Al Jazeera Forum: Speakers see new role for Arab League Tuesday, 15 March 2011 02:03

by Mohammed Iqbal

DOHA: The historic transformation taking place in the Arab world, fuelled by the popular uprising would change the way the Arab League was functioning and push efforts for an Arab common market, the sixth Al Jazeera Annual Forum heard yesterday.

The three-day Forum concluded yesterday with the participants sharing their belief that the future for the region has arrived.

This was the feeling expressed by speakers at a session titled “changing faces of the region” that featured prominent Arab politicians and activists including Rachid Ghannouchi, president of Al Nehda party in Tunisia, Ghazi Salahuddine, adviser to the President of Sudan, Dr Ahmed Ibrahim, general secretary of the Al Tajdeed movement in Tunisia, Mohammad Affan, youth activist from Egypt and Farag Saad Farag Sasi from Libya.

Ghannouchi hoped that the revolts in the Arab streets would open new horizons for the region in terms of economic, social and political changes.

“We are going through a historic era. The revolution can lead to more economic cooperation and make the Arab League, which had been reduced to an institution of the Arab ministers of interior, more effective,” said Ghannouchi.

Commenting on the Arab dictatorships, Ghannouchi, who himself was a victim of the oppressive regimes in Tunisia, said, “No other people in the world have got such rulers. They were living in another planet, so isolated from the people. Now we see parliaments being dissolved, and rulers talking about constitutional changes. All this is the positive outcome of the revolution.”

He hoped that the current political changes could lead to an Arab intellectual revolution. The revolution has also raised hopes of finding a lasting solution to the Palestinian issue.

He, however, said the revolution had its challenges and there is the threat of a counter-revolution. The youth who have led the revolts in Egypt and Tunisia are aware of such threats. “History cannot be reversed,” concluded Ghannouchi.

Ghazi Salahuddin said no Arab country would escape the impact of the developments in Egypt, Tunisia, Libya and other Arab countries.

Egypt is the most influential and important country in the Arab world. Any changes in Egypt will have a negative or positive impact on the entire Arab world, especially its neighbouring countries, he noted. Ahmed Ibrahim said the expected transformation to a democratic system in the Arab world would promote education, equality, freedom of religion and ensure the rights of minorities.

“The old is dying and the new has not born yet. We are in the period of transition. We need programmes to accomplish the aspirations of the people and prevent vested interests from reversing the revolution,” said Ibrahim.

Mohammed Affan said the Egyptian revolution had strengthened social values and the spirit of co-operation among the people.

“ People are discovering themselves. Earlier they were applauding to what the political elite was saying. At Tahrir Square people made their own judgments. We are witnessing a change in the relationship between the people and the political elite. The future has arrived for the Arab world,” said Affan.

Farag made a passionate appeal to the Arab world and the international community to support the Libyan people in their fight against the Gaddafi regime.

“We are not fighting for money. We are fighting for freedom. For 42 years we have been living in organised chaos and Gaddafi is good at that. Tribal rivalry cannot divide people who are fighting for rule of law and social justice. They cannot be terrorists,” said Farag.

“We are seeking recognition from the international community for the National Council. We want you to shut down the channels circulating lies about the revolution. How many more dead bodies you want to see before imposing a no-fly zone in Libya,” asked Farag.

The Peninsula