June 16, 2011 The Camel’s good friend Claudia Rey writes today to remind us that Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women are not allowed to drive.
Claudia also brings the news that tomorrow, June 17, Saudi women are defying this stupid, discriminating, medieval and absurd law which prevents them from taking the wheel by taking their cars and driving throughout the country. The protest courts the risk of imprisonment and civic punishment for those brave enough to participate.
Claudia asked the Camel to spread news of this event. While the Camel has never before spoken in support of any particular cause, and disapproves of cars in general, Claudia’s request is happily granted.
A petition to support the Women2Drive campaign can be found here: http://www.change.org/petitions/secretary-clinton-publicly-support-saudi-womens-right-to-drive
Please join The Camel in supporting this effort.
The imprisonment of poets who have spoken in support of The Arab Spring has also drawn The Camel's recent attention, notably the cases of the poetess Ayat Al-Gormezi, who has been sentenced for reciting the words:
We do not like to live in a palace
And we are not after power
We are the people who
Break down humiliation
And discard oppression
With peace as our tool
We are people who
Do not want others to be living in the Dark Ages
See: http://www.englishpen.org/writersinprison/wipcnews/bahrainpoetayatal-gormezisentenced/
and of the Sunni poet Mohamed Al-Buflasa who remains illegally detained for speaking in Pearl Square support of The Spring. See: http://abna.ir/data.asp?lang=3&id=246540
Please also join The Camel to support the release of these voices.
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