Speaking the same language
Pleas for unity and reform was the theme of the Arab press this week. Dina Ezzat surveys the appeals
With intensive moves from Western parties to propose a new mode of conduct for the Arab world and with preparations for the Arab summit in full swing, the Arab press was sure to send a message to Arab leaders. From Morocco to the Gulf, Arab papers, despite their various political and ideological hues, seemed to be talking one theme -- albeit with varying degrees of agreement: the time has come for Arab countries to pursue unity and reform.
The headlines on the front and inside pages this week were mainly about statements from Arab officials. Every day there was an Arab leader making a statement affirming his country's commitment to introducing reform to his country and to the Arab collective order. There was also the ongoing news of a five-day Arab foreign ministers meeting that focussed precisely on reform and unity.
But aside from the positive tone projected in the statements of high-ranking Arab officials, there were very few concrete signs to indicate that Arab countries were really heading in the direction of modernisation and development. The sentiment was clearly reflected in many of the opinion pieces that appeared this week, as was the sense of hope that Arabs should not miss out on what many called their last chance to put their act together.
"Opposition to reform initiatives" was the headline of the editorial of the London-based Al- Quds Al-Arabi on Monday. Appearing on the second day of the extended Arab foreign ministers meeting, the article seemed to be a warning sign for Arab officials. "We agree with Secretary-General of the Arab League Amr Moussa that initiatives related to reform in the Arab world is primarily and even exclusively an Arab concern. We agree that it is Arabs and Arabs alone who must make decisions about reform and its nature. The question, however, remains: if this is the case, why are Arab regimes stalling on reform? Why did they not take a prompt decision to close the door in the face of all interfering forces?"
Al-Quds Al-Arabi explicitly stated that the reform initiatives offered by the US and other Western countries were only meant to serve the economic, political and security interests of these powers. However, it also said that the repeated appeals of Arab peoples for reform and democracy cannot be further ignored by Arab rulers. To suggest that serious reform measures are difficult to undertake due to developments in Iraq and Palestine, the editorial argued, has become "both unacceptable and unconvincing". After all, the paper argued, Arab governments have not been doing much to liberate Israeli occupied Palestinian territories or offer Iraq any light at the end of the tunnel.
Moreover, suggested an article by Abdel- Moneim Said in the daily Yemeni Althawra, for over 50 years Arab countries have been dedicating a great deal of attention to "the central Arab question", that of the Arab-Israeli conflict. According to Said's article that appeared on Tuesday, during this time European and Asian countries managed to overcome equally fundamental conflicts and to successfully pursue reform and move towards unity. The European Union and ASEAN were the two examples presented by Said.
Argued Said, "So, with the exception of the Arab-Israeli conflict, all other central conflicts around the world have reached a point in which the conflicting parties have managed to come to terms with the fact that a continued conflict is no victory but rather a recipe to failure and perhaps total marginalisation and that at the end, all aspired rights are not worth the time that was wasted and the blood which was spilt... but then again maybe the Arab-Israeli conflict is a unique case."
Calls for reform were emphasised throughout the Arab press despite disagreement on the relevance and priority of settling key regional disputes. Equally stressed, and by consensus, was the need for Arab countries to pursue national reforms parallel with their efforts to reform the institution that brings together all Arab countries: the Arab League. "Reform of the Arab League" and "Why reform the Arab League?" were the headlines of several articles, showing at least one sign of a state of unity among their writers. Of many such articles was the editorial of the UAE daily Al-Bayan and an opinion piece by Abdel- Wahab Badrakhan in the London-based Al- Hayat. Both articles had one message: Arab countries must come together to reform what binds them -- the Arab League -- especially at this point in time where global forces are seeking to impose their hegemony on Arab countries under the pretext of reform.
"Arabs have been seriously challenged ever since they decided to pursue reform," Badrakhan argued. This reform, he said, could only be attained through a serious process of restructuring the Arab League. "But the question is, do all Arab countries still feel that they are part and parcel of the Arab world? Are these countries interested in maintaining their seats in this organisation and honouring the minimum prerequisites of this membership?" he asked.
Moreover, according to Al-Bayan, it is not enough for Arab countries to talk of reform; they must work on it. Working on reform, the daily UAE paper argued, is akin to initiating a process to reconsider the charter of the Arab League. "Sixty years after the establishment of the Arab League, the time has come ... to make it more influential and effective. It has become totally unacceptable to maintain a charter that was adopted in 1945 ... it has become incompatible with the developments of today's world."
