Unable and unwilling

The future of reform is bleak, writes Rasha Saad

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After years of calls for reform, commentators are claiming that Arab regimes have not proved sincere. In the Saudi- funded London-based Al-Hayat newspaper Saudi writer Wafaa Al-Rashid accused Arab governments of prosecuting reform advocates. "Anyone who calls for change in the Arab world could be accused of treason and will probably be imprisoned... since you must be hinting that he needs reform. In our Arab countries that is an unpardonable crime." Comparing Arab regimes to dead bodies, Al-Rashid referred to the talk of "some pessimists" who reiterate the Arab saying that "beating the dead is useless.

"I do not know whether we are, at the moment, really dead as they allege. All we can do is observe a situation that is not liable to change."

Al-Rashid explains that we have been living in between two opposite sides for years -- one claiming that it is impossible to have anything better than the former, while the other accusing the former of treason... "Here they are today, the two sides jogging towards reform, each according to its convictions and agenda. This is the crime committed against the Arabic citizen who has remained seated between these two sides waiting for his distress to be lifted, only to find that the situation is always deteriorating, while calls for real reforms fall on deaf ears."

Lebanese writer Khaled Ghazal wrote in Al-Hayat on what he described "the dilemma of reform in the Arab world." Ghazal said that in recent years the term reform had turned into an "ideology" that leaders reiterate in their political speeches and is lobbied for by powers and political parties. However, Ghazal contends, Arab ruling powers are reluctant to apply such an ideology "as they are obsessed with the fear that any political or economic concession for the sake of reform might be the beginning of the collapse of their powers."

Questioning the possibility of reform, Ghazal wrote that the Arab citizen poses questions as to the likelihood of change and reform. According to Ghazal it is a legitimate question because during the past decades Arab regimes were keen to break and disperse the powers of the political opposition in every country they ruled and prevented the formation of social and popular powers who are the main beneficiaries of reform and change. The rise of these powers and their appearance in political parties and political and social movements is the first condition to attain reform. Ghazal thus does not believe there is much hope in reform. "Unfortunately the current Arab status does not allow for much hope. What they are witnessing now is the collapse of many of the elements of modernisation which they achieved during the last half century in favour of the emergence of ethnicity, religious fanaticism, sectarianism and tribalism... this setback summarises the dilemma of reform in the Arab world."

In another Saudi-sponsored London-based A s harq Al-Awsat, Ahmed Al-Rabei dedicated his article to the findings of the World Bank's latest report on the state of the world economy "which generates depression and sadness regarding the situation which the Arab world has rendered to."

Quoting the report, Al-Rabei wrote that the region came first on the unemployment index, especially among youth. The gap between Arab countries and those of Latin America and Africa continues to grow, with 22 per cent of young men currently unemployed and 24 per cent women. "These rates point to an impending economic and social crisis and constitute fertile ground for terrorists and criminals," Al-Rabei wrote.

Arab countries, he said, were also found to throw up obstacles in front of small and medium-size businesses. They are burdened with heavy legal responsibilities and piecemeal reforms and are given the tag "hostile to economic prosperity" because of the obstacles and complicated procedures investors face, the high levels of corruption and the lack of technological development.

The report stated that in Syria, it takes 63 days, 18 documents, and 47 signatures from the time imported goods arrive in ports until they reach the factory gate. In Yemen, it takes over $15,000 initial capital to start a business, equivalent to 27 times the annual per capita income. Which young man or woman in Yemen is likely to engage in such activity in such a climate? In Iraq, a business needs signatures from 70 officials to export goods abroad. "The examples are too many to be listed. They indicate a lack of competitiveness and an escalating unemployment rate," Al-Rabei wrote.

He charged that in countless public speeches, Arab leaders have promised to create employment opportunities, make medicine available for free and improve education. However, millions continue to suffer from unemployment, poverty, a lack of opportunities, the absence of clean drinking water, and a lack of respect.

"When will pronouncements become reality? When will corruption come to an end? When will public funds stop being siphoned off by officials? Will Arab leaders take action or risk popular uprisings? We ask all these questions with voices tinged with sadness and pain at the current state of our affairs," Al-Rabei concluded.