Rizana: Protests may boomerang

18 July 2011 03:12 pm Views - 5703

Protest campaigns and demonstrations against the Saudi Arabian Government demanding a pardon for Sri Lankan maid Rizana Nafeek, who has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia may have a negative effect on the release of Rizana, Dr. Kibaya Isthikar, a Sri Lankan who coordinates between Rizana and her family says.

She said the demonstrations may anger the parents of the infant victim and Saudi Arabia, though protestors did so in good faith.

She told that Rizana Nafeek who was sentenced to death by a Saudi Arabian High Court for allegedly causing the death of a four-month-old infant in her care did not know that the sentence had been confirmed by the appeal court.

Dr. Kibaya Isthikar hailing from Kandy has been working as a dental surgeon in Saudi Arabia for 10 years. She alone is allowed to regularly visit Rizana in prison.

“I visit Rizana in the Dawadmi prison 400 kilometres away from Riyadh every month. I do my maximum to console her and boost her state of mind”, she said.

Dr. Kibaya said prison officials were kind enough to grant many favours to Rizana.

Everything depends on the parents of the child. Rizana can be saved only if they pardon her. The Sri Lankan embassy in Riyadh has done a lot in the process of securing the release of Rizana, Dr. Kiyaha said.

This is a delicate problem and this should be handled with utmost care, Dr. Kibaya added. (RA)