King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia has appointed Norah al-Fayez as the deputy Minister of education as the first-ever woman to hold such a high-ranking position. In the conservative Kingdom where women are not seen in public without a veil, many Saudis could not believe their eyes. But for others it was too little too late.
 Norah al-Fayez, Saudi Arabia's first woman minister |
The rise of the American educated al-Fayez to such a high position is seen by most Saudis as a turning point in the slow but steady and irreversible process of change sweeping through one of the richest, and yet most conservative countries of the world.
Optimistic
In an interview with Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Ibrahim al-Mogaiteeb, a Saudi human rights activist who has suffered a lot from oppression, welcomed the development. He considered it a vitally important step forward. Mr al-Mogaiteeb is optimistic that further developments will follow soon, especially regarding the rights of women and the Shiite minority.
There are more reasons to believe that appointing Mrs al-Fayez is more than just a facelift attempt by the Saudi monarchy. Saudi Arabia has been under constant fire for its record on human rights, and has been busy improving its image. But this time it seems that the new measures are a response to a genuine internal need for reform.
Rigid grip
Sheikh Ibrahim al-Ghaith, the head of the religious police (al-Hayaa), was one of the most important figures who lost their jobs in the reshuffle announced on Sunday. The religious police have embarrassed the Saudi authorities for years, making the life of young Saudis very difficult by chasing them in the streets to attend mosque prayers, and committing gross violations against immigrant workers.
"We will try to be close to the heart of every citizen. Their concerns are ours,"
said the new chief of the religious police.
The powerful chief justice Salih al-Lihaidan was also replaced after long years of stubborn resistance to any reform in the old-fashioned strict traditional Islamic judiciary. Recently, the outgoing chief justice made a shocking statement, saying that the owners and directors of the TV channels broadcasting immoral programmes deserve to die. The governor of the Central Bank is also retiring after a record four decades in office.
Law and order
But not everybody is satisfied. A Saudi university student, who asked to remain anonymous, told Radio Netherlands Worldwide that the changes are far less than needed:
"Take for instance al-Hayaa (the religious police). It makes no sense to change the director while the whole old body remains intact. Why do we need a government agency to tell us what to do in the streets? The normal police is more than enough to keep law and order."
However, human rights activist Ibrahim al-Mugaiteeb argues that what happened is welcomed as the first step in a long process. Doing away with the religious police is not a realistic demand for the time being. Making it a law abiding organization that respects citizens' rights will be great progress, according to Mr al-Mugaiteeb.
For many observers, the inevitable far-reaching changes in the country will have to wait until power shifts from the direct sons of the founder, King Abdulaziz, who have been ruling the country for 60 years, to a new generation of Saudi leaders.
Tags: education, Islamic, judiciary, King Abdullah, Norah al-Fayez, reforms, Saudi Arabia