Arabs Express Skepticism at Doha Conference on Democracy

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Arabs Express Skepticism at Doha Conference on Democracy
By Rami Eljundi
Apr 15, 2006, 15:41

Arabs and Muslims, who see dual policies on their regional issues and continuous neglect to the causes of instability, are increasingly becoming skeptical of the major powers’ calls for democracy, reform and war on terrorism.

“The Palestinian people despite their sufferings under occupation, insisted on exercising their legitimate right to choose their government,” said Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifah al-Thani, Emir of Qatar, in his opening speech of a three-day conference on Democracy, Development and Free Trade in Doha, Qatar on April 11. “Those who could not tolerate the results [of the Palestinian elections] have acknowledged its transparency and fairness. Challenging the choices of people will only generate waves of anger and violence.”

The conference hosted more than 700 participants comprised of members of parliaments, diplomats, media professionals, academics and other prominent world officials. Among the guests were Gen. Michel Aoun, head of the Lebanese Free Patriotic Movement and presidential nominee, Ameen Gmayyel, former president of Lebanon, Pascal Boniface, chairman of the Institute for International and Strategic Relations (IRIS) in France, Alexander Saltanov, Russian Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Brian Hanrahan, BBC News diplomatic correspondent, Farida Mahammed, member of the South African Parliament and US Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee. Former CBS News anchor Dan Rather moderated the opening ceremony session.

“There will be no peace, democracy and development in the region while the ‘Zionist Itentity’ is occupying lands in Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital,” said Abdul-Aziz Abdul-Ghani, President of the Advisory Council in Yemen.

In a session under the title “Enhancing Democracy and Combating Terrorism,” five panelists – one from the United States, one from the United Kingdom, one from France, one from Qatar and one from Singapore - talked about Iran’s advancement in nuclear technology and how this might threaten “stability” in the region, which created a counter response from the audience.

“I can not believe this! All the talk was on Iran’s current nuclear plans. But there was not a single word among the panelists that mentions Israel as the source of terrorism. This ignorant behavior toward the Islamic world increases terrorism. The United States used the atomic bomb when it was a democratic nation. It is humiliating to the Muslim world if [it] does not take this seriously,” said Abdul Bari Atwan, chief editor of Al-Quds Al-Arabi Independent Arab Daily Newspaper in London.

”The occupation has turned Iraq into a breeding ground for terrorism. The collapse of democracy in Algeria in 1992 when the Algerian people elected the Islamists was welcome by rejection from the European Union. This had turned Algeria into struggle. Now, the same thing we see for Palestine,” Atwan added.

Atwan’s remarks have sparked more comments from people in the audience.

“The essential reasons for the so-called terrorism are the policy of two measures,” said Saida Benhabyles, former Algerian Minister of State for National Solidarity and currently President of the Algerian Women Network for Peace. “Major powers should not mix up the definitions of terrorism with the rights of people for self-defense, determination and seeking freedom.”

Only a Tehran university professor and a diplomat represented Iran, while more than 80 representatives came from the United States, more than 70 from the United Kingdom and more than 40 from France. No Iranian representative took part in any of the different panel discussions during the period of the conference.

In another session under the title “Power and Opposition in the Arab Countries,” panelists discussed the role civil societies could play in the Arab world between opposition movements and the existing one-party governments.

“All Arab citizens know what democratic decoration means,” said Ahmad al-Shabbi, lawyer and member of the Progressive Party in Tunisia. “The failure of other parties have provided Islamic parties the opportunity to offer solutions like what happened in Turkey, Morocco and now in Palestine.”

The Head of the Arabian Center for Development and Future Research, Jameel Matar, added democracy is superficial in the Arab world even in those countries claimed to be democratic by the West.

“Democracy is only used just as a pretext to advance western agendas and serve others,” said Matar.

The representative of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement, in Lebanon, Osama Hamdan, “declined” from participating in the conference according to conference organizers.

Critics fear the continuity of double standards and pressure for self-interest oriented democracy may result in ending the dialogue and starting clash of civilizations.

“The purpose of imposing democratic change over the past five years has more to do with western concepts on security than it does with political participation,” said George Joffe, professor in International Studies at Cambridge University.

During the breaks between sessions, several journalists and media professionals shared their thoughts about the absence of panelists representing Hamas and Iran.

“I am with Palestine. Their [the Palestinians] democracy was amazing and should be respected. If someone claims to be with true democracy, he should be pro-Palestinian,” said Miguel Bastenier, columnist for El Pais Daily Newspaper in Madrid, Spain.