Egypt After 2025: Navigating a Critical Inflection Point    Spot Gold, futures slips on Thursday, July 17th    Egypt's EHA, Huawei discuss enhanced digital health    Egypt expresses condolences to Iraq over fire tragedy    Egypt, Oman discuss environmental cooperation    Egypt's Environment Minister attends AMCEN conference in Nairobi    At London 'Egypt Day', Finance Minister outlines pro-investment policies    Sukari Gold Mine showcases successful public–private partnership: Minister of Petroleum    Egypt's FRA chief vows to reform business environment to boost investor confidence    Egyptian, Belarusian officials discuss drug registration, market access    Syria says it will defend its territory after Israeli strikes in Suwayda    Pakistan names Qatari royal as brand ambassador after 'Killer Mountain' climb    Health Ministry denies claims of meningitis-related deaths among siblings    Sri Lanka's expat remittances up in June '25    EU–US trade talks enter 'decisive phase', German politician says    Egypt's Health Min. discusses drug localisation with Sandoz    Needle-spiking attacks in France prompt government warning, public fear    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Korea Culture Week in Egypt to blend K-Pop with traditional arts    Egypt, France FMs review Gaza ceasefire efforts, reconstruction    CIB finances Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show redevelopment with EGP 963m loan    Greco-Roman tombs with hieroglyphic inscriptions discovered in Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Three ancient rock-cut tombs discovered in Aswan    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Egypt's Irrigation Minister urges scientific cooperation to tackle water scarcity    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    Egypt's Democratic Generation Party Evaluates 84 Candidates Ahead of Parliamentary Vote    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Cabinet approves establishment of national medical tourism council to boost healthcare sector    Egypt's PM follows up on Julius Nyerere dam project in Tanzania    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



A hopeful sign of awareness
Published in The Egyptian Gazette on 09 - 10 - 2012

Abir al-Sahlani, in her mid-thirties, is unique, not the kind of woman you meet everyday.
She is an Arab woman who is also a Swedish MP, despite the huge differences between the two cultures and the stereotypes that some people in the West have about the Arab world.
Abir, originally from Iraq, represents the Centre Party in the Swedish Parliament. With its close ties to rural Sweden, it describes itself as ‘a green social liberal party'.
The Centre Party can perhaps best be characterised as social-liberal, focusing on agricultural, environmental and rural questions. On the long-term key issues include opposition to nuclear power and proposals to decentralise governmental authority.
During a meeting of some young Arabs, who had come to Sweden by dint of the ‘Voices for Democracy and Justice' programme, Abir talked openly with them about the Arab Spring and the role she thinks the West should play towards the Arab countries.
Abir travelled in the MENA region earlier this year, visiting Damascus, Beirut, Alexandria and Cairo, where she chatted with people in Tahrir Square.
“One Egyptian guy I met in Tahrir earlier this year told me: ‘Don't give us any loans, come here and invest'.
"What he said indicated two things. Egyptians and other Arabs have the resources and the potential, but they can't do it by themselves.
“However, they don't want charity. They want to earn their own money, they don't want to live on benefits. This hopeful sign of awareness impressed me," she said.
Abir believes that there are many reasons for the Arab Spring.
“It didn't just start with Tunisia, as the people in the Arab countries had been crying for help for quite sometime. But the West chose stability before democracy, putting good relations with the Arab dictators before the interests of the people.
"Europeans must ask themselves how long they really want to do this. Arab people tell us 'Europeans' that we are hypocrites, coming to Egypt as tourists and not seeing the poverty and oppression. Now, we are going to say freedom, liberty and democracy, and everything is fine," she added.
Being an observer during the Tunisian elections, Abir had the chance to talk to the Tunisians directly. She often wondered about the young Tunisian guy who burnt himself to death, wondering what drove him to do something so drastic.
“But when I talked to the Tunisians, they said, 'You come from Europe. Do you know how it is to live without dignity, never having the chance to prove what you can do or to achieve your dreams, always being treated like a thing, not a valued human being?'
"I may have forgotten, because I've been living in Sweden for so long, but the picture of that guy, who felt that he would always be discriminated against and violated for being a human being, shows that, in Arab countries, human beings are valueless, which is a tragedy.
"I think that the people in the Arab countries are saying enough is enough. They're not going to accept that they are not living the life that we are living.
“They don't enjoy the freedom we enjoy. We have Internet, TV and radio. When they travel to the West, they see a better life and wonder why they can't have it," she added.
Abir stressed that European countries investing in the region should respect the people's will, adding that whoever is chosen by the people must be respected.
"The fact that the Islamists are now taking over worries some people, even some of my Arab colleagues. This has made me realise that maybe our fellow liberals in the Arab world are not doing what they are supposed to be doing.
“I mean before the Centre Party, my own party, became a party in the Government, we had to do a lot of legwork. We had to go to the people and convince them to join the party. We had to work very hard to keep our voters.
"The Islamists have the holy book on their side, making it much easier than if they pushed for human rights or the promise of freedom.
“They also have a network of mosques. In every small village, there is a mosque that they use for spreading their message. They are doing all the legwork – maybe our liberal colleagues need a little push."
During the meeting, the young Arabs asked Abir what she thinks is the best thing the West can do for the region. She stressed the importance of trade and investments, while it is very important for the West to be honest and not talk with a forked tongue.
"When it comes to investments and trade, dictatorships are run by only one party. That party swallows the state structure, so the companies, the banks, the streets and the infrastructure are all state-owned.
“What we need to do is to support the private sector and encourage the creation of social insurance systems for the entrepreneurs and company owners, so people will work for them, instead of the state.
"The West cannot trade with Morocco while it occupies the Western Desert; not can it tell the Palestinians to hold elections, then boycott the people's choice.
“I'm not pro-Islamist, but the West has to be honest, doing what it means and meaning what it does."


Clic here to read the story from its source.