An Arab Peace Corps And Why Now?
01 March 2016By Tariq A. Al-Maeena
Sometimes a fresh idea comes along that makes one wonder why it wasn't thought
of before. While it is not unique, it certainly deserves some thought and
sustenance. And it is in times of wars, conflicts, chaos, terrorism and
despair that investments in peace and development become more urgent.
That is what has driven Sami Jamil Jadallah, the founder and executive
director of the New Arab Foundation, to channel the energy of Arabs into new
productive ventures. Jadallah is alarmed at the current direction of the Arab
world which he feels is ''in deep, deep trouble,'' especially in hotspots such
as Iraq, Yemen, Syria, Libya and Sudan.
Jadallah claims that ''tens of thousands of ‘jihadists' recruits are joining
Al-Qaeda, Daesh (the self-proclaimed IS) and Jabhat Al-Nusra. They are coming
from Europe, the US, North Africa and certainly the Arab Peninsula. Even
non-Arabs from Chechnya, Maldives and Indonesia are joining the fight. They
are joining ''Islamist'' militias to kill and get killed, to destroy but never
build.''
He continues: ''The Arabs are experiencing turmoil and conflicts not witnessed
since colonial times, with nation states threatened from within and without.
The rise of military dictatorship in the 50s, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the
Soviet invasion of Afghanistan (the birthplace of the ‘jihadist' movement),
and the Iran-Iraq War, First and Second Gulf Wars, all these combined events
helped form a watershed in the Arab world.
Trillions in fortunes and livelihoods were diverted from society building to
regional and ‘sectarian' wars, destroying nations and threatening the
existence of others.''
''Military, nationalistic, secular dictatorship and jihadist ideology, combined
with corruption, incompetence, inefficiency, looting of people's assets and
state wealth, nepotism, lack of transparency and accountability, lack of
fairness and equal opportunity, lack of mentoring and inept bloated abusive
humiliating bureaucracy are all responsible for the failure of many of the
Arab states, with investment in ‘winless' wars, and conflict that produced the
dire results we see today.''
Jadallah cautions that ''in the Arab world youth who for the most part are
marginalized, unemployed, humiliated at home and by governing institutions,
living in poverty with no hope to escape a miserable life, are compelled to
join ‘jihadists' as a way out of this hell hole they find themselves in,
putting the entire society and nation at risks.''
In a fresh approach, Sami Jadallah believes the tide toward destruction can be
stemmed. The New Arab Foundation, an organization and think tank with a
mission wants to change all of that and introduce a road map of achievable
goals toward a New Renaissance for the Arab world.
Inspired by President John Kennedy's Peace Corps, the New Arab Foundation's
Arab Peace Corps vision and mission is first ''to break the negative,
self-reinforcing spiral of vulnerable youth being mobilized by ‘religious
actors or terrorists' to go fight against what they are told is the cause of
their suffering (secular, sectarian opponents and ‘infidels'). And as a
result, they are often killed in the fight, a situation that is advertised in
order to reinvigorate the negative spiral and to recruit.''
He explains that the Arab Peace Corps would then work ''toward implementing
development programs for marginalized communities not only in the Arab world
but in Europe, the US and Canada. Transforming the power and innocence of
youth into positive, self-reinforcing contributions for the better good of
themselves and their society will increase their sense of belonging to their
community, society and nation.''
''The Arab Peace Corps would be a voluntary two years service utilizing the
commitment, skills and dynamism of college graduates and retirees from within
the Arab world and from the US, Europe, Canada, Australia among others to help
build and rebuild shattered or marginalized communities in education, health
care, agriculture, artisan and small industries, community development and
participation, tutorial and mentoring programs among many.''
''This community service would not only make a positive difference to those
communities, but would also provide valuable skills and life experiences to
the Arab individuals who volunteer and serve as members of the Arab Peace
Corps. The New Arab Foundation, through its first initiative the Arab Peace
Corps, intends to turn around the current negative dynamic, by challenging
young minds and talents to contribute to life not death, to contribute to
building not destroying.''
To help achieve that dream, Sami Jadallah will be seeking the support of
nations, private and governmental institutions and the private sector toward
the success of the Foundation's bold venture, the Arab Peace Corps. He
explains that ''we will also seek the partnership of corporations to commit to
give priority of employment to our alumni, airlines to provide free tickets,
universities to provide full or reduced tuition for graduate schools, in part
to give recognition to all those who sacrificed and made the commitment to
serve others.''
This is not a far-fetched vision or dream. This is perhaps the best thing that
could happen to the Arab youth of today. It will challenge and channel their
energies toward building and not destruction. And it can happen. It's time is
now. Sami Jamil Jadallah intends to make it so.
– The author can be reached at talmaeena@aol.com. Follow him on Twitter @talmaeena
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