An Inclusive Reform Process Is Imperative And Time-Sensitive If We Are To Avoid Further Decline And The Risk Of Uncontrolled Turmoil In The Arab World
By Mohamed El Baradei
22 Feb 2021
In the Arab world today, there
is a treacherous tendency to pigeonhole people into a one-dimensional identity,
whether it is religion, sect, ethnicity or nationality. We often hear voices
claiming that there is no such thing as the Arab world and that the Palestinian
peoples’ persecution is not our concern or that our Muslim faith is our sole
identity.
This troubling uncertainty
regarding our identity is a reaction to and a result of decades of botched
management of our fortunes by inept authoritarian rulers who often engaged in
power struggles, holding the public hostage to their personal aggrandisement.
This degenerative and lethal
trend has contributed to the fraying of societal cohesion and the fragmentation
of the Arab world. It has also plunged many parts of the region into violence
and misery.
Ironically, this trend runs
contrary to the reality of our world today, characterised by the constant
movement of people, goods and ideas and by a vibrant cross-cultural interface.
Today, identity is becoming increasingly more complex and multi-layered and
there is also a conscious effort to highlight commonalities and downplay
differences to nurture peaceful coexistence among people and nations.
Perceiving our identity through
this prism means that what an Egyptian Copt, a Lebanese Shia, an Iraqi Kurd or
a Moroccan Amazigh has in common with his compatriots and neighbours in terms
of language, roots, culture, history and geography transcends differences that
may exist. This way of thinking is critical to the present we share and the
future we must build together.
While the world is in a process
of soul searching due to the pandemic, it is important, at this low point in
our history, to embark on a reset of our present trajectory. The choices we
make today will be fundamental to our future. Are we better off in terms of
security, economic and social development, cultural advancement, etc when we
are divided, easily fall prey to foreign interests and have little political
and economic leverage?
Or should we look to models,
such as the European Union and other emerging entities around the world, whose
members rightly recognise that most of the threats they face know no borders
and that most of their challenges and opportunities require collective action?
If, as I hope, we conclude that
it is in our best interest to close ranks, we must first shed the habit of
papering over our shortcomings or apportioning blame to someone else. We then
need to have a thoughtful conversation among our intellectual elite in the Arab
world, an elite that has been largely marginalised. For this conversation to be
meaningful, it must include the civil society, long suppressed and sidelined,
as well as the general public. We should focus on who we are, what constitutes
our national security, what we want to achieve and how best to go about it.
In many parts of the Arab
world, we have not even agreed on the requisite social contract that prescribes
the basic values and principles needed to safeguard our social cohesion. The
often ambiguous and sometimes controversial relationship between religion,
morality and the law giving rise to many conflicts and disputes is just one
glaring example.
This public conversation would
make it painfully clear that the Arab League, long considered an embodiment of
our common identity, is clinically dead. It would also make it evident that our
system of regional security has been upended and outsourced. It would also
highlight what the Arab Spring made abundantly clear – that there is an urgent
need for reform in governance that guarantees the rule of law, political
participation and human rights. It would also make it obvious that we are
trailing behind in the basic tools for progress – science, technology, research
and education – despite the financial and human resources at our disposal.
We urgently need a democratic
system of governance with transparency and accountability undergirded by a
vibrant civil society. We definitely need to learn to live together, both
within and across borders, as one nation accepting diversity and respecting
minorities.
A credible stand-alone system
of regional security that protects us and safeguards our interests is of
paramount importance – a system that can help address the complex relations
with our neighbours. In this context, a dialogue with Iran and Turkey, with
whom we have many disagreements, but also much in common, is long overdue. A
clear, unified strategy on how to cope with Israel’s blatant violation of
Palestinian rights is a high priority.
We need to catch up with the
modern world by investing in cutting-edge centres of technology, top tier
universities and think tanks. We need to become an active contributor to
civilisation and not just a passive bystander.
And above all, we must put an
end to the futile wars and horrific bloodshed that continue to devastate our
people and seek to resolve our differences through dialogue and mutual
accommodation. These wars have been a blot on our collective conscience for far
too long.
Undoubtedly, this is a tall
order, but I hope that we have the courage and the wisdom to start taking the
first steps. A gradual and inclusive reform process is imperative and
time-sensitive if we are to avoid further decline and the risk of uncontrolled
turmoil.
Mohamed ElBaradei is a Nobel
Peace Laureate.
Original headline: The Arab
world: Time for a reset?
Source: Al Jazeera
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-society/an-inclusive-reform-process-imperative/d/124374
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