Directing Popular Diplomacy towards America
Ahmad Adnan Al-Hayat - 29/09/05//
When the “Tsunami” disaster stroke, we were surprised by Abdul Aziz Al Fawzan on the Majd channel that “it” (i.e. the Tsunami) was the result of God’s anger towards the poor of the Maldives and other countries full of weak Muslims. When “Katrina” stroke and claimed lives amongst New Orleans-poor and weak, preacher Nasser Al Umr called for rejoice because of what happened to those “blasphemous”. Worse comes to worst when writer Maha Al Hujaylan indicates in her electronic article replying to a member of the Social Saudi Association for Human Rights, “Some of our sons find it excessive for the nation to rejoice when a predestined disaster falls upon a blasphemous nation, which spreads corruption on earth and sheds the blood of Muslims everywhere. They consider it inhumane and mourn the despotic nation with its tyrannical rhetoric… I wonder what they want”. The most weird commentary on “Katrina” disaster – which does not sound funny at all- was about an internet communiqué published on one of those extremist websites, whose author said that Oussama Bin Laden admires fighter “Katrina”, urging his brethren to marry her had she still been single.
If the previous samples have been strongly condemned on behalf of the Saudi elite, the issuance of such releases from people who possess unequivocal influence, or heard in media forums that are far reaching in society, then the condemnation of the elite solely- whether it came through media outlets or in private councils- will not suffice to erase the negative impact these releases have caused at the international level in specific. It is also totally incapable of undermining the cultural foundation that yielded this inhuman retribution!
the Saudi television can play a positive role to this effect, due to its previous experience in launching fund raising campaigns to assist Afghanistan and Palestine throughout the past couple of decades; once in the name of resistance and other times in the name of peoples.
I hope that a legal entity takes over the task of collecting donation at the human lever to the victims of (Katrina) through TV, radio and other media outlets, especially that we are quite aware that this money will be destined to a working and accountable party. Thus, the money will be spent as allocated, without having its recipients indulge in inadequate behavior, and without accusing the of financing “terrorism”.
The initiative can be dubbed as popular diplomacy, that is supposed to be on a par with the official diplomacy adopted between countries. “Popular” means that it is similar to a dialog between two nations or more in the language of durable and sincere feelings. “Official”, however, means the language of interests between regimes. The former is often more effective and influential on the long run, than the latter due to the timed and physical variables. Unfortunately, the firmness of the official relations between Saudi Arabia and America, the history of commercial and cultural relations between both countries, have been accompanied by the absence of a popular diplomacy in drafting these relations. This is the reason why, 15 eccentrics participated in the events of September and were able to easily ignite the fire of hate. This allowed the foes of the Kingdom to have strong arguments there, as it allowed the instigators of extremism to strive here.
A simple initiative like the one I mentioned may allow Saudi Arabia to hit more than one goal: for example, boosting the human drive in the Saudi Society after it has been harmed due to cultural factor, one of which is the idea of “loyalty and exoneration” with its radical reading. It will also curtail any misreading of the political factors, as in the modification of the Palestinian cause, or the US policies in the aftermath of the 9/11 events, considered by many Saudis and Arabs as “evil” and “hostile”, regardless of the factors that led to such a vision.
It is also worth mentioning that the official as well as the popular US response, on such initiatives will have more than one positive impact. It would be a way to reward the US efforts in enhancing stability and security in the Gulf during the days of the deposed regime of Saddam, the liberation of Kuwait, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, in addition to the eradication of communism, not to mention the flocks of Saudi students and businessmen who benefited from the United States before they could benefit it in return. Many will carry the matter to a merely humane resolution that will analyze the image of the “terrorist” or the “roisterer” which was voluntarily promoted in the West about the Arabs and Muslims in general, and the Saudis in specific.
I wish the response of the Saudi people to the retribution with respect to “Katrina” will come soon, in deeds and not in words. I wish the response will be formulated ion a language the world appreciates, helping us assessing our behavior and theirs. As the Saudis are not terrorist, similarly, the US is not the Zionist lobby.
* A Saudi Journalist
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