The Real Hero’s

Have you ever asked yourself what would happen if you lived elsewhere or were born into a different life or fate? Would you be the same person you are now or would your current self be a hollow shell of your potential self. The fact you were born and live in a western developed country already means you have won the lottery of life by being in the top bracket of richest people in the world. This is because the west holds 45% of the worlds wealth even though they only compromise 13% of the worlds population. And that’s simply a fact from birth.

We all fall privy to taking the things we have for granted by complaining about things which would probably not even register on the radar of concerns of the majority of the world’s population. We all have needs and desires, but I’m guessing if we hadn’t won the geographical lottery our needs and desires would probably be markedly different. I’m not saying its evil or bad that we have been so lucky in life and that we can at times take things for granted. After all we are only human and as humans we are flawed and are in a way programmed to survive, live and adapt to the direct environment surrounding us. I’m just saying this becomes a problem when we choose to not look beyond our self-engrossed lives and fail to take heed of the lives and concerns of others. It’s when we become immune to the world around us that we begin to falter and loose balance and perspective. Some may call it ignorance; I like to call it pure laziness.

The current events in the Middle East I feel have really highlighted this for many people I know. People who were apolitical or not bothered suddenly have found their eyes opened to this new awareness of reality. Its mainly because many of my friends are Arabs like me and happen to have or know of people in the region. So seeing this turmoil and unrest occurring close to home has affected them. But the problem I sometimes find I ask myself, is what would happen if we were in the heart of that revolution? Would I act differently? Would I be that person who doesn’t speak up out of fear? Would I be complacent? Would I be as brave as those we hear about daily on the news?

The reason I wanted to speak about this was because of two main events I heard about that both distressed me.

The first one relates to the 13 year old child named Hamza Al-Khateeb who was beaten up arrested and grotesquely mutilated by security forces in Syria for joining a protest. The link below I think does his story justice in recounting what actually happened:

http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/05/201153185927813389.html

He was only 13. Imagine that, at 13 I was busy worrying about which toy I wanted my parents to buy me or where I wanted to go out to with my friends. But here is this 13 year old protesting and enduring things that not even a fully grown man could endure. The torture he suffered is that straight out of the worst horror movies. But yet he had to suffer through it all and loose his life simply because he chose to join a protest. Protesting? Something many of us would go out of our way to avoid doing. And I will be the first to hold my hands up and say I don’t go to as many as I should and that’s something I will personally work on changing.

And the second event that brought this closer to home was finding out some news from a good friend of mine about her 17 year old cousin who has been arrested, detained and beaten by police for simply wanting to start up a protest with friends in Saudi Arabia. The details below of what happened were sent to me by her and I have paraphrased it as best as possible:

He wanted to start a protest in Qatif with around 6 other boys about the current situation in Saudi with the arbitrary arrests and the abhor able role of Saudi forces in Bahrain. So they all decided to go to Qatif and just as the boys started to gather, they arrested him. His aunt wanted to see him so she went to the prison place and asked the people there where he is. Of course they sent her from center to center from Qatif to Demmam until 3 in the morning trying to find where they had detained him. When they found him he had obviously been beaten. He has exams next week and the family doesn’t know when or if they will let him out. His dad offered to pay money but they said no. His name is Mousa Jaffer Alsadah and his date of birth is 13 august 1993.

So for those who ask me what is the point of all these revolutions and protests I say it’s for people like Hamza, Mousa and the many other brave souls like them. People whose unashamedly brave & bright light should not be dulled & crushed by a repressive dictatorial self-interested-and-engrossed regime. People whose actions put the majority of supposed ‘real’ men & leaders to shame. They do this all so that subsequent future generations can live without fear of this ever occurring to them. So that they never have to deal with such inhumane depravity. They sacrifice their today for the bright future of others tomorrow. Not many of us would be able to do or endure what they did. And I’m not asking any of you to do that, all I’m asking is that you make sure their actions aren’t all in vain. So do your bit and please spread the word anyway you can by sharing this article if you haven’t already. This is especially a pressing matter of concern regarding my friend’s cousin Mousa Jaffer Alsadeh who is still being unfairly detained as I post this.

Till next Time,

Rest In Peace Little Angel, Hamza Al-Khateeb

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How do you solve a problem like Saudi?

Saudi..Saudi.. Saudi….aghh…What a little old conundrum you are. Where do you even begin when there are so many contradictions to pick from.

I personally think many of the problems in the Middle East can be directly linked to that oil-rich monarchical piece of land. It’s as much to do with the monarchy as it has to do with the oil. Because of its geopolitical situation and because it pumps out 55% of the world’s oil the west is keen to keep it sweet and stable. It also doesn’t mind acting like the west’s lackey every now and then as long as it gets to do as it pleases in its nation without scrutiny, criticism or comment. So think of its relationship with the west as a symbiotic corrupt rave.

But let’s bring these back to recent events which highlight how Saudi Arabia likes to react to the revolutionary atmosphere that has swept the Middle East.

