Badr Al Ibrahim
by Badr Al Ibrahim
Talking about Arab unity seems ridiculous nowadays. Regional politics and civil wars are undermining the existence of the nation states, while Arab political debate is dominated by talk about partition.
The threat of partition is so strong because states have lost legitimacy or disintegrated in parts of the Arab world. This has been accompanied by sectarian conflicts and calls for foreign intervention.
Parts of the region have already been partitioned even if it is not official. Iraq, for example, has become divided into Shia, Sunni and Kurdish areas. Politicians and the media have called on each group to liberate their area, showing partition is a reality despite any facade of a united country.
Partition, however, has not been finalised in the region. Warring groups are still fighting to establish new geographic and demographic boundaries.
Arab unity needs to be redefined in a way that reflects the current reality. When we talk about Arab unity we cannot ignore the near collapse of the Arab nation state. The countries need to be re-legitimised to prevent it from disintegrating further.
Arab nationalists need to support the nation state and give it a new legitimacy based on a unifying Arab identity, citizenship, the establishment of modern state institutions, and the ending of authoritarianism and corruption. This will help improve social cohesion and national unity within the borders of a nation state.
Arab identity is not about undermining cultural identity. This does not mean ignoring the cultural rights of ethnic minorities in the Arab world, such as the Kurds, or failing to create an all-inclusive citizenship.
We need to end the monopolisation of power and wealth by a dominant minority. This is one of the reasons why the Arab states have on the verge of collapse.
If this vision for unity is not adopted, states will disintegrate and you have to say goodbye to the dream of Arab unity.
The Peninsula
by Badr Al Ibrahim
Talking about Arab unity seems ridiculous nowadays. Regional politics and civil wars are undermining the existence of the nation states, while Arab political debate is dominated by talk about partition.
The threat of partition is so strong because states have lost legitimacy or disintegrated in parts of the Arab world. This has been accompanied by sectarian conflicts and calls for foreign intervention.
Parts of the region have already been partitioned even if it is not official. Iraq, for example, has become divided into Shia, Sunni and Kurdish areas. Politicians and the media have called on each group to liberate their area, showing partition is a reality despite any facade of a united country.
Partition, however, has not been finalised in the region. Warring groups are still fighting to establish new geographic and demographic boundaries.
Arab unity needs to be redefined in a way that reflects the current reality. When we talk about Arab unity we cannot ignore the near collapse of the Arab nation state. The countries need to be re-legitimised to prevent it from disintegrating further.
Arab nationalists need to support the nation state and give it a new legitimacy based on a unifying Arab identity, citizenship, the establishment of modern state institutions, and the ending of authoritarianism and corruption. This will help improve social cohesion and national unity within the borders of a nation state.
Arab identity is not about undermining cultural identity. This does not mean ignoring the cultural rights of ethnic minorities in the Arab world, such as the Kurds, or failing to create an all-inclusive citizenship.
We need to end the monopolisation of power and wealth by a dominant minority. This is one of the reasons why the Arab states have on the verge of collapse.
If this vision for unity is not adopted, states will disintegrate and you have to say goodbye to the dream of Arab unity.
The Peninsula
