Officials reject some allegations in NSHR report MAKKAH – The Ministry of Social Affairs in Makkah has formed an emergency fact-finding committee to investigate alleged violations at an orphanage in the city. The violations were uncovered earlier this week by the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR). An NSHR delegation had made a surprise visit to the orphanage Saturday and reported residents complaining of maltreatment, inadequate health care, overcrowding, unhygienic food, beatings and a lack of recreational programs. The orphanage is run by the ministry. The committee – which is looking into the allegations contained in the NSHR report - consists of representatives of the ministry's social protection, operation and maintenance and financial affairs administrations. On Sunday, the committee quizzed the orphanage's administration and a number of residents. A committee source said the ministry's move to investigate the facility comes in the wake of media reports published Sunday. The source said: “Our task is to present a preliminary report verifying the authenticity of the information published. In the light of this, a specialist committee will conduct a wide-ranging investigation into the case. Then the matter will be referred to the authorities concerned.” Informed sources told Okaz that officials from the orphanage's administration have refuted a number of allegations made about the manner in which the facility is being run. Officials denied beating any of the residents or using beating as a means of punishment. The officials have claimed that the marks on the bodies of some of the residents were a result of fights among them. The officials said that the administration is complying with all the regulations set out to run the place. As for the dilapidated building, the officials said: “We are about to move to a new location after a decision was issued to demolish the current building. The Ministry of Social Affairs knows about this.” The officials also produced documents which they claimed showed several residents of the orphanage winning prizes in several sports and who also represented the Kingdom on a number of occasions. “There are residents from the orphanage who have been sent on scholarships abroad and who have excelled. Their achievements are a result of their education at the home,” the officials stressed. Meanwhile, Dr. Hussein Al-Shareef, Chairman of the NSHR in Makkah, said that the Social Affairs Ministry has not been specifically targeted for surprise visits. “Our inspection tour of the home on Saturday was based on what was referred to us by the consultative commission of the NSHR branch in Makkah and there is no intention to increase visits to the social affairs sector in particular. We had earlier visited the Prisons Administration, Makkah Passports Department and the Traffic Department's custody facility,” he said. Al-Shareef had said that the final report will be submitted to Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, the Emir of Makkah, over the next few days, with a copy being sent to the relevant authorities for corrective action to be taken.
