Waking from its sleep.
Your 14-page special report on the Arab world ( The Economist, July 25/31,2009) sums up the dilemma of the Middle East. It has the means (money) but it does not know how to enhance its human resources development – freedom of thought and expression, promotion of innovation and enterprise which the Arab world had centuries ago. Life expectancy has increased, literacy has gone up, educational and medical facilities have multiplied. The miniscule number of patents of the top five countries in contrast to the large number of the South Korea and Israel illustrates the scientific and industrial gap. Islam, a religion which spread far and wide, with the banner fraternity should have been the natural foundation for democracy but has aligned itself with the unbridled rule of dictators and kings. As Mona Eltahawy, an Egyptian columnist has observed, Israel is 'the opium of the Arabs' and is also an excuse for the suppression of dissent. The oil money has enabled rulers to give sops to the people and buy allegiance. This does not befit a proud civilization.
Of course, change has to come from within. The majority of Arabs are young, educated and exposed to TV and internet and this may stir a new awakening for freedom and democracy. As you have noted al-Jazeera television has attracted attention of the people with its fair reporting of the Arab world. There may be a 'fever under the surface', however, it may require some support ( not a war ) from the democratic countries for a democratic transformation in the Middle East. The world has to bear even if democracy throws up some fundamentalist party for the time being. In addition to this, the Arab intellectuals have to find the democratic and pluralistic roots of Islam to fight the fundamentalist interpretation of Koran which may lead to the clash of civilization. Only this reformation can bring about a renaissance in Islam and allow the Arab and other civilizations to flower and flourish.
July 29,2009.
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Posted By M.D.Kini to Sense, Non-Sense and Common Sense at 7/30/2009 12:46:00 AM
