Reform in the Arab World Requires that True Intellectuals Speak Out

by Daoud Kuttab

Reform is not a new issue in the Arab world. It has been the demand of Arab

democrats and human rights activists for years. Most of those fighters for

democracy have been muzzled, detained, tortured, or have disappeared or

been killed by Arab dictators and even leaders who are believed to be

moderate in the eyes of the western world.

Visit any major European capital today and you will find a crowd of Arab

thinkers, intellectuals, journalists, human rights activists, and

scientists who have chosen exile rather than continuing to live under the

tyranny of their regimes. Many independent Arab media outlets have thrived

in capitals like Paris and London, and many regional Arab NGOs make their

official bases outside the region.

Satellite TV and the Internet have been a godsend to many of those opposing

authoritarian regimes. The independent TV station Al Jazzera made many of

these activists known in the Arab world through programs like the Al Itijah

al Muakes (Opposite Direction) and Aktar men rai (More Than One Opinion),

and others. The Internet has also provided a censorship-free, difficult to

trace, and inexpensive means of mobilizing and raising awareness.

With such a strong Arab democratic movement, an objective observer would

expect a strong embrace from Arab intellectuals and human rights activists

to the recent calls by the United States government to place serious

pressure on Arab regimes to reform their governments. But an eerie silence

has fallen on political opponents, both inside the Arab world and in exile.

In fact, an unusually overwhelming comprehensive attack has been expressed

against the new US reform plan. These attacks, which have appeared in the

opinion pages of major Arab newspapers and in satellite talk shows, have

focused almost exclusively on three areas. The attacks have questioned the

credibility of Washington and expressed major misgivings in the real goals

of the US government in general, and the Bush administration in particular.

Critics have also attacked the Americans for their high-handed attempts,

without consulting with Arab governments or independents, before offering

their formula for saving the Arab world from itself. Finally, almost all

attacks have called on the US to help solve the Palestinian problem,

instead of shifting attention to the issue of the need for reform.

There is a lot of truth in the above mentioned criticism. The US, EU, and

any other party interested in reform in the Arab world must take a serious

and close look at the issues raised in reaction to the US plan. It seems

that this has happened already; the US Secretary of State has been quoted

as saying that the US is not trying to impose its plan, and it is clear

that a wave of consultation is taking place directly and indirectly with

the Arab world.

But while the criticism is correct at face value, I have two problems with

it. Many of those expressing it, and most of the media that has carried

these opinions, have their own credibility problem vis