Engaging the
Antagonists of Change
Khaled
al-Maenna, Arab News
I
was at the Arab Strategy Forum held in
Dubai recently. The focus was on the
Arab world in the year 2020. It is
indeed pleasant to attend such forums
in Dubai for, apart from the general
atmosphere, one gets a chance to
interact freely with intellectuals
from around the world and with
different viewpoints.
The
level of openness, clarity and frank
exchange of dialogue was very high.
For the Arab visitor it therefore
became a learning process. And for the
non-Arab one too it was an eye-opener.
For it provided an insight into Arab
thinking and offered a chance to mix
with Arab women and men and come to a
conclusion about Arab society, other
than what is offered by the media in
many places outside the Arab world.
This forum did indeed come up with
lively presentations and debates. |
The word
�change� is very much in vogue. While it has
been used for sometime by many in the Arab
world, this time there was a determined effort
to drive the point and give a macro
interpretation of that word.
Sheikh Mohammed
bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, crown prince of Dubai and
UAE defense minister, illustrated it when he did
not mince words and called for fundamental Arab
reform. It was a critical speech and in an era
in the Arab world where self-criticism is a rare
commodity, his words were well received.
�Change or be changed,� he said. And his
words echoed across the forum for the entire
three days of the conference.
To me his words
were like a breath of fresh air on a warm and
humid Gulf night. In fact this new attitude made
many of the visitors from outside think. I have
always maintained that we are not a repressive
society. True, our systems differ. True, there
are many areas which need clarification. True,
there is a lack of accountability and
transparency in our region. But the situation is
not alarming � unless we remain idle and wring
our hands, and wallow in self-pity and not do
anything about how to get ahead.
From my meetings
and discussions with scores of young Gulf
professionals, both women and men, I have come
to the conclusion that we have the human capital
for advancement. On a one-to-one basis they are
not less than their counterparts in the West or
the East.
But I detect a
sense of dissatisfaction among these loyal and
committed citizens who sense a feeling of deep
frustration that all their ideas and plans to
bring change and progress are thwarted by
self-seekers and those who have a vested
interest in stopping change.
All kinds of
excuses have been used in the past few years to
describe change and new developments from
�conspiracies� to undermine our values and
cultures, to the most flaunted excuse that �we
are not ready for change.�
Another excuse
is the ridiculous notion that we are a
�special people� with �special needs.�
I ask these
people: Are we a handicapped society? Where do
we live? Are we not like other people? Don�t
our young people have aspirations like their
counterparts across the world? Can�t these
�rejectionists of change� see how the former
Soviet Bloc countries in Eastern Europe have
outraced us in economic and social progress in
the last 10 years? Let them go to Poland,
Hungary, the Czech Republic and elsewhere.
And I am not
even mentioning Vietnam, which in 1975 was a
battered country. There is a sense of urgency
there. The economic and social engines are
buzzing. We on the other hand are blaming others
for our failures and it is time to stop.
It is time for
us to speak out clearly and to prioritize and
engage those antagonists of change who use all
kinds of methods and excuses and paint a dark
picture.
Adopting those
economic and financial principles from abroad,
learning from the experiences of Europe,
America, India, Japan and Korea will not make us
less Arabs or Muslims. On the contrary, many
forget that globalization started with us.
While other
countries like Malaysia and those in Europe have
a 2020 program � Japan by the way has a 2050
program � we sit on our saddles not moving. I
don�t want to enter into the blame game.
Enough of this I say � and enough of hailing
and praising by the media, say young people who
talk very frankly to me. Their message to their
elders is to recognize the need for change. Be
part of the solution, delegate responsibility,
trust young people, do not choke business, do
not stop the creation of NGOs, help empowerment,
expand the role of female participation
especially in the decision-making process and
mind you without favoritism in the selection of
these people. But above all there is the urgent
need to listen and take it with the spirit it is
given.
In the year
2020, our region will have almost doubled its
population and we will need hundreds of
thousands of new jobs and billions of dollars to
spend on infrastructure. Above all we need the
global citizen � someone who wants to be a
traveler on the road of life and not a mere
bystander.
And to prepare
for that we must start now.
Originally
published in Arab News, January 7, 2005.
Reprinted with permission.
 Mr.
Khaled Al-Maeena, a well-known public
relations consultant, media personality, editor,
and journalist in Saudi Arabia, has been
Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, the largest
English daily newspaper in the Middle East, for
over 15 years. He first joined the
newspaper as Editor-in-Chief from June 1982
until February 1993 and rejoined in March 1998.
He was Chief Executive Officer of the Saudi
Public Relations Company (SPRC) from 1993 until
2000. He served as an anchor and hosted
popular talk shows on Saudi Television (STV),
and has also worked as a radio announcer and TV
program director.
Mr.
Al-Maeena has represented the Saudi Arabian
media at several important summit meetings in
the Arab world, including the Arab summits of
Baghdad and Morocco. He was a member of a
Saudi Arabian diplomatic delegation to both the
People's Republic of China and Russia after
diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia and those countries were
established.
Mr.
Al-Maeena has extensive knowledge of the Western
media. Throughout his professional life,
he has made frequent visits to the United
States, Europe, Asia, and the Gulf countries,
and he has been a guest lecturer at a number of
internationally renowned universities, colleges,
and institutions.
Mr.
Al-Maeena has interviewed numerous heads of
state and has himself appeared on CNN, CBS, and
STAR TV, especially during the Gulf War.
He steered the Arab News team during the
Gulf crisis and is credited with being the first
to bring newspapers back into liberated Kuwait.
A
regular political and social columnist for Gulf
News, Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Eqtisadiah,
Arab News, Times of Oman, Asian
Age, and The China Post, Mr.
Al-Maeena is also a committed sports promoter
and has successfully promoted squash and tennis
tournaments in Saudi Arabia.
In
1982, Mr. Al-Maeena joined Saudi Arabian
Airlines (Saudia). He has served there in
various capacities, including public relations
advisor to the airline and Editor-in-Chief of Saudia
World.
Mr.
Al-Maeena received his education in several
countries, including the United States, Britain,
and Pakistan. He is fluent in English,
Arabic, and Urdu.
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