McCarthyism in the Gulf
The ever insightful Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi writes: People should realize the risks of long-term damage that petty accusations may cause, not only to individuals but also to the fabric of society
http://gulfnews.com/opinions/columnists/mccarthyism-in-gulf-social-media...
“In the Gulf over the past few weeks, social media has been used as a tool to debate the Arab Spring of 2011 as well as to foster the unprecedented political activism that has emerged in what have been largely politics-deprived societies.
Naturally, there were varying opinions from pundits and observers alike. The Gulf youth have, within a period of a few short weeks, been more politicised and polarised than in the past few decades combined. But some online conversations have clearly been progressing towards a worrying direction, labeling those that social networkers disagree with politically as ‘traitors.'
The Gulf has suffered from a sort of McCarthyism before; takfir or the labelling of the other as infidels and heretics was an easy way of discrediting others. As a result, only voices from extreme elements in society were heard. Labelling those we disagree with as traitors is for me one step below Takfirism. It is the easy way out of holding an intelligent conversation.
There is no single shade that we can use to colour the Gulf. Diversity of opinion is what makes thoughts and ideas in society flourish. It is not possible for us all to share the exact same opinion and, therefore, intelligent and informed debate must take precedence over the primitive act of hurling accusations. These extreme reactions may prove to be a bad omen and even a self-fulfilling prophecy.
They reflect the fact that in the Gulf there is no official channel for debate that is tolerant even when the three ‘untouchables' of God, Country and Leader are off the topic. This also shows that many Gulf citizens are unable to debate topics that are sensitive and polarizing without resorting to personalizing the matter. When I started writing Op-Eds years ago I would often receive critical e-mails and would reply asking the senders to forward their criticism to the comments page editor for them to be published. Those who take the time to read my Op-Eds and articulate a well-founded reply deserve to be heard just like I was. Ultimately, a culture of disagreement leading to intelligent debate in the Gulf must be nurtured and not discouraged.
The accusation of treason is the most serious civil offence a person can be labeled with. It is only for the courts to decide who has committed such a heinous act. This is not a matter to be left for social networking sites and the blogosphere. We may disagree with these individuals; it is our right to do so as it is their right to disagree with us. If we believe that they are wrong it should only be through dialogue that we settle the matter. And if the accusations are indeed serious it should be left to official channels and transparent courts.
It's taking America decades to reform the damage that Senator McCarthy did to the system. Gulf nationals should realize the risks of long-term damage that such accusations may cause, not only to these individuals, their careers and families, but also to the fabric of Gulf society.”
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=55409
WASHINGTON, Apr 27, 2011 (IPS) - As the savage crackdown on the majority Shiite opposition movement drags on in Bahrain, has moved from launching outright assaults on peaceful protestors on the streets of Manama in broad daylight into the murky waters of what experts are calling state terror, featuring all the old tactics of petrifying a population into submission.
Midnight knocks on doors, unmarked vehicles whisking activists away in the dead of night and relentless suppression of the media are fast pushing Bahrain into an abyss of impunity, critics here say.
"What we are seeing in [Bahrain] today is like what the United States saw in the 1950s under McCarthyism," Dr. Muneera Fakhro, a leader of the left-leaning Wa'ad party, told a gathering of activists, reporters and policy heads at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington Tuesday.
Speaking via live teleconference from Bahrain, Fakhro, whose house has been attacked twice since the unrest began, mourned the loss of 30 lives, the nearly 500 Bahrainis behind bars, and the scores of people still missing.
"We need to stop such atrocities with the help of international organisations immediately," she said.
Blackberry messages is beyond sickening. The amount of hate is more than what a society can handle. I've never seen this amount of distrust & hate among Qataris. Unlike Saudi & Bahrain, Both Sunnis & Shiites here share the exact dialect & traditions and you can only distinguish the sect by the family name.
I really feel sorry for the Shias , the resentment the must feel with the spread of such hate
Good article. But the recent events show how much a fascade nationalism is in the region. It's a part of the world whose political boundaries were constructed by foreign empires for their own purposes rather than for the political harmony and needs of the people. In the absence of a strong, oppressive state to keep such unnatural states in place, the people revert to a more natural state of divisions based on shared cultures (religion, ethnicity, tribe, etc.). Look at the Balkans, the Indian subcontinent, the Soviet Union and even the UK to some extent. The same will happen in China sooner or later too.
I agree it is sad, shortsighted and totally unnecessary. And it is the educated professionals that bemoan it the most.
I worry that it will get much worse before it gets better. Terrorist-style warfare in Bahrain, splintering of states, civil war, etc.
Very good article. TFS.
I personaly don't think the present situation in the Gulf can be termed as of McCarthyism , although it may seem that way.
Social media is playing a major part in promoting the so-called Arab Spring - led mainly by the young. However, the main danger is the media which is helping to polarize, rather than unite.
People (not just in this region) take what is said on TV as gospel, without realising that there are many agendas at work. This in turn fuels divisions. There are examples all over the world of this.
All we can do is hope that people, especially , the young whilst driving change, do not get caught up in the self serving agendas of others.
Mr.Genesis
thank you for sharing, this problem is growing,i came from a family where some of us are shi3a and some are sunni , but things were fine til the problem of bahrain and it became a war on blackberry,really i wish if they ban this device because its making things terrible :(
This guy is obviously a regular QL user. Spot on.
It saddens me to admit that sectarianism has taken over the gulf. Televised Witch-hunt on Bahrain TV & Sectarian Salafi TV Wasal has become people’s favorite. And that’s not limited in Bahrain only, but in most GCC countries. Unlike Saudi or Kuwait were both Press & TV dissipates sectarianism, Qatar have succeeded so far for keeping it off the media. Still, the polarization & prejudice is widening through social media
Tribalism has taken a new form with the wide call for boycotting & questioning the loyalty of Arab Shiite. Almost everyone seems to generalize that Arab Shiite are Iran Agents or have an Iranian Agenda no matter how many times they’ve denied that.
Al Jazeera's Saudi anchor Ali Al Dafiri wrote yesterday in an article “ We can’t see things with one eye. The suffering of our people in Bahrain is without doubt an injustice, and the people of the gulf general stand against their grievances is a great shame, and to link the popular demands in Bahrain with regional obsessions is only an attempt to acquit themselves of the great injustice”.