Well, when it occurred in Egypt King Abdullah was non-to-pleased. He threw his own version of a hissy fit over the phone with Obama saying that if he pulls his military aid budget from Egypt he would personally make sure that Saudi picked up the tab and cost. Not only that, but boi was not happy about the tone Obama used towards Mubarak, he wasn’t being ‘supportive’ enough.

Alright just to jog people’s memories a bit, let’s remind ourselves of some of the *best loved * phrases that were used during that time period:

‘Orderly Transition’ ‘Restraint on both sides’..

Yea that’s about it….I know…FREAKIN HARDBALL BIGMAN words being thrown about the place….if words could cut…these bad bois would have sliced and diced you in no time.

But on a serious note anything other than America having literally espoused these words while sat lovingly on the lap of Hosni Mubarak couldn’t have made their reaction to the events any tamer. They only started talking in more blunt and harsh terms when Mubarak was literally packed suitcase in hand and out the freaking door. But yet King Abdullah apparently couldn’t stomach this…wait till he gets ahold of what people say about him behind his back/across-the-atlantic-since-they-fear-and-value-their-lives-and-don’t-actually-like-the-idea-of-being-jailed-and-maybe-killed…boi is gonna be FUUUUUU-ming

Now if that wasn’t enough, it was also revealed later on that King Abdullah personally spoke to Mubarak during the protests and URGED him to crack down harder on his protests….yes…apparently thugs with sticks, stones, Knives, guns, bombs and PIMP-MY-RIDE camels and donkeys to boot just don’t cut it with him…its  Go big or go home with King Abdi *yea he is getting a nickname*…all out bloodshed or nothing..

And we can clearly see what King Abdi would have liked to see unfold in Egypt with the events occurring currently in Bahrain. What’s worse is that the Bahraini security forces where already clearly cracking down hard on the protesters before the Saudi troops were sent in…as there where many deaths and injuries reported and recorded on video footage. But apparently that wasn’t enough. Big Daddy had to get involved and show ‘em how it’s really done. And so Big Pappi has sent in the ground troops to ‘bolster’ the forces and bring a quick and ‘decisive’ end to the protests going on in Bahrain… I think the most striking thing is that this is the first time I have seen the Saudi troop being used properly in any type of battle scenario…. and it’s against other Arabs and Muslims… doesn’t sound really Islamic from the get-go but go figure… Hypocrisy wouldn’t be their middle name if they didn’t act hypocriticaly .

Now I won’t go into detail into why King Abdullah feels the need to get involved, as I don’t think his rabid thought process deserves the time of day or justification, but to summarize it for those who aren’t aware, it basically revolves around his inherent fear and paranoia about the Shia unrest in Bahrain spilling into his back garden and spurring the Shia in the Eastern province of Saudi to rise up against him. So therefore quell the protest in Bahrain bloodily in his eyes, and you’ll fix the problem….yea…like I said…really doesn’t deserve the time of day. Especially considering that all the recent protests in the Middle East have highlighted that the more people die and the more bloody the conflict, the more ardent the protesters get to achieve their goals and the more courageous and far-reaching their- demand’s get. But common sense doesn’t seem to be an important thought process in his eyes.. he likes to take a more Gaddafi-esque approach.. he’s all for the latest trends and apparently this is all the rage.

Which then moves me onto the small protests in Saudi. The reasons why the protests haven’t really gotten off have been due to heavy police presence on the roads and citizens being warned explicitly that if they protest they will simply be jailed. This has already occurred with the few brave protesters who have managed to hit the streets. The King has also done what he does best and made it rain dollar dollar bills to try and appease some of the population and keep them content and complacent.  Not only that but to show how seriously the monarchy fears the whole unraveling of a protest type movement they have even wheeled out the tried and tested ‘religion’ card…oh yes…they have ‘consulted’ *aka basically told them they better back them up one way or another, proof or no proof, or they can say hello to spending the rest of their lives in the god dam clinker* with the ‘scholars’ and have issued a fatwa *religious ruling* banning protests…. Yes…how ‘convenient’.

It just astounds me how BLATENLTY the monarchy can flaunt the fact it can use and twist religion to suit its own selfish ends and to secure its seat of power….this IS a case of a country turning into a ruler-ship cult where everything that matters revolves around the monarchy.

Out of all countries I think Saudi is the one that grinds my gears the most, not only are the ruling family a bunch of self-proclaimed hypocrites, but they wrongly claim to embody an ‘islamic’ kingdom…so not only tarnishing the lives of its people, but also tainting the name of the religion in the eyes of people around the world.

Unfortunately this blog post is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Saudi but to save this from turning into a book this is the most I could really put in. But for all those wanting to read roughly more about the protests in Bahrain consult *how formal am I.. I’d fit right in with the Queen* my previous blog post on Bahrain. It sketches out things briefly.

Till Next Time,

 

Tunisia- viva la revolution!

Well, who-da-thunk-it? A well deserved congratulations to the Tunisian people.

