Ghazi Jamjoom Okaz newspaper RADIYA'S story, which was published in the local media a few weeks ago, still lingers in my mind. The 9-year-old Afghani girl was helping her mother sell clothes near the Prophet's Mosque when she was kidnapped by an expatriate woman and her brother. For over three years, Radiya was forced to stay in the woman's house and was raped and tortured by the woman's brother. When the kidnappers attempted to smuggle Radiya out of the country, the girl sought the help of security officers at the airport. The abductors were then apprehended by police, tried in court, and executed. However, this story is both unsettling and terrifying, as firstly, the victim was kidnapped from a crowded place near the Prophet's Mosque and secondly, the kidnappers were not detected, hiding under the guise of being pious. Furthermore, this story is buried in unresolved questions. Were there any attempts to find the girl? Did the girl not cry or seek anyone's help when she was in the kidnappers' house? Didn't the abductors' actions arouse the suspicion of neighbors? Moreover, what are the laws controlling child labor? Who is responsible for enforcing them? How do these laws apply to children whose family circumstances force them to go out to the street for money? What about the children who fall victim to organized gangs and are abused and tortured? How far have these gangs spread in our society? Who fights and punishes their members? Radiya fell victim to the kidnappers despite living with her family. However, many children in the streets live away from their families, and are far more vulnerable to dangers which they are incapable of protecting themselves against. I've been thinking nonstop about another story concerning a little girl who was begging on the street and met with a tragic traffic accident. I can't help but think about the girl every time I see children in the streets who are so small that on occasion you cannot notice them when they stand next to your car. These stories illustrate the dangers which surround children on our streets, dangers which go unchecked due to the absence of continuous government monitoring. It is incumbent upon us citizens and residents to ask who is responsible for protecting the children on our streets day and night, and demand a speedy solution to it.
