THE STORING (Dagbladet): – It is an unpleasant start to the day to receive flowers from a dead woman-hating authoritarian regime that both oppresses its own women and wars against other countries.
This is what the deputy leader of Rødt, Marie Sneve Martinussen, tells Dagbladet.
She is one of several women in the Storting who, on the occasion of Women’s Day, received a greeting from the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Norway, Amal Yahya A. Almoalimi. She is one of the few female ambassadors from Saudi Arabia.
Here is the government’s knitting faction
– PR strategy
Sneve Martinussen emphasizes that this is part of Saudi Arabia’s PR strategy to appear as an “edible regime”.
– Unfortunately, they succeed far too often. Norway also has far too close ties to the country with arms exports, official courtesy visits and business cooperation. Rødt has advocated for Norway to take a stronger distance from the regime in Saudi Arabia, and this flower probably won’t make me change my view of either the regime or Norway’s ties to it, she continues to Dagbladet.
NOT IMPRESSED: Deputy head of Rødt, Marie Sneve Martinussen, believes the flower on the occasion of Women’s Day is part of Saudi Arabia’s PR strategy. She was not impressed. Photo: Ingunn Dorholt / Dagbladet
sea view
On the attached brochure is the following message: “Equal rights, enormous success”.
In Saudi Arabia, women live under a guardianship system. It means that the father or husband rules over their lives, from beginning to end.
Also parliamentary leader in MDG, Lan Marie Berg, refers to the gift from the embassy as “quite special”.
– It’s great to celebrate Women’s Day and not least with flowers. But I jumped a little when I saw who the flower was from. Saudi Arabia is a country that oppresses women, says Berg.
Furious at Tajik games
She tells Dagbladet that she has sent the flower back, and hopes the embassy will take note of it.
– The main slogan in this year’s 8 March event is Woman, Life, Freedom – in support of the protesters and women in Iran. If Saudi Arabia wants to mark Women’s Day, I encourage you to take a trip on this year’s March 8 train, concludes Berg.
Right in the trash
According to Amnesty, Saudi Arabia spends billions on PR services from the West to improve its image.
Also last year, Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Oslo sent a greeting on Women’s Day, but that time the gift went to all female parliamentarians. This year they have apparently stuck to women in the party leadership.
SENT GREETINGS: Ambassador of Saudi Arabia Amal Yahya A. Almoalilmi. Photographed here at Holmenkollen Park Hotel last autumn. Photo: John T. Pedersen / Dagbladet
sea view
Dagbladet has tried to get a comment from Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Oslo, so far without success.
Venstre leader Guri Melby also allows himself to be strongly provoked by the “gift” from the regime.
That’s why Saudi Arabia is buying up football
She emphasizes to Dagbladet that women in Saudi Arabia still cannot be released from prison, travel out of the country, marry or divorce without a guardian’s permission.
– They live a life of great lack of freedom, with legislation that actively oppresses them. Instead of sending flowers to female politicians in other countries, the regime can change these laws. These flowers therefore go straight in the bin with me, says Melby to Dagbladet.
Didn’t react
Frp leader Sylvi Listhaug also believes this is a PR move by the regime.
– I thank you for the flower from Saudi Arabia on Women’s Day, but it is difficult to interpret this as anything other than a PR stunt, as this is one of the most oppressive countries in the world.
She emphasizes that we have admittedly seen less improvement for women in recent years.
Requires a full stop
– For example, Saudi women have recently been given the opportunity to obtain a passport and travel abroad without permission from a guardian. Women can now also drive. But this is obviously a drop in the ocean for everyone, and there is a long way to go before we can talk about real freedom for Saudi women. If Saudi Arabia really means with this gesture that they value women’s freedom and rights, then I expect them to give Saudi women equal opportunities and rights, says Listhaug to Dagbladet.
Parliamentary leader in the Center Party, Marit Arnstad, did not react to the gift.
– No, I didn’t react to that, because we quite often get things like this sent from many different quarters. I have nothing left for the Saudi regime. Having said that, it was nice to read in the booklet we received about Saudi Arabian women who have gradually gained leading positions in that society, says Arnstad to Dagbladet.
