MOST of the people who have been arrested or are wanted by security authorities in connection with Awamiyah terror-related incidents have not even completed their secondary education, according to a statement by Maj. Gen. Mansour Al-Turki, security spokesman of the Ministry of Interior. There is nothing unusual in the fact that people who have a lower level of education face difficulties in securing a good job and eventually building a prosperous future. Hence, there would be limited options for them and their horizons would be not wider. There is more possibility on the part of such people to revolt against society. After a series of violent incidents in Awamiyah in the eastern Qatif region, I asked a moderate cultural figure, who hails from that region, what was behind such organized violence? He replied: “Resorting to a security solution won't help in addressing the problem.” Then, I proposed to him with the following words. “This issue involves shooting at security men and innocent civilians, and using Molotov cocktails with an ulterior motive of killing people. In such a situation, it is quite natural to resort to a security solution.” I was astonished to see the position of the cultural figure, whom I thought would be the first among those who come forward to confront such terror acts. This is because he and other residents of Awamiyah are the victims of such acts before anyone else. I also recalled the strong position of Saudi cultural figures in fighting Al-Qaeda terrorists and their deviant ideology. All of us shall shoulder our responsibilities in fighting this destructive ideology that otherwise would undermine the security of our society and future of the nation. Apart from simply making statements, the scholars of Qatif should come forward to shoulder the responsibility of safeguarding the youths in the region from the scourge of terrorism. The government shall show utmost keenness in fulfilling the requirements of the region so as to foil all attempts to make the region a breeding ground for insurgency. Awamiyah is an integral part of the Kingdom, and therefore protecting its people from terrorism is an intellectual, security and social obligation.
