US Under Fire for Double Standard on Religious Freedom

P.K. Abdul Ghafour, Arab News

JEDDAH, 20 September 2004 — A prominent Saudi scholar yesterday blasted the United States for its accusation that Saudi Arabia violated religious freedom, saying Washington has “no right to talk about religious freedom and human rights” while supporting Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people.

“Everyday innocent Palestinian men, women and children are killed (at the hands of Israeli forces). Their only sin is they defended their land, life and legitimate rights,” the Saudi Press Agency quoted Sheikh Hassan Al-Saffar as saying.

He said the Israeli human rights violations were taking place “with the full knowledge and encouragement of the American administration that supports Zionist injustice and crimes.”

The Saudi scholar also condemned the continuing American occupation of Iraq and the US military campaigns targeting Iraqi cities and regions. “This has led to a lack of security and the spread of terror and fear,” he said. “All these negate the slogans and reports issued by American agencies on human rights and religious freedom,” he added.

“In the US itself, Arabs and Muslims suffer from racial and religious discrimination as reported by Amnesty International, which accused American authorities of committing excesses in racial discrimination since the Sept.11 , 2001 attacks. One out of every nine Americans have suffered from such discriminations in one way or another during the past three years,” he said quoting the Amnesty report.

“Even after all these US policies and practices, does the US State Department expect that people would look at its report on religious freedom with respect?” the scholar asked.

Al-Saffar also said that the Shiites in Saudi Arabia reject foreign intervention in the affairs of their country. “The Shiites are part and parcel of their nation and reject attempts to use their name to put pressure or blackmail by any party. If they have any problem they will contact the government to tackle them like other citizens,” he added.

Al-Saffar urged Saudis to stand united to foil enemy conspiracies. He emphasized the need for addressing “weak points” and take national dialogue as the right way to promote multiplicity of “madahib” (schools of religious thought). He said the Kingdom would remain strong with the unity and cohesion of its people and leadership and will be able to confront all foreign conspiracies and interferences.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Ibrahim ibn Abdullah Al-Ghaith, president of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, said his officials do not prevent non-Muslims from practicing their religion. He said while members of the commission don’t harass or force non-Muslims to convert, “we will not allow them to publicly practice their religion in this country,” Okaz quoted him as saying.