Saudi woman detained for driving - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

Saudi woman detained for driving - Middle East - Al Jazeera English

A woman in Saudi Arabia was detained after she launched a campaign against the driving ban for women in the Kingdom and posted a video of herself behind the wheel on Facebook and YouTube.

Human rights activist Walid Abou el-Kheir said Manal al-Sherif was detained on Saturday by the country's religious police, who are charged with ensuring the kingdom's rigid interpretation of Islamic teachings are observed.

Al-Sherif was released hours later, according to the campaign's Twitter account. The terms of her release were not immediately clear.

Al-Sherif and a group of other women started a Facebook page called "Teach me how to drive so I can protect myself,'' which urges authorities to lift the driving ban.

She went on a test drive in the eastern city of Khobar and later posted a video of the experience.

"This is a volunteer campaign to help the girls of this country'' learn to drive, al-Sherif says in the video.

"At least for times of emergency, God forbid. What if whoever is driving them gets a heart attack?''

'Mass drive'

The campaigners have focused on the importance of women driving in times of emergencies and in the case of low-income families.

Al-Sherif said unlike the traditional argument in Saudi Arabia that driving exposes women to sinful temptations by allowing them to mingle with policemen and mechanics, women who drive can avoid sexual harassment from their drivers and protect their "dignity.''

Through Facebook, the campaigners are calling for a mass drive on June 17 and more than 12,000 people viewing the page have indicated they support the call.

On their Facebook page, the group says women joining the campaign should not challenge authorities if they were stopped and questioned, and should abide by the country's strict dress code.

"We want to live as complete citizens, without the humiliation that we are subjected to every day because we are tied to a driver,'' the Facebook message reads.

"We are not here to break the law or demonstrate or challenge the authorities, we are here to claim one of our simplest rights.''

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world to ban women, both Saudi and foreign, from driving. The prohibition forces families to hire live-in drivers, and those who cannot afford the $300 to $400 a month for a driver must rely on male relatives to drive them to work, school, shopping or the doctor.

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By the way according to the US Department of State "The United States and Saudi Arabia share common concerns about regional security, oil exports and imports, and sustainable development. Close consultations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia have developed on international, economic, and development issues such as the Middle East peace process and shared interests in the Gulf. The continued availability of reliable sources of oil, particularly from Saudi Arabia, remains important to the prosperity of the United States as well as to Europe and Japan. Saudi Arabia is one of the leading sources of imported oil for the United States, providing more than one million barrels/day of oil to the U.S. market. The U.S. is Saudi Arabia's largest trading partner, and Saudi Arabia is the largest U.S. export market in the Middle East. ..."

The mad square - Modernity in German art 1910–37 - Art Gallery NSW - 6 Aug ~ 6 Nov 2011

In an era of chaos came an explosion of creativity – edgy, provocative, yet utterly compelling

Germany at the start of the 20th century was a country in turmoil. With the formation of the Weimar Republic, replacing the old imperial system, came a dramatic shift in thinking. In the new metropolis of Berlin and beyond, a period of intense creativity flourished amid chaos and revolution.

Watch interviews with the curator and visiting experts


Bold new movements such as Expressionism, Dada, Constructivism, Bauhaus and New Objectivity exploded onto the turbulent social landscape. The artists’ interest in experimentation extended across art forms, forging influential directions in painting, photography, design, decorative arts, film, theatre, street art and political satire.

The mad square: modernity in German art 1910-37 brings together over 200 diverse works exploring the fascinating and complex ways in which artists sought to portray the modern world. Featuring leading artists such as Max Beckmann, Otto Dix, George Grosz, Hannah Höch and El Lissitzky among others, this major exhibition is drawn from renowned international and Australian collections.

Text courtesy of http://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/mad-square/

Marrickville Contemporary Art Prize 2011 (MCAP’11) - Finalists' Exhibition

Venue : Chrissie Cotter Gallery 
(Pidcock Street Camperdown) 


Dates : 9-25 September

Gallery Hours: Wed-Sun 11am-5pm. Free Entry

Finalists:

Angela Stretch, Anthony Bartok, Bronwyn Carter, Catherine Cloran, Catriona Secker, Cigdem Aydemir, Diego Bonetto, Ganbold Lundaa, Georgina Pollard, Gilbert Grace, Goran Tomic, Gustavo Boke, Harry Perlich, Hayley Hill, Ingrid Dernee, Jagath Dheerasekara, Jason Andison, Jo Tracy, Justin Henderson, Kate Mulheron, Kurt Sorensen, Lydia Dowman, Marieka Walsh, Mark Wotherspoon, Michael Garbutt & Tega Brain, Mitzi McKenzie-King, Peter Williamson, Peter McGuiness, Rachael Everitt, Ro Murray, Shannon Johnson, Teena Marie McCarthy, Tim Andrew, Tina Fiveash, Will Coles.
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Jagath Dheerasekara's photography can be seen at www.jd.photoshelter.com

“Walk With Us" - Book Launch - Sydney

Walk with Us - Book Launch - Sydney - 01 September 2011 from jagath dheerasekara on Vimeo.

“Walk With Us” - Aboriginal Elders call out to Australian people to walk with them in their Quest for Justice. A sequel to the highly regarded and recommended “This Is What We Said” (February 2010)


Of this book Michael Kirby AC CMG retired judge of the High Court of Australia said, “...these are words that we should hear, that our parliament should hear, that our leaders should hear.” “Walk With Us” is equally informative and important beautifully illustrated, this hard-covered book provides a very important update of recent happenings in the Northern Territory including unsatisfactory changes to the legislation, Elders visit to the United Nations, the recent Australians visit of Navi Pillay, the UN Human Rights High Commissioner, who flew into Darwin to especially to meet with Aboriginal Elders and leaders from across the Territory. The Commissioner sensed the very, “... deep hurt and pain that they have suffered.” (Darwin May 2011). The High Commissioner has joined other world and Australians leaders in their calling for immediate changes.

This is a complex subject and both books provide an easy way of keeping up to date with what has been happening in the Northern Territory.

In “Walk With Us” you will learn further what Northern Territory Aboriginal people are saying and you will hear their heartfelt plea to the people of Australia. 

Publication Date: 25 August

An order form can be obtained from concernedaustralians.com.au

Text courtesy of the blurb sent out by "the Concerned Australians"
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Jagath Dheerasekara's photography can be seen at www.jd.photoshelter.com