A Disturbing Phenomenon
Young Saudis, studying abroad are increasingly becoming apparent victims of Islamophobia. This ignorant bigotry is suspected to lie behind the murder of two students, one in the UK and one in California and the disappearance, almost two years ago, of another in Canada.
Nahid Al-Manea died in a frenzied knife attack this June as she walked through a Colchester park on her way to lectures at Essex University. Engineering student Abdullah Alkadi was murdered by a man who answered his online advertisement to sell his automobile. His body was found dumped beside an interstate highway after his murderer was stopped in his car.
Chemical engineering student Hamza Al-Sharif from Jeddah disappeared in December 2012, leaving passport, credit cards, phone and all important documents behind. His bank account has not been touched since. Police believe that they found his jacket, but despite extensive searches, including the efforts of a private investigator hired by the Saudi Embassy in Ottawa, no trace of Al-Sharif has been found.
It is of course possible that not all, if any of these attacks, are directly related to the fact that the victims are Saudis and Muslims. Nevertheless, it cannot be ignored that they are part of a wider and deeply-disturbing pattern, in which Muslims and Arabs are being singled out.
This discrimination is not simply coming from people in the street. It is also happening at an official level. On the grounds of combating terrorism, the US Department of Homeland Security has instigated, or at least countenanced, the unacceptable treatment of Muslims.
Few visitors from the Arab world have escaped close scrutiny at US borders. American immigration officials, never notable for their courtesy or politeness to anyone, can resort to rude and offensive behavior when questioning arrivals about their background and intentions in the States.
The United States and the European Union are awash with legislation that outlaws racism, sexism, ageism and every other form of discrimination in the workplace. Oddly, such principles fly out the window when the issue of security is raised. Terrorism is a live issue. Citizens are warned to report any suspicious package, any suspicious behavior. And what could be more suspicious than someone wearing a niqab? After all, haven’t male terrorists disguised themselves behind a face veil and concealed suicide vests beneath flowing robes?
Moreover Arab faces, Arab dress, even the sound of Arabic being spoken in public places, generally produce a second look. This is especially the case away from the few metropolitan centers.
Then there are the politicians in Europe, who are seeking to ride the anti-immigration ticket to power. They preach the falsehood that foreigners are stealing jobs and jeopardizing native cultures. Spouting their rubbish, which is widely reported in the media, they legitimize the ignorant prejudice of a poorly-educated people to whom deep and reflective thought is a stranger.
Official security warnings combine with manipulative and cynical political messages to create the climate where discrimination is easy. And into this toxic air step thugs and psychopaths. These are the people whose minds have been so warped that they can actually be inspired to murder someone, because they are different from the majority of the community around them.
In the case of the latest killing of a Saudi, it seems clear that Abdullah Alkadi was naïve to the point of foolishness. He welcomed a complete stranger into his home because the man said he wanted to buy his automobile. It is a sad reflection of life abroad, that Saudis must change the way of living that come naturally to them. The open-hearted welcome given to visitors to a home in Saudi Arabia cannot be duplicated in other countries. The easy-going attitude to personal security which characterizes life in the Kingdom, where crime is relatively rare, must be abandoned when traveling abroad.
Life in foreign countries, not least in North America and in Europe, cannot be regarded as safe anymore. Precautions must be taken. Among Saudi students in the US, security networks using social media enable young people to keep in touch, check in regularly and tell friends of their immediate plans.
But more must be done. Universities must understand that their Arab students are now at greater risk. They must do all they can to improve the security around them. Saudi diplomats could also perhaps do more to encourage colleges to wise-up and municipal authorities to put police departments on higher alert. But in the end, the biggest contribution toward security must come from the students themselves. Care, caution and common sense will help them protect themselves from violent bigotry.
Arab News