Mirror, mirror on the wall

[gottaB]

By Hani Shukrallah

The most accurate reflection of the bankruptcy of the Arab political and ideological landscape is to be found not in Palestine, nor even in Iraq, but in Darfur. In the first two instances the images reflected back at us are too busy, too complex for our ever-dimming perceptions. We cannot quite make out the barren wasteland that is contemporary Arab reality. In Darfur, though, the picture mirrored is stark. And it is horribly ugly.

Practically everybody has failed the test of Darfur: opposition movements and civil society organisations as much as Arab governments.

The bitter and raucous contest between the two ideological/political camps -- the liberals and the nationalists/Islamists -- that has passed as a lame excuse for intellectual and political life for years now has once again been demonstrating its vacuity. The picture is more pathetic than fearful.

Having stood by as a million of their close kin were being butchered, brutalised, subjected to rape and ethnic cleansing, everyone is now scrambling into action, or rather scrambling to give the appearance of action: the Americans are coming; Israel's pernicious machinations are working behind the scenes; Arab national security faces yet another dire threat; yet another Arab country is falling prey to American domination and Zionist infiltration and they're after our oil.

Mirror, mirror on the wall....

[gottaB]

1. press review from Al-Ahram

Al-Ahram has stepped up their Darfur coverage in the past few weeks. Here is their review of press in the Arab world--a good mix of views, and a little different than the bbc's selection: From Baghdad to Darfur.

[gottaB]

2. "Sudan and Arab Paranoia," and my unsent ette

The Wall Street Journal published Sudan and Arab Paranoia by Leon de Winter.

Below is my ette which I haven't bothered to actually email:

Dear editors,

Leon de Winter ("Sudan and Arab Paranoia") makes a strong argument deserving of our attention. However, de Winter's reading of the situation may be biased by his choice of source material. Al-Ahram did indeed publish the essay Mr. de Winter refers to, as well as the editorial view selectively quoted by de Winter's source, the Middle East Media Research Institute. Al-Ahram has also published viewpoints that are far more critical of the government of Sudan, including first rate reporting and analysis by regular contributor Gamal Nkrumah and critical views such as the recently published Mirror, mirror on the Wall by Hani Shukrallah.

Arab media have in fact presented a diversity of opinions regarding the crisis in Sudan, which is evident whether one examines Al-Ahram, or the broad spectrum of Arab media available in English, from the unabashedly liberal Daily Star to Khaleej Times, Gulf News, Arab News, Dar al Hayat or Al Jazeera.

If Mr. de Winter's reading of Arab media is less sensitive to nuance than genuine concern for the plight of the Darfuris would require, the same may be said for his interepetation of the Arab League's involvement in the situation. On the one hand, the Arab League has taken positions and made proclamations that are, if not utterly odious, certainly of dubious moral worth. On the other hand, one sees within the Arab League some indications of concern and a willingness to perhaps lift a finger or two to prevent further deaths. The events of the next few weeks will show whether the Arab League, in cooperation with the African Union, is capable of being a force for peace and justice in the region. Actions, not words, will be the measure of Arab governments' commitment to the human rights of Sudan's beleaguered civilian populuation.

Would it be a bad thing if a genocide were prevented under the banner of truly ugly anti-Semitic, anti-American rhetoric? It's hard to say. Ideally the solidarity of sentiment expressed by North American Muslims, Jews, Christians, and humanists of all denominations would provide the backbone and the inspiration for a global consensus on the need for effective intervention in Sudan. But the world isn't like that. It doesn't live up to our ideals, automatically follow our lead, or even acknowledge our credibility and sincere concern. This is the geopolitical milieu we have inherited, and to a considerable extent fashioned for ourselves through policies such as the tremendously popular/unpoular invasion of Iraq. If we want to make the world better than merely atrocious, we have to possess some understanding of how the world actually works and a realistic assessment of our place within its workings. Only then will we be in a position to make good on the dictates of our conscience.

Oh well.