CAIRO: With unrest spreading throughout the Arab world, many have been attempting to find solutions to the issues presenting themselves on a daily basis. Whether it is politicians, businesspeople or journalists that are playing a significant role, all are hoping to finally bring about change in the region.
Speaking on the unrest in the region, Rami George Khouri, editor-at-large of The Daily Star Egypt’s sister publication in Lebanon, The Daily Star, lectured at the American University in Cairo in an event organized by the Gerhart Foundation and the Journalism and Mass Communication department.
In the lecture, Khouri, who is renowned for his big-picture analysis, chose to address the issue of identity and Arab citizen activism based on his own analysis of the trends in the Arab world as a journalist who has been traveling throughout the Middle East.
There are four levels of evolution that have taken place within individuals in the region: global, regional, national and citizen. According to Khouri, the changes that have been taking place globally began with the cold war, not 9/11. Simultaneously, the other three levels started to evolve, mostly starting in the 1990’s.
“There are five major changes that define the sentiments of ordinary people and the collective mass sentiments of our society, says Khouri.
He begins with what he calls the “re-tribalization, which is the fragmentation of a once united nation. Today, what was the Arab world is divided into different religions and ethnicities, such as Shiite, Kurds, Copts, Berber, Muslim Brotherhood and many more, instead of political parties or ideologies.
The second point is “the nature of Western intervention.
“It is not to manipulate strategic interest but to basically reprogram the national identity and values, says Khouri, specifically addressing the U.S attitude in which they explicitly express that they want to revalue Arab identity not only politically, but in all areas including education, environment, role of women and so on.
Although they may want to improve Arab quality of life as do we, Khouri says “the nature of the intervention is intrusive and much more deliberately geared to a qualitative change not in our lifestyles but in our value system.
The third major change is a particularly significant one; it is the reasons why young adults are behind terrorism movements. Khouri explains that the majority of Arabs today, with an exception of rural areas, are young, educated, have access to water in their houses, have health care but yet fear that they cannot get a job, support their families and be treated justly within their society.
“You’ve got this enormous mass of young people who’s basic needs are pretty well met but who’s political concerns are in deep distress, says Khouri. “I think [these] young, concerned, but materially satisfied young people are driving the terrorism movements.
Another point is the militarization of the Arab world, which did not exist to such an extent in the past, or at least not with this sort of impact. He explains that, “the difference is the military security mentality has permeated most aspects of society and economy and politics.
The last major aspect is the manner in which issues have been recycled, meaning young people today are addressing almost exactly the same issues as their grandparents in 1920; national identity, the balance of secular religions, the legitimacy of leadership, the participation of ordinary citizens, freedoms within society, Arab and Israeli relationships, basic economic priorities.
Returning to his previous point of American intervention, Khori feels that Arab opposition is wrongly interpreted as “freedom and democracy, when it is simply identity and just dignity. “They want to be treated like human beings and have their own identity, whether it is political or religious, ethnicity or an ideology, he says.
“Perfectly legitimate to challenge authority in a peaceful way, says Khouri, who is optimistic about the point Arabs have reached today. Today in the Arab world, citizens are “challenging power structure.
People are speaking out and expressing opposition with movements like Kefaya (Enough). Following the Danish cartoon controversy, the Arab world spoke out. The fact that people in Egypt are arguing the recent renewal of the Emergency Laws shows that this is a point of change and will become a “historic qualitative shift.
