naif said he would continue to support the commission and the purpose it stands for. "The promotion of virtue and prevention of vice is the basic principle of Islam," he said, and urged the commission's officials to be lenient with people following the example of the Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him). "I want to see this in reality." The commission should get rid of those officials who are ignorant and unqualified, the prince said and urged its officials to be better organized. "The Saudi government is powerful with the grace of Allah, thanks to its application of the Shariah as its constitution," the prince said, adding that the Kingdom was targeted by its enemies "who use Arabs and Muslims as tools to try to destroy it." He said religious scholars have a duty of guiding youth and the younger generation onto the right track. He also said that jihad for Muslims, particularly Saudis, is the jihad against people who promote distorted ideas. "People who are not qualified to be Islamic propagators should stay away from that job and leave it to qualified hands." Prince Naif accused foreign Arab preachers of spreading extremism and deviant ideas in the Kingdom. "It is unfortunate that many preachers from Arab countries, whom the Kingdom supported, propagated distorted ideas and brainwashed our youth," he explained. "Those who know Saudis of the older generation are well aware of the ethics and morals of Saudis," he added. He urged Saudi religious scholars not be silent and speak out against extremists and deviants. "The brainwashed Saudi extremists who took part in the latest terrorist attack in Jeddah were forcing security men to kill innocent people. Security officers took 19 hours to evacuate all citizens and residents form nearby buildings to safety." Prince Naif said that any person who does not believe in the ideals of this country and its institutions, its scholars and its right methodology should leave. They should not consider themselves part of this country, he warned. "The enemies do not want Saudi Arabia to exist. This amounts to saying Islam cannot be established in a country," the prince said. He emphasized the role of universities and media organizations in educating the Saudi youth and enhancing their awareness. Prince Naif told Saudis that imitating the West was not a sign of progress. "They are backward and we are forward with our moral values," he asserted. "How can we call the West progressive when they allow their wives to indulge in vices," he asked. "On the other hand, we are willing to sacrifice our lives and souls for the sake of our religion, morals and country," he added. Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Gaith, the president of the commission, said it handled with privacy 95 percent of the cases that were reported to the organization. He said the commission has started employing highly qualified persons as the majority of them hold master's and doctoral degrees. "We have also expanded training programs to better prepare our officials for field jobs and to enhance their performance," he said. Interior Minister Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz said in a statement that there is nothing called National Security Court in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He made this statement when he patronized the conclusion of the religious commission's meeting, pointing out that the Supreme Judicial Council, Justice and Interior Ministries are studying a proposal to select judges for security issues. In an answer to a question about what was mentioned by some media channels that "the Religious Police" will be cancelled, Prince Naif said that they mean the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice and that this was rejected, and is rejected and will be rejected. Meanwhile the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz has decided Saudi Arabia will pay all fees for state school students in Lebanon for the 2006-2007 academic year, an official source said. "King Abdullah has decided that the kingdom will cover all school fees for students in Lebanese public schools at all levels," the Saudi ambassador to Lebanon Abdel Aziz Khuja said, according to the official news agency SPA. "The aim of this initiative is to alleviate problems in Lebanese educational establishments so that no Lebanese student is deprived of a place or a schoolbook," Khuja was quoted as saying. The Saudi ambassador informed Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora of King Abdullah's decision. Lebanon has nearly a million pupils of school age. Around 350 schools were destroyed or badly damaged during Israel's month-long offensive on Lebanon, according to the United Nations children's fund UNICEF. The new school year was to have started in mid-September, but has now been put back to October 9. Lebanese Education Minister Khaled Kabbani has estimated that "70 million dollars (are needed) in the short term" for reconstruction and repair of schools. Saudi Arabia has already provided 1.5 billion dollars in financial aid to the country, devastated by a 34-day Israeli onslaught launched after Hezbollah militants captured two Israeli soldiers on July 12. On the other hand as a result of proceeds generated through a 26 July telethon, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia donated US$1 million to support the UNICEF relief efforts