Jahangir's World Times First Comprehensive Magazine for students/teachers of competitive exams and general readers as well.
Three Gulf monarchies’ “ Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain – are so annoyed with a fellow member of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Qatar, that they have recalled their ambassadors from Doha. This was done in protest against Qatar’s interference in their internal affairs.
It’s hard to believe that a pro-Western emirate like Qatar would interfere in the internal affairs of Gulf kingdoms to create instability.
Differences between this trio and Qatar along with some other GCC members aren’t new. Qatar, supported by Kuwait and Oman, until recently even UAE, has been at odds with Saudi Arabia over leadership position, with the latter pushing for a Gulf union headquartered at Riyadh, and the Qatar-led group of three ‘that includes Kuwait and Oman as well’ resisting the move. The reason for the present schism, in essence, is fight for the leadership. Only a shared desire to counter Iran’s radicalizing influence brought them together to form the GCC in 1981. This very common interest has instigated them to back Syrian opposition with arms, training and money. But a lot has changed since ’81. Qatar has attained enough confidence to entertain big ambitions. Within the context of the region’s changing political scenario, the Saudi-led trio has been arming and financing the more extremist groups while Qatar, backed by Turkey, has been helping opposition factions battling the Assad regime.
A new twist in the tale came when Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry decree forbade its citizens from ‘participating in, calling for, or incitement to fighting in conflict zones in other countries (Syria),’ordering them to return within 15 days or face imprisonment. As per another royal decree, membership of ‘terrorist groups’ and fighting abroad can invite jail sentence of up to 20 years. Furthermore, it said, supporting such groups, adopting their ideology or promoting them ‘through speech or writing, would also incur prison terms.’
The move clearly comes out of a fear that these homegrown jihadists might create trouble for their own country once the Syrian situation is settled.
The decision applies only to Saudi citizens; others will continue to get all the support they need to carry on the fight. It should be a cause of concern for us too, considering that these jihadists are very mobile. Since the war in Iraq, they have been moving back and forth between Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan. A recent report suggests that a Jihadi camp in Syria has been named after our Abdur Rashid Ghazi of Lal Masjid. It may be an indication that some of the militants from our tribal areas have gone to Syria. When the Syria imbroglio is over, there is every reason for us to fear their return to create more trouble here.
The set of recent royal decrees shows that the kingdom is acutely mindful of the dangers freelance jihadists pose to its internal security and stability. By the same token, such elements must not be let on the loose on other countries to endanger their security. Besides, if the first Afghan ‘jihad’ offers any lesson, it is that after the cause they are fighting for ‘the ouster of Assad regime’ is achieved the foreign jihadists will look for another cause, wherever they can, including the Saudi kingdom. Energizing the ‘jihad’ fervour abroad and de-energizing it at home shall be a counterproductive endeavour.
When the Syria imbroglio is over, there is every reason for us to fear their return to create more trouble here.
At present, three Al Jazeera English journalists, including a well-known Australian journalist Peter Greste are under trial in Egypt on charges of spreading false news and belonging to a ‘terrorist group’ i.e. the Muslim Brotherhood. The Qatar-based Al Jazeera is banned from reporting from Egypt for giving coverage to Brotherhood in its confrontation with the military government.
Nevertheless, the Movement has refused to die despite decades of suppression; it’s not going to disappear either for being declared a terrorist organization or because of a ban on Al Jazeera from reporting its side of the story. Curbs on media freedom cannot serve any purpose in the contemporary world. People will still have access to independent international news channels via the Internet, and citizen journalism through the social media and cellphones. The Gulf regimes’ retrogressive ideas and oppressive policies will not help them have their way for long. Instead of fuelling extremist passions in the hope of eliminating what they see as a known threat ‘Iran’s influence – the GCC kingdoms can invite greater unknown dangers to the status quo they seek to preserve. In choosing a different path, Qatar may not be looking only to enhance its regional clout, but also to attain internal stability through openness and modernization. Others too need to accept the new realities and try and adjust accordingly instead of insisting on swimming against the tide.
