The Arab World In 2017?
05 January 2017
By Khaled Almaeena
The year 2016 was a bloody year for the Arabs. Wars, civil strife, economic
downturn and a feeling of hopelessness cast long and dark shadows over most
part of the Arab world.
The Arab Spring which later turned out to lead to the autumn of the despots
took the Arab ship into storms that if not overcome will further lead us into
disintegration and fracture us beyond repair.
Years of neglect of societal development, dictatorship, military rule and
adventurism have all brought us to this hell-hole. Many Arab countries are
fighting for survival – not against foreign forces but against monsters
created by a lack of empathy and despots who suppress the aspirations of their
own people.
In occupied Palestine, a repressive cunning and heartless Zionist government
is on the rampage killing hundreds of innocent children and women ignored by a
world that is so obsessed with President-elect Trump's tweets that it cannot
see the despair of the Palestinian people.
However, will we Arabs wallow in self-pity and wring our hands or we will come
up with a blueprint to modify the situation and make 2017 a watershed in our
history?
And what should that blueprint be?
First, sustainable economic growth that is only possible in the absence of
conflict. We need to create a vibrant society, a buoyant economy and a
progressive nation.
There should be consensus and a look at the higher stakes. The Arab League
should be revived and be given the power to make a new mission statement. And
no time should be wasted on summits and conferences. The real challenge is to
frame the burning issues that confront us. It would be unrealistic to think
that this is an easy task. It is not.
However, Arab states must find commonality to flourish as a modern society.
Progress is impossible without change and Arab leaders should know that those
who cannot change their minds cannot change anything. They must appeal to all
stakeholders and to all segments of society, which should join together to
contribute to nation building and the establishment of international
understanding around a set of key issues that should be the core of our
survival.
We have millions of young people who are tired of being cast as ''terrorists''
and ''backward''. They need guidance and effort to unlock and unharness their
potential. They cannot do this with the prevailing mindset of arrogant
bureaucrats. What gives these people the right to control our lives?
The great spirit of the new generation has always encountered violent
opposition from mediocre minds and those in power should engage these spirits.
We have to focus on this generation and provide them with the freedom to
express their opinions and open avenues of self-help for them. Ignoring them
will be at our peril. If they are enticed by extremist groups, it will mean
that 2017 will be no better than the previous year.
We, therefore, need an educational climate, diverse views, acceptance and
tolerance in order to challenge the bigotry that now prevails in many Arab
societies.
And we should never forget that the problem with ideologically motivated
warriors is that ideology can morph and mutate in directions unacceptable to a
modern, pragmatic state in which freedom of expression and human rights for
all prevail.
— The writer is Editor-at-Large. He can be reached at kalmaeena@saudigazette.com.sa
and followed on Twitter: @KhaledAlmaeena
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EsinIslam.Com
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