It’s been quite an eventful few days in the Middle East region *yea anyone who wants to argue the geographic location of Tunisia with me is obviously missing the big picture*. The whole Tunisian overthrow of Ben Ali came as a shock to many who didn’t really know much about the region…It’s especially eventful since many news outlet in the western world didn’t really cover the protests and riots *which had been going on for around a month or so* till Ben Ali himself decided to get on a plane and high-tail his dumb ass out the region……welll…i say region…he did leave the region to try to get into France but was rejected *yea…France…the country that gave refuge to the Shah of Iran thinks you’re not good enough for it….talk about kicking a person when he is down…that had to burn*….But not to worry….he managed to find a place called home in Saudi Arabia…which considering how its government and leaders run things…must be realllllly confused over why exactly he got his ass served on a plate to him by his people:

Saudi Official; you mean to say you ALLOW your woman to drive…..you allow a sort of religious freedom…. you allow your woman to dress as they please….you allow your woman to go out and about on their jack-jones…….*let’s just cut the woman list short for the sake of the post not turning into a book of sorts*…you also don’t claim a monopoly on the Islamic religion whilst hypocritically not following those rules….and THEY still weren’t happy? PSHTT… youth these days….so inconsiderate.

But regardless of all that…..the point still stands that what the Tunisian’s did is something which is practically unheard of in the middle eastern region…they did something that is commendable…they stood up for their rights and they did not accept anything less than what they were truly owed….when Ben Ali offered to step down after his term ends in 2014* yea…boi thought that it was the idea of his seeking re-election that had grinded people’s gears….26 years of rule…. alright….anything more..and boi is pushing his luck*  years to quell the protest the people did not stop. It’s something which has rightfully sent shock waves through the region and throughout the world….and …it is hoped…that it might finally have woken up the Arabs in the region and shown them that nothing is impossible if they put their minds, heart and soul into it and if they UNITE to achieve the goal…

These corrupt, despotic leaders do not claim a monopoly over their people if the people don’t allow them to.

But of course…..events should be seen in context….there are factors in Tunisia which played into the hands of the population,

Firstly: the employment rate amongst the youth was around 50%….why this is important is because it is the youth who are usually at the forefront of any type of revolution, so their dissatisfaction adds a huge amount of fuel onto the fire

Secondly: the high gas and food prices…as everyone knows when the people are hungry..that is when they are most dangerous…it’s also why you’ll probably see a lot of countries now in the middle east re-assessing and lowering prices …keep people fed and warm…and you will breed a certain amount of complacency.

Thirdly: believe it or not…..the fact that the Tunisian youth are socially active online…the use of things like fb and twitter and other social mediums was instrumental in getting the movement started…so the next time your parents/friends/lecturer/sister tell you to get your face off of fb and into a book…just tell them when a revolution of sorts is needed…they will be rueing the day they asked you to shift on out…books don’t connect people…websites do *respect*…you reap what you sow ay?

The fact that Egypt ticks two of those boxes is the reason why people are looking to it to carry the mantle of the Tunisian movement through onto it’s shores. In fact, Egypt compared to Tunisia is worse off in the first two points in general…. but it’s the 3rd factor which is missing in Egypt that experts say is a problem…they aren’t as well-connected as Tunisia was.

Plus….the reason why this might not be so easy to replicate in countries like Egypt or Saudi or Jordan etc. is because in Tunisia, the military *and even police to a certain extent* where less willing to get extremely violent with the protesters as would have happened in the former countries….That is not to say that they weren’t violent…they where…especially the police …as lives were lost in the protests unfortunately…but the army in a sense took more of a back seat which wouldn’t have occurred in the other countries where they would probably be knee-deep in blood… as nearly everyone knows in the middle east region, generally…the army…instead of the police….would probably the be the first people on the scene of any type of  protest….yea….in the middle east…when you join the army…you do end up fighting contrary to what people think…..it’s just you end up fighting your own people.

So in summary, I’m completely in awe of all those people who participated and did what they did in the protests *even though they had been intimidated and threatened with violence* to secure justice for their people….And for those who lost their lives, May your actions be forever remembered in the hearts and minds of the current and future generations…let’s hope your deaths will not be to no avail…and that real change comes to a country which has fought and truly deserves it.

And also, as a sign of respect and recognition to the man who sparked these calls to protest through the actions he carried out in the last few moments of his life, I give a brief summary of what his story is:

‘ Mohamed Bouazizi, aged 26, from Sidi Bouzid, in southern Tunisia, had graduated from Mahdia University a few years ago, but could not find a job. Being the only breadwinner in his family, he decided to earn a living and with his family’s help, he started selling fruit and vegetable from a street stall. His venture gave him very little, enough to guarantee the dignity of his family. But city hall officials were on the look out, and have seized his goods several times. He tried to explain to them that what he was doing was not his choice that he was just trying to survive. Each time, his goods were confiscated; he was also insulted and asked to leave the city hall premises. The last time this happened, Mohamed lost all hope in this life and decided to leave it forever. He poured gasoline on himself and set himself on fire.’

I paraphrased his story from this website for those who are interested:

http://inmytrends.com/tunisia-unemployed-mans-suicide-attempt-sparks-riots.htm

R.I.P

Till next time,

“If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” – Malcolm X