Operettas cancelled in solidarity with Syria

Manama: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud has cancelled the annual operettas that mark the national day celebrations throughout the country.

The decision was made within the spirit of solidarity and compassion with the Syrian people.

In February, King Abdullah, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, cancelled the operetta of the Janadriya.

The royal court said that the decision was made “to show the Kingdom’s solidarity with the innocent Syrians killed during the ongoing government crackdown” and the tragedy that struck Egypt in which dozens of people lost their lives.

The cancellation was also issued due to the incidents sweeping Yemen and Libya and the painful incidents in Tunisia, the statement said.

On Sunday, people celebrated their 82nd national with joyful celebrations in the main streets of all cities and towns.

Police leaders issued warnings to exercise self-restraint and to ensure that the celebrations did not cause major congestions or wade into social controversies.

In the Red Sea resort of Jeddah, traffic authorities warned of a zero-tolerance policy towards drivers who would stall the flow of vehicles on the city’s roads.

“We have 1,700 servicemen, 90 officers and 500 patrols to ensure that the roads are not blocked by cars as drivers and bystanders celebrate the National Day,” Mohammad Al Qahtani, the head of traffic in Jeddah, said.

Major violations recorded during last year’s massive celebrations included hampering the normal flow of vehicles, parking on sidewalks, blocking roads and covering the vehicle windows and licence plates with green, the colour of the country’s flag.

Sunday was declared a day off for both the private and public sectors, although government employees and students were also given Saturday off.

The extra holiday, granted by King Abdullah enabled government sector employees and students to have four days off starting from Thursday.

Many people used the four-day break to perform Umrah in Makkah or to travel to Manama and Dubai, amid reports in the local media that up to 300,000 people were expected to travel across the 25-kilometre-long King Fahad Causeway linking Saudi Arabia with Bahrain.

Until 2004, Saudi Arabia did not give a day off on National Day, the practice was introduced in September 2005 by King Abdullah, one month after he became the ruler of the country.

In the past, conservative forces have always insisted that only religious occasions should be celebrated and that all other occasions should not be celebrated.