HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEACE IN THE MIDDLE EAST
OhmyNews International
2008-10-15 13:42 (KST)
South Korea
[Analysis] Peace will prevail when economic, social and cultural
rights are granted to all
Introduction
The Middle East region is very different in many different ways and
the characteristics of the conflicts, too, are different.
For example:
the Israel and "Occupied Territories" (Palestine) issue
the conflict between Hamas and the Fatah; the Iraq conflict
the conflict in Afghanistan
conflicts within Saudi Arabia
the security concerns, especially the nuclear threat, that
Ahmadinajad’s Iran poses
the Kurdish situation with serious discrimination from Turkey, Syria,
Iran and Iraq with very limited support from any powers
the Lebanon conflict
the rise of Islamic militancy in Egypt and Algeria
the suppression of any opposition in Saudi Arabia and most of Middle
East countries
the spread of fundamentalist Islam — Wahabbi style — and the attempt
to suppress any modern civil secular democratic voices in the Middle
East region
and not to forget the problems in Sudan where civilians are being
massacred in Darfur by the government and the military.
Made up of a population of about 465,263,000 (Est.2008) peoples from
amongst 23 countries, the Middle East today presents a mosaic of
various interests and cultures all mingling together to find their
rightful place under the sun. Most of these countries are dependent on
agriculture, natural resources (gas and oil) and tourism for their
economies, while trade and transportation too contributes to the
overall development process of the region.
As far as religion is concerned, Judaism, Christianity and Islam are
practiced by most of the people residing in these countries. Islam is
the predominant faith in the Middle East (including the Arab world)
while "Christian Arabs" are a small minority.
However, Islam is at the center of all social order and of the moral
and intellectual values of Middle Eastern Muslims. In fact, it is
the official religion in most Arab and Islamic countries. Considering
Arabism and Islam as synonyms embodies discrimination against various
ethnic and religious groups in the Middle East. Not all Arabs are
Muslims, and not all Muslims are Arabs.
The Middle East is also about ethnicities of different shades and
kinds and this has to be understood to grasp the cultures and the
people of this very diverse region. It is perhaps these ethnicities
that have led to the present situation of conflict in the region
which has also in many ways contributed to the deepening hatred
towards each other between people of different communities. There
are a wide variety of ethnic or religious communities. Suffice it to
call attention to the following sects and groups: Alawis, Armenians,
Assyrians or Nestorians, Bahais, Benei Israel, Christian Arabs,
Chaldeans, Circassians, Copts, Druzes, Falashas, Karaites, Kurds,
Mandaeans, Messianic Jews, Maronites, Muslim Brothers, Netorei Karta,
Samaritans, Shiites and Yezidis. There are also other groups like
the Berbers and the Turkomans.
The cause of all the conflicts and social strife in Middle
Eastern countries is often linked to poor education and literacy
levels. According to an estimate (2007) 70 percent of people were
found to be illiterate. Only a meager 2.5 percent use the Internet
in approximately 14 countries.
During their meeting in Cairo on Feb. 12, Arab ministers of information
adopted "Principles for Organizing Satellite Broadcast and Television
Transmission and Reception in the Arab Region."
The document, introduced by Egypt and Saudi Arabia, calls on the
regulatory bodies in Arab League member states to ensure that
satellite channels broadcasting from their jurisdictions do not
"negatively affect social peace, national unity, public order, and
public morals" or "defame leaders, or national and religious symbols
[of other Arab states]."
Only Qatar and Lebanon publicly opposed the document and its proposed
restrictions.
The assortment of cultures and people in the Arab world is exemplified
by the Kurds, who are minorities and are denied their culture and
economic and political rights. They are prohibited to use their own
land, properties and their right to proper education is also often
violated by the suppressive regimes that have ruled the different
countries the land of Kurd Minority.
Kurds have been forcibly evicted to other parts of the country which
has led to unwanted demographic changes. Incidentally these are all
part of an ethnic cleansing policy and cultural genocide. In the
Middle East most Kurdish speaking people have faced marginalization
and discrimination, decades of social injustice and domestic conflicts
and international wars.
The present situation is all about suffering of ordinary people who
are discriminated and denied their economic and social rights. It is
a common belief that for decades change from inside was impossible and
when "change" came from outside and by force, it was about alteration
of the leadership only without any change in social, political and
economic status of the ordinary people.
Most of the changes catered to the needs of the privileged and
the ruling elites. There is potential for another round of ethnic
conflict in Iraq after the sectarian conflict came close to end. This
is because the roots of decades of injustice and conflicts have not
been addressed properly as yet.
The other factors which could contribute to a larger scale violence are
the on-going repression of Kurds minority in Turkey, Iran and Syria,
Iranian military shelling from time to time Iraq (Kurdish) villages
on the border, Turkish Air Force bombarding Iraq-Kurdish territory
and sometimes crossed the border to the North of Iraq for launching
military offensives against the "rebels" for this problem will never
be ended and solved through gun and wars but by recognizing and
protecting all peoples rights, so all can living together peacefully.
This causes the region to be in continuous unrest. From fear of
becoming victims of the attacks villagers escape from their villages
to far off places and live as refugees.
All these factors have led to excessive violations of human rights of
the ordinary people living in this region. Children today wait to see
when their ancestral and family land and the farms would be returned
to them so that they can play freely and also take part in farming,
an activity that most children enjoy.
Therefore to see, respect and treat those who you regard as your
enemy as equal as your self, it is important to learn about different
cultures and their sensitivities. It is also important to respect
others’ culture, harmonize and promote education of peace values and
principles, share wealth and power equally among citizens without
discrimination, work for separation of religion from the State, create
awareness amongst the people of their rights through education and
free media, empower people to participate in decision making.
Conclusion
Most regimes in Middle East are authoritarian, if not dictatorships,
ruling for decades by fear or reward. The elites who rule in Middle
East countries used religious faith with ideology of nationalism
for blinding people and controlling them. The main weakness of
civil society in Middle East has been the lack of networks with the
"civil society networks or groups" from Asia for (coexisting with)
different cultures.
It is another thing and subject to interpretation that some regard the
Middle East as not part of Asia. The support from Western powers for
the ruling elites is clearly and solely to cater to some self-interest
through exploitation of natural resources like oil, etc.
On the contrary, while extending support in the name of fighting
suppressive and authoritative regimes, these same powers turn a blind
eye to human rights abuses and tyrant regimes in the region. Also
from outside, the conflicts in the Middle East all look different,
but the real cause root is related to human rights abuses.
Peace will prevail when economic, social and cultural rights are
granted to all and protected by all.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
