A Saudi woman’s view of Montreal
Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun has recently been in the news for her flight from Saudi Arabia and asylum in Canada. The BBC talked to another young woman who fled the kingdom last year and now lives in Montreal. (But they didn’t ask her how she likes the climate.)
Chris 13:24 on 2019-01-13 Permalink
That BBC article is compelling, it reads like a movie plot! (She does say she likes the snow.)
Douglas 18:02 on 2019-01-13 Permalink
Salwa’s story is just amazing. Like a slave escaping to freedom. The Saudi men are just awful primitive human beings to hold their family members like sub-humans. What a culture.
Chris 23:44 on 2019-01-13 Permalink
Douglas, I guarantee you plenty of Saudi *men* don’t want to be under Islamic theocratic rule either. They too can be killed for homosexuality, apostasy, etc., etc., etc. (But, yes, it’s absolutely worse for women!) You can check out exmuslims.org for stories similar to Rahaf’s & Salwa’s.
Chris 11:48 on 2019-01-15 Permalink
I’ve been reading a lot about this story, and have noticed that many articles, like the two Kate linked, do not contain any of the words: Islam, Muslim, or religion. Instead, they focus on (alleged) abuse from her family. While such abuse is horrible, let’s not forget that she _publicly renounced Islam_, a crime punishable by *death*. Surely that ought to be noteworthy, as it was a primary motivation for her to flee. Islam is also a primary influence on her family’s behaviour and worldview, as confirmed by their own public tweet: “A naughty daughter who abused us with shameful and uncustomary behaviour and embarrassed our Islamic customs and values.” I find it noteworthy that this angle is ignored by so many.
Kate 13:31 on 2019-01-15 Permalink
Chris, it seems to me everyone is well aware Saudi Arabia is a theocracy. Journalistic reports shouldn’t include editorializing on Islam.
thomas 20:07 on 2019-01-15 Permalink
Actually, she publicly renounced Islam on twitter while barricaded in her Bangkok hotel room. Seemingly, to bolster her case for asylum — I am not doubting her veracity of her act and it was a smart move. Just pointing out that she had already fled by that point so it cannot be salient as a motive.
Chris 21:54 on 2019-01-15 Permalink
thomas, did you expect her to publicly renounce while back in Saudi? To a capital crime? Nonsense.
People don’t give up religion overnight. It usually takes years. This article suggests she’s been ex-Muslim, and a feminist activist, for some time:
http://www.theguardian.com / world / 2019 / jan / 06 / saudi-woman-held-bangkok-fears-will-be-killed-repatriated
Your last sentence in a non-sequitur. Just because it was a motive unknown to others, doesn’t mean it wasn’t a motive of hers.
kate, someone commits a capital crime, flees to escape death, and the commission of the capital crime is omitted? That not editorializing, it’s omitting relevant facts. Or maybe it is editorializing, but for altogether different motives.