Saudi blind people accuse government of threats when they filed a complaint

From the Saudi Gazette:

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – Thirteen blind people have accused the Social Affairs Administration here of threatening them with imprisonment for filing a complaint against the Ibssar Charitable Society.

Accusations against the society include high checkup fees in the organization’s clinics. “The checkup fee is SR200 which is an amount that some cannot afford, those filing the complaint said on Friday.

The society, they alleged, has also been negligent in providing talking programs for blind trainees in its courses. “We have not received any voice programs since the society was established seven years ago. Furthermore, the work environment in the society does not attract efficient staff and employees never stay long there.”

The blind people filing the complaint described the decisions of the society’s Board of Directors as unfair and arbitrary, with no information given on the proposals and recommendations of the society following the holding of the general assembly meeting.

“We reject the procrastination and obstacles placed in our way when we nominate a representative for persons with impaired sight to attend the general assembly meeting,” they added.

Sa’eed Khalaf Al-Ghamdi, Acting Director General of Social Affairs, refuted the accusations. He said that a committee had been formed to investigate the complaint and that a report would be submitted to the Minister of Social Affairs.

Dr. Muhammad Tawfiq Bello, Director General of Ibssar Charitable Society in Jeddah, also rejected the accusations. He said their objective was to distort the image of the society in the media and at the Ministry of Social Affairs and related authorities.

Dr. Bello said that the charitable society is a non-profit institution that is in need of sufficient resources to operate, which is why they charge checkup fees.
However, he added, the fee is not fixed, and a blind person’s financial circumstances are taken into consideration in determining the fee.

Dr. Bello said that those who filed the complaint had taken part in training courses resulting in employment and this was at the expense of the society and in collaboration with one of the major companies in the Kingdom.

He described the person leading the group of blind complainants as a psychiatric case, who believes himself to have been wronged by the society.

The charitable society official further stressed that the stability of the organization’s employees and their work environment is the concern of the employees themselves and is not the concern of blind persons, who are merely beneficiaries of the society’s programs.

He added that as beneficiaries they have no right to discuss the work environment of the organization’s employees.