Meeting Rizana, new Consul General’s top priority

Mohammed RASOOLDEEN in Saudi Arabia

SAUDI ARABIA: Meeting Rizana Nafeek, whose death sentence by a Dawadmi court is currently on an appeal in a higher court, will be the first in the agenda of Sri Lanka’s new Consul General, A.L.M. Lafir who assumed duties as the island’s Consulate in Jeddah, Saturday.

He succeeds Masihudeen Inamullah who left the Kingdom on completion of his tour of duty in June this year. “Rizana’s parents met me before my departure to Jeddah and requested me to meet their daughter and console her in whatever possible form,” Lafir told Daily News.

He pointed out that the embassy in Riyadh, headed by W.S.M.S. Wijesundera is looking after her interests.

However, he said that his meeting with her will boost her morale and give mental security at this time.

The Consul General said there were various political and human rights activists who persuaded Rizana’s parents to come to the streets to participate in public procession to appeal for Royal pardon.

“They totally refused to engage in such activities since they respect the laws of the host country,” Lafir said, describing them as innocent villagers who have become victims of circumstances.

Meanwhile, a social worker who met Rizana in jail during the weekend, told the Daily News that the maid looks cheerful with full of hopes that she would be released soon.

“Rizana told me to bring some good clothes to wear when she comes out of jail,” Dr. Kifaya Ifthikar said yesterday.

“She also wanted a Tamil translation of the Holy Quran which I gave the woman jailor to be handed over to Rizana,” Dr. Kifaya added.

Dr. Kifaya said Rizana told her that the jail authorities who are all women, look after her very well. “Her prison does not look a jail at all, it looks an urban home with two rooms.

The place is fully air-conditioned and there is a TV for Rizana to pass her time,” Dr. Kifaya said, adding that she is provided with comfortable sleeping facilities too.

In the prison, Rizana was in the normal clothes and said she spends the time reciting the Holy Quran, praying and watching television. Rizana is given SR 60 monthly by the prisons for her toiletries.

“She saves some money from it to take home,” the social worker said. She said she was very happy that the Sri Lankan Government and the embassy in Riyadh have come forward to rescue her from the gallows.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Human Rights Commission has assigned an officer to look after the interests of Rizana in her case.

Sources said it will also negotiate with the Saudi parents of the deceased infant, who was alleged to have been killed by Rizana. Former Sri Lankan Ambassador A.M.J. Sadiq had met the chairman of the

Human Rights Commission, Turki Al Sudeiry prior to his final departure to

Colombo seeking his intervention in Rizana’s case.

Basil Fernando, executive director of Asia Human Rights Commission (AHRC) told Daily News from Hong Kong that he is awaiting a reply from the legal firm, Kateb Fahad al Shammary, regarding the follow up of the case.

“We have already written to the lawyers and they will keep us posted

regarding their next step,” Fernando said. The AHRC has paid SR 50,000, one third of the total legal fees to the firm. The total cost of SR 150,000 was collected by AHRC from Sri Lankan philanthropists and charitable and commercial organisations.