in Lebanon. The fund-raiser telethon received enthusiastic contributions from the Saudi public, as well as substantial donations from the private sector. Funds donated to UNICEF will help reinforce on-the-ground activities as per the UN consolidated flash appeal launched last 24 July, which requires donors and the international community to provide $150 million to meet humanitarian needs over the next three months in Lebanon. UNICEF's immediate requirements are budgeted at a total of US$25 million, to respond to the immediate needs of displaced children in the areas of health, water and sanitation and psychosocial support. "As much as the Saudi contribution allows for our immediate efforts to advance, their support is also vital in enabling us to carry out our longer-term development work in favor of affected children," said Roberto Laurenti, UNICEF's Representative in Lebanon. The 30-day old conflict has left over 900,000 people displaced amidst the wreckage of damaged infrastructure and a worsening shortage of essential goods and services. This has been accompanied by soaring prices, with many commodities more than doubling in price over the past few days, including food, medical items and fuel. "This donation brings the total contributions by the Saudi Relief Committees to more than US$6 million over the past two years, which testifies to the strong partnership that has evolved in the service of children in need, no matter where emergencies hit," added June Kunugi, UNICEF Gulf Area Representative. UNICEF has provided water, hygiene and medical supplies to thousands of children and their families throughout Lebanon. A campaign to immunize tens of thousands of children displaced by the conflict in Lebanon is underway amid fears that the mass population displacement provoked by the crisis could trigger an outbreak of measles, polio or other diseases. The Ministry of Health, supported by UNICEF, the World Health Organization and a variety of NGO partners, aims to ensure that children living in schools and other public places are protected against illness. In addition to the vaccination campaign, since the start of the crisis in Lebanon, UNICEF has provided: - Essential drugs (including ORS and lice treatment) for children, beneficiaries reached: 50,000; - 48 water tanks with a 5,000-litre capacity, to the Beirut, Aley and Chouf areas, beneficiaries reached: 23,347 persons; - 237 water kits (containing collapsible containers, purification tablets and other items) throughout Beirut, Mount Lebanon, the South, North, and Bekaa, internally-displaced persons (IDPs) reached: 78,000; - 3,150 boxes of water purification tablets to Beirut and the South, IDPs reached: 63,315; - 26,396 bags or bars of soap to Beirut, Mount Lebanon, the South, North, Bekaa, IDPs reached: 100,772; - 263,608 diapers to Beirut, Mount Lebanon, the South, North, and Bekaa, IDPs reached: 88,235. The Saudi Popular Committee reached an agreement worth 2.2 million U.S. dollars with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) to support education and health projects in Lebanon. According to reports from the Lebanese National News Agency, the agreement signed between the Saudi Popular Committee and the UNICEF aims to boost development, education and health projects in Lebanon. The projects would supply needed medicines and nutrition to children and school bags for nearly 320,000 students, said Saed al-Harthi, representative of the Saudi Popular Committee. He added that the agreement would enable the rebuilding of devastated water networks in a number of war-torn villages. Dr Saed Al-Harethi, the advisor of the interior minister and chairman of the Saudi Popular Campaign for the Relief of the Lebanese People, signed a cooperation agreement with the international food program to extend food assistance to the affected persons in Lebanon. The accord came in line with the royal order to allocate SR 18,750,000, through the Saudi popular campaign for the relief of the Lebanese people, to extend food assistance to the affected persons in Lebanon, due to be distributed by the international food program, and in line with the directives of Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz, the interior minister and the general supervisor of the Saudi popular campaign for the relief of the Lebanese people. Under the agreement, the Saudi popular campaign for the relief of the Lebanese people will finance the relief program of the Lebanese affected by the Israeli aggression. In a press statement following the signing of the agreement, Dr Al-Harethi said the Saudi popular campaign for the relief of the Lebanese will extend SR 18,750,000 to the international food program so as to enable it carry out food relief programs in the affected regions in Lebanon. Dr Al-Harethi noted that the Saudi popular campaign for the relief of the Lebanese people has been implementing a number of relief programs in Lebanon in cooperation with the international organizations. Lebanese information minister Ghazi Aridi praised the Saudi Help to Lebanon and said that the Saudi help to Lebanon is not based on any political accounts. Meantime a convoy of Saudi relief trucks arrived in Lebanon carrying more than 36,000 food baskets. It is the third such convoy, and is in line with ongoing Saudi humanitarian aid to the Lebanese people. |
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