Health Ministry launches World Health Survey 2025 Survey to collect accurate health status database of Saudi population    Dr. Al-Rabeeah at UK House of Lords: Saudi Arabia provides $134 billion in aid to 172 countries in 30 years    Saudi Arabia receives first Hajj 2025 pilgrims from multiple countries    3rd phase of Vision 2030 to focus on sustaining transformation and capitalizing on emerging growth opportunities    Housing minister expects moderate real estate prices in Riyadh    Travel mayhem in Spain and Portugal as power outage grounds flights, paralyzes train networks    Saudi Arabia at ICJ: Israel turns Gaza Strip into a pile of rubble    SR200,000 reward for each player of the Saudi club winning AFC Champions League title    William and Kate celebrate anniversary on Isle of Mull    Hope and fear as tourists trickle back to Kashmir town after attack    Israel spy chief to step down after row with Netanyahu exposes deepening rifts    Localization in Saudi military industries rises to 19.35%    Logistics park for vehicles worth SR300 million to be set up at Dammam port    HONOR KSA expands its presence with new flagship Experience Store in Riyadh HONOR's first flagship store in KSA provides visitors with a premium experience, exciting offers and free services    Al-Falih: Eastern Province hosts 700 investment opportunities worth SR330 billion    Rock & Roll Hall of Fame picks Outkast but not Oasis    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Ayoon Wa Azan (Both Arab Governments and Oppositions Are Undemocratic)
Published in AL HAYAT on 08 - 05 - 2012

My opinion on all the Arab governments is that they are undemocratic, and are lacking in accountability, transparency, civil liberties, women's rights and the independent rule of law.
I have stated the above in this column more than a dozen times (and I keep all the articles in question for the benefit of the interested reader). Today, with the same clarity, I want to add that the opinion above now also applies to the Arab uprisings, or the opposition in every country, whether it reaches power, as in the case of Egypt and Libya, or whether it continues to try to reach power, as is the case in Syria.
I have the equivalent of a daily survey of the Arab public opinion through the readers' mail that I receive, whether directly, or through Al-Hayat's mail. True, there is a minority of letters that reflect a high level of cultivation, awareness and understanding, a minority that supports or opposes on the basis of strong logical arguments. However, the majority rejects all other differing opinions, and even rails accusations against those who disagree with them, in a manner that even the governments shy away from. Hence, anyone who disagrees must be an agent of America and Israel, or must have been paid in return for the opinion he publishes or is otherwise rewarded by sitting at the rulers' tables.
A few days ago, I wrote a commentary on the situation in Syria, in which I said that the Syrians are now caught between the government's brutality and the opposition's fragmentation. Can any sane person object to this? I said that the government was killing people, and that the opposition is severely divided. I had received many letters claiming that I “equate between the government and the opposition”. Some even said that I have defended the government, when I have been condemning it in plain and simple Arabic.
The topic of that commentary was not even the government or the opposition, but instead about groups of neocons, Likudnik Americans and the Israel lobby that sent out letters calling for war on Syria, just like they did back with the war on Iraq, which claimed the lives of one million Arabs and Muslims.
I wrote about two letters calling for war on Syria, and said that among the signatories of those letters were the same war criminals that had signed similar letters concerning Iraq. Recall that these same war criminals had signed a letter to President Bill Clinton, dated 26/1/1998, calling on him to go to war with Iraq because containment had failed. They also sent out a letter to George W. Bush dated 20/9/2001, calling for war on Syria and Iran, and inciting against Hezbollah by alleging that the group was linked to the bombing of two U.S. embassies in Africa, when this is a completely baseless accusation. Thus, my article was about the war cabal and its letters that essentially targeted Arabs and Muslims.
Some readers objected to my assertion that the enemy is Israel, not Iran, and said that they in the Gulf do not see Israel, but do see the Iranian threat to their countries. They are entitled to their opinions; which is why I am noting it down here, albeit without changing my own opinion, which included a condemnation of the occupation of the UAE's islands and my insistence on the need to liberate them. I also add that some of the letters invoked religious aspects of the conflict that cannot possibly be true, and that cannot be discussed in a daily political newspaper.
After the Sunnis, the Shiites also criticized me when the subject was the opposition in Bahrain. Here, my stance on Iran did not seem to satisfy them, or indeed my assertion that the opposition has legitimate demands. Instead, the supporters of Al-Wefaq chose to bypass all this to deny that some of the group's leaders are agents of Iran, and want to instate a Shiite regime along the lines of the Iranian model of clerical rule. I most certainly did not say all the leaders of Al-Wefaq, or indeed the Shiites of Bahrain want this regime, but I said that some did. I don't understand how any sane person can deny this, as the opposition's own mouth has condemned it at times, and so did its supporters abroad who have dual loyalties.
I also wrote about Sudan, criticizing the policy of President Omar al-Bashir, which culminated with the partitioning of Sudan into North and South, and an ongoing dispute that portends an all-out war. Some readers wrote to me to say that I have been too late to write on Sudan, and I accept this. I also received letters that said that since I criticize all those who support Israel or deal with it, that I therefore must criticize Silva Kiir, the President of South Sudan, who made his first foreign trip to Israel.
Very well, I hereby criticize Silva Kiir. But does this mean that I should exempt President Omar al-Bashir from responsibility for pursuing a failed policy against the people of South Sudan, that ended up with the partitioning of the country, and which may lead to war now?
Once again, both Arab governments and Arab oppositions, in power or outside of it, are undemocratic, and are lacking in accountability, transparency, civil liberties, women's rights and the independent rule of law.
[email protected]


Clic here to read the story from its source.