Understanding the Arabs
Joris Luyendijk, a journalist who has worked as foreign correspondent in Egypt for five years, wrote an interesting piece in the wake of all the commemorations of 9/11. It is in Dutch, but it is worth summarizing his point.
He argues in the piece that there are three reasons why there are still so many misunderstandings and ignorance about the Arab world. First, all Arab countries are dictatorships. It is hard for a citizen of a well-functioning democracy to appreciate what that really means. For example, one of the questions always raised about the citizens of Arab states is why there are no massive protests against suicide terrorism. Luyendijk's answer is simple: anyone even contemplating such a movement will be targeted by the secret police, since dictators don't like movements that they do not control. When we, in the West, see footage of demonstrations burning the American flag, we tend to think of these as signs of genuine sentiments. But, so Luyendijk urges, these are not demonstrations: they are no spontaneous actions by concerned citizens. Instead, they are carefully orchestrated pieces of street theatre put there for the benefit of foreign correspondents and governments. Many of these spontaneous demonstrations will not make it to the local news which is heavily censored. Similarly with comments by 'the man in the street': it is very likely that they are excercizing self-censorship saying what they suppose the regime wants them to be saying. In short, we don't know what public opinion is in Arab countries.
Another reason Luyendijk mentions is that the prevailing picture is that there is irrational rage of many Arab muslims against the West. However, Luyendijk argues that most dictatorships are supported and held in place by the EU and the USA through economic and military assistance. As a result, a big chunk of the 'rage' against the West is not religious in nature, but political.
If we took these facts in consideration, we might do something about the image that we in the West have of the inhabitants of Arab countries.
It is important to note what Luyendijk is saying. Many of our objections and accusations to the Arab world seem misplaced and naive if he is correct. Our image of the Arabs is in need of some careful reconsideration.
He argues in the piece that there are three reasons why there are still so many misunderstandings and ignorance about the Arab world. First, all Arab countries are dictatorships. It is hard for a citizen of a well-functioning democracy to appreciate what that really means. For example, one of the questions always raised about the citizens of Arab states is why there are no massive protests against suicide terrorism. Luyendijk's answer is simple: anyone even contemplating such a movement will be targeted by the secret police, since dictators don't like movements that they do not control. When we, in the West, see footage of demonstrations burning the American flag, we tend to think of these as signs of genuine sentiments. But, so Luyendijk urges, these are not demonstrations: they are no spontaneous actions by concerned citizens. Instead, they are carefully orchestrated pieces of street theatre put there for the benefit of foreign correspondents and governments. Many of these spontaneous demonstrations will not make it to the local news which is heavily censored. Similarly with comments by 'the man in the street': it is very likely that they are excercizing self-censorship saying what they suppose the regime wants them to be saying. In short, we don't know what public opinion is in Arab countries.
Another reason Luyendijk mentions is that the prevailing picture is that there is irrational rage of many Arab muslims against the West. However, Luyendijk argues that most dictatorships are supported and held in place by the EU and the USA through economic and military assistance. As a result, a big chunk of the 'rage' against the West is not religious in nature, but political.
If we took these facts in consideration, we might do something about the image that we in the West have of the inhabitants of Arab countries.
It is important to note what Luyendijk is saying. Many of our objections and accusations to the Arab world seem misplaced and naive if he is correct. Our image of the Arabs is in need of some careful reconsideration.
posted by Bruno at Tuesday, September 12, 2006
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