The Fabric of Arab Society Is in Tatters
Geneive Abdo
Politics, Middle East
Will Arab governments rise to the challenge?
Earlier this month, religious scholars gathered in Cairo at an unusual meeting to call for equality among religious minorities within Islamic societies—not just in matters of religion but in civil affairs as well. Although on the face of it, such notions seem Pollyannaish, given the raging wars in Syria, Iraq and Yemen, the lack of rights for all gets to the core of the turmoil in the Middle East.
If all Iraqis, for example, had equal rights, would they be inclined to support ISIS? If Syrians—Alawites, Sunnis, Christians—believed they were equal partners in the civil state, would the war have reached such heights, with four hundred thousand killed to date? Probably not.
It is easy to forget that when the Arab uprisings began in 2011 the universal goal was to establish social justice in countries ruled by dictators—in power for decades with much help from the West. This objective was shared by different religions and Islamic sects. Although in countries like Egypt, Syria, Libya and Tunisia both violent and nonviolent Islamist groups began to play significant roles, the impetus remained justice for all.
The terms citizen (muwatin) and citizenship (muwatana) have become a common concept among many secular as well as religious movements since the Arab uprisings began. Similarly, the concept of a social contract (‘aqd) between the citizen and the state has become the foundation for those seeking political reform. In 1995, the Muslim Brotherhood accepted the principle of the people’s sovereignty and the ummah, or collective community of believers, as the source of all power.
So it was a bit awkward in Cairo in March, when President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi declared that sectarian violence will not be permitted because “Egypt has a rule of law.” Since he became president, Sisi, like many other Arab leaders, has taken great steps to undermine the rule of law. When I traveled to Egypt in December 2016, I had never seen such repression of Egyptian society, and I have been living in or traveling to the country for twenty-five years. I lived in Egypt for five years when former President Hosni Mubarak was in office. Egypt then looked like a free country compared to the way it is now.
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