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Al-Ahram Weekly 29 June - 5 July 2000 Issue No. 488 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 29 June - 5 July 2000 Issue No. 488
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters For your information
By Salama Ahmed Salama
Arab ministers of the interior and information hold their meetings with a rigour and regularity unknown to any of their peers. One possible reason may be that Arab regimes restrict relations with their subjects to the spheres of security and information, over which full sovereignty is exercised.
Today there is an increasing trend, which is rapidly rallying supporters in the Arab countries, for the abolition of ministries of information throughout the Arab world. Abolition advocates argue that developments in information technology and improved public awareness have rendered information ministries inconsistent with the spirit of the times. All this could lead to a genuine information renaissance in some parts of the Arab world. Numerous Arab countries are starting to realise that the methods used to tighten government control over information are about to lose their efficacy. Ministries of information, which had assumed the prerogative to guide and censor all that is printed or diffused by the media, to embellish images and mobilise the masses to serve the ends of totalitarian regimes, find themselves stripped of their power. The flow of information has already proved that it is far more potent than any method used to deceive the public and win its support for premeditated goals.
During the most recent meeting of Arab information ministers, it was noticed that certain states, like Qatar, had already abolished their ministries of information. The recommendations issued at the meeting refrained from addressing any genuine information problems, however. Instead, they simply reiterated the traditional slogans and redundant recommendations about the need for coordinating efforts to serve decisive issues such as Jerusalem, the Palestinian refugees, etc. These are the very same issues the Arab media has persistently failed to address for half a century. Why should we expect it to fare better today ?
Unfortunately, most of the countries that sent ministers of information to the meeting in a bid to show they are keen on cooperating to tighten control over information are the very same states that routinely close down or confiscate newspapers. Others have simply arrested journalists. The Arab Press Federation has criticised all of them repeatedly and urged them to relax the grip of state authority over the media.
Proof of the bankruptcy of Arab information policy, if such proof is needed, comes in the form of a suggestion that "globalisation" be countered by "Arabisation." This irrelevant pun is completely symptomatic of the state of affairs. Globalism refers to an international movement for the liberalisation of trade, markets, information, ideas and communication. Arabisation, here, has no significance -- except, perhaps, the perpetuation of fragmentation and backwardness, the imposition of restrictions on freedom of information, and the elimination of creativity and independent thought.
No country outside the Arab world has a minister of information. Official state-directed information today is issued by small administrations affiliated to the prime minister's office. Its mandate is restricted to explaining government policies, coordinating relations between the media and government offices with the purpose of facilitating the flow of information, and organising interviews, press conferences and television shows with members of the government. Otherwise, all channels of information are in private hands. Government interference necessarily breeds corruption and compromises its credibility.
Cooperation in the sphere of information can only take place among specialised private institutions to achieve mutual interests. News programmes produced by several organisations, drama and documentaries that exclude any government role are the rule today. The world has changed; we must change with it.
