Seeking Pardon to Rizana Nafeek: A Doomed Mission, Shamed the President
By K.T.Rajasingham
Riyadh, 19 November, (Asiantribune.com):
Right from the very beginning Asian Tribune warned that too many cooks would spoil everything and accordingly the Government delegation organized by the Ministry for Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare went to Riyadh, failed to seek any concrete commitment , instead stirred the hornets’ nest and shamed the Sri Lankan President and the Country.
In the end, the veteran politician Alavi Moulana, who was a member of the delegation met with Shaik Faisal al Otaibi, the Tribal Leader appointed by the Saudi Government at his palace in Riyadh and apologized on behalf of the Government for the mess the delegation have created by inflicting pain of mind and also for arousing the anger and fury of those around deceased infant baby’s parents.
On Wednesday evening the veteran politician Alavi Moulana and Nakaeeb Moulana, the Coordinating Secretary to the Governor of the Western Province arrived in Riyadh and were supposed to stay in the Al Kozami Hotel in Riyadh, (five Star Hotel), where all the other delegates were staying, but both Alavi and his son went to stay in the palatial Villa owned by his nephew Abdul Cader Al Mashoor Moulana, a Sri Lankan businessman.
Incidentally Abdul Cader is the President’s Coordinator assigned to work on the release of Rizana Nafeek.
In the meantime, on Tuesday, Mohammed and Rifana Nafeek, parents of Rizana Nafeek met their eldest daughter Rizana Nafeek at the Dawdami prison. Dr. Kifaya Ifthikar from Kandy, a Sri Lankan dental surgeon working in a clinic in Riyadh, accompanied the parents to the prison.
Dr. Kifaya Ifthikar speaking to Asian Tribune said that the visit of the parents was a pleasant surprise to the young Rizana, who is presently languishing in the death row.
Earlier in 2007, parents met their daughter Rizana Nafeek no sooner the three member bench of the Dawadami High Court passed the death sentence on her.
Dr. Kifaya Ifthikar told Asian Tribune that it was an emotional meeting and the parents were allowed to be with their daughter for nearly 45 mts.
Unfortunately, no member in the Government delegation was not able to meet the Sri Lankan Housemaid who is languishing in the Dawdami prison since 25 May 2005 and in the death row since July 2007.
Asian Tribune learnt that Mohammed Sheriff Mohammed Thowfeek, the member of Parliament for Muthur, the place where Rizana is from, has expressed his desire to accompany the Rizana’s parents to meet the condemned house maid.
Asian Tribune learnt that the representative from the Sri Lankan External Affairs Ministry has told that as he is holding a Diplomatic Passport in his capacity as a Member of Parliament, and he will not be allowed to go inside the jail.
On Thursday morning, Sri Lankan Delegation went to Dawadmi. Asian Tribune learnt that I. Ansar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, who was in the delegation arranged through a contact, one Mr. Abu Sultan, formerly of ARAMCO, the meeting of the Elders at a community wedding hall in Dawdami.
The meeting was presided over by an Elderly member Shaik Al Faiham. More than 25 elders of the area were present at the meeting. Sri Lankan delegation was received by the elders and they all spoke with the Mirdath Fahad Al-Otaibi, father of the deceased Saudi infant’s mother.
The Mirdath Fahad Al-Otaibi told that he is not in speaking terms with his daughter and son –in – law and he was helpless.
The Elders have told the Sri Lankan delegation to contact them after two to three weeks so that they may explore whether there is any possibility to persuade of the deceased boy’s parents.
In the meantime Asian Tribune learnt the Naif Jiziyan Khalaf Al-Otaibi, father of 4 month old baby, stays in Riyadh and had switched off his mobile phone, as he was not interested even receiving any telephone calls from anyone to speak regarding the condemned house maid.
On Friday, a lunch was hosted by Seyed Moulana, a businessman and one who writes often to Asian Tribune, who is also another nephew of Alavi Moulana.
Asian Tribune contacted Mohammed Sheriff Mohammed Thowfeek, the Muthur MP and he said that this was his first experience and said that he could not make out the outcome of the meeting with the Elders they had in Dawdami on Thursday.
The delegation, as clearly pointed out by Asian Tribune failed to arrange a discreet negotiation. More than 14 to 15 members came on the delegation all the way from Colombo, but when they came over to Riyadh it became imminent that they haven’t made any spade work prior to coming to Riyadh.
There were no arrangements to meet the Parents of the deceased infant boy. No arrangements to meet the tribal leader. Worse of it all was no arrangement to meet anyone from the Interior Ministry, Justice Ministry and from the Governorate of Riyadh. It was a big flop. Unnecessary wastage of Government funds.
On the other hand Saudis have openly condemned the delegates - Moulavis in the delegation, as they were trying to teach Shariah laws to them. Also they openly condemned the attitude of the Sri Lankan delegation which has openly announced that they are prepared to pay any amount as blood money.
Asian Tribune learnt that the deceased baby boy’s parents were irritated and it seems they have said that Sri Lankans are trying to bargain clemency for money. It seems that they have said we are not after money.
Furthermore, on Thursday Nissanka N. Wijeratne, Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion & Welfare and I.Ansar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs has told Nakaeeb Moulana – Coordinating Secretary to the Governor of the Western Province not to bring along with him Abdul Cader Al Mashoor Moulana, the person appointed by Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa as his Coordinator, to work on the release of Rizana Nafeek.
Abdul Cader Al Mashoor Moulana, President’s Coordinator who works with with this writer and last time both of us went and met the brother of the deceased baby’s mother and he agreed to arrange quietly the meeting with the parents.
Subsequently, Abdul Cader Al Mashoor Moulana worked very closely with Saudi Government’s Tribal Leader Shaik Faisal al Otaibi. We have already provided a list of three to four names as the possible people who will be in the Government delegation and told that we would notify once the names were approved by the Sri Lankan President.
Once he heard of the arrival of the Government delegation organized by Ministry for Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare and their meeting with the so called Elders at the Community wedding hall in Dawdami, he was very much annoyed.
In the end, Abdul Cader Al Mashoor Moulana took along with him the elderly member of the delegation Alavi Moulana. Saudi Government Tribal Leader Shaik Faisal al Otaibi explained to Alavi Moulana the way the so called Sri Lankan delegation messed up the whole issue and told that if this is the way Sri Lanka Government will behave, then Government has to forget about the Clemency to Rizana Nafeek.
Alavi Moulana assessing the situation in the correct perspective, agreed that they have knowingly blundered and tendered an apology and appealed to the Tribal Leader and also to the representatives of the Interior Ministry as well as that of the Finance Ministry to continue working for the release of the housemaid, who languish in the Detah row, in the name of the God Almighty.
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Yet another delegation to seek the release of Rizana Nafeek
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