Explore Saudi Arabia

[John Simkin]

This website, produced by the British Museum, enables students to learn about the people, places, wildlife, customs and culture of Saudia Arabia. Information is organized under headings such as Saudi Factfile, Today in Saudi, Learn About Arabia and Desert Adventure. Controversial issues like Saudi Arabia's appalling human rights record is not covered. This is not surprising when one considers that the website is being sponsored by Saudi Prince Turki Al Faisal. This raises important political issues. Should the British Museum be allowed to produce propaganda for foreign governments? We sell them weapons but do we need to sell our souls as well.

http://www.exploresaudiarabia.com

[David Richardson]

Nice link, John.

It's a very nice website - but, as you say, there are all sorts of things it omits (such as democracy, for example).

This is my vote: no, the British Museum should not put up this site, if they fail to point out that it gives a very biased picture of Saudi Arabia. It should only be made available if there is equal access to a site critical of Saudi Arabia.

I wouldn't be quite so strict about a site produced, say, by the German government, or even the British government. The point is that there is less reason (n.b. not *no* reason) to doubt whether the information on such sites would be unbiased, and there is plenty of alternative information available.