My parents taught me as a young boy that I should not fight with girls. Boys are to respect girls and protect them. My brother and I always looked out for my sister even though she was older. The same for my son: I've taught him to protect his sister and at no time to fight, hit or even tease a girl, whether in school or out of school.
What has happened in the recent assault on young Lujain Hussein in Abu Dhabi is a reflection of the way boys here are being brought up (Girl, 11, attacked in playground 'was near to death', April 26).
Maybe the parents are to blame. Maybe the teachers. But both have failed to instil values in boys and hold them accountable.
Randall Mohammed, Dubai
When I read this article I was so angry. The boys were made to sign a paper saying that they wouldn't do it again? Are you joking? They need real punishment, like community service, and the school needs a fine. That little girl could have died due to their negligence.
Latifa Jackson, US
Good morals also count. When parents watch violent movies, for example, sometimes kids can't separate fiction and real life.
Johanna Mothiba, South Africa
This was at an international school? Do they not have supervised playgrounds?
You report "school officials said it was a playground quarrel". But why were boys and girls mixing together in the playground?
I think it's the school that needs investigating right away. If I had a child at that school she'd be staying home until this matter was investigated.
Zooey Z, Malaysia
Roadside litter more than ugly
I write in reference to your news article, Drive against plastic hits road (April 25).
It's interesting that this story should be in the news now. My husband and I went for a walk last night. I pointed out all the litter in the wadi and wondered aloud: how much wild life has died because of it?
Carol Barber, Al Ain
Is there bias in the legal system?
It is appalling to see that this man who was found guilty of murder was sentenced to death (Death for driver who murdered manager over unpaid wages, April 25), but the perpetrator behind a brutal beating of a Kenyan girl, Esther Wanjiru Mwikamba (near the Crowne Plaza hotel in Dubai) faces charges of assault leading to death.
That crime carries a maximum 10 years in prison. This truly saddens me to see that there appears to be bias in the justice system.
Name withheld by request
Discriminatory airport security
It's very humiliating to be stopped at the airport for two hours without any evidence or valid reason (Arabs say they endure degrading airport security checks, April 3).
The metal detectors at every airport would seem to be more than enough to check if a person has any weapons.
Shakir Ullah, Dubai
International security measures are not improved by targeting and discriminating against certain ethnic groups, especially not in such abusive ways.
Heidi Cothron, Abu Dhabi
Thinking outside box on fast cars
If we had a day of no cars then we could report a day of no accidents, but that, for obvious reasons, is never going to happen (Accidents on main Abu Dhabi-Dubai road fall after cut in speed limit, April 23)
So it's all about the driver.
Perhaps they should have proper training for fast cars or pay a premium on the driver's licence? Or maybe design a lane to be used exclusively by fast cars?
Jeshrun Philip, Abu Dhabi
Nuclear plants need public buy-in
I have been very surprised to see the passive response by the people of the UAE over the nuclear power plants that are being planned in the next few years (Nuclear fears dispelled at Abu Dhabi forum, April 19).
The GCC could easily convert its leading role in the energy exports of fossil fuel to the export of solar energy. With the vast deserts, mega-projects of concentrated solar power could be built to sell power to Europe.
The GCC must think on a large scale about globalisation and consider connecting its supplies to the global grid.
Basel Burgan, Jordan
