arab snippets

arab
snippets 90. Renewed focus on
Islamic Art
“Change is inevitable.
Arabs must deal with it!"

Photograph: Sampath Gunathilaka

UAE By Vani Saraswathi

World's tallest
building now in Dubai
d ubai opened the world's tall-
est skyscraper recently in a
blaze of fireworks, then added
a final flourish: It renamed the
half-mile-high tower to acknowledge
neighbouring Abu Dhabi whose bil-
lions bailed out Dubai amid last year's
financial crisis.
Long known as Burj Dubai – Arabic
for Dubai Tower – and now Burj Khal-
ifa, the building rises 2,717 feet (828
metres) from the desert. The $1.5 bil-
lion vertical city of luxury apartments
and offices and a hotel designed by
Giorgio Armani also plans to have the
world's highest mosque (158th floor)
and swimming pool (76th floor).
Mohammed Alabbar, Chairman of
the tower's developer Emaar Proper-
ties, initially said it had more than 200
stories, but he later backtracked stat-
ing that there were more than 165 in-
habitable floors, given its tapered top.
Promotional materials sent before the
tower's opening said it contained 160
storeys. Developers say, they are confi-
dent in the safety of the tower, which is
nearly twice the height of New York’s
Empire State Building.
Greg Sang, Emaar's Director of Proj-
ects, said the Burj Khalifa has ‘refuge
floors’ at 25 to 30 story intervals that
are more fire resistant and have sepa-
rate air supplies in case of emergency.
Its reinforced concrete structure, he
said, makes it stronger than steel-frame
skyscrapers.
The tower was designed by Chicago-
based Skidmore, Owings & Merrill,
which has a long track record in en-
gineering some of the world's tallest
buildings, including the Willis Tower. Burj Khalifa at Dubai

KSA

Saudi auto sales to rise by $2 bn in 2010

Car sales in Saudi Arabia in 2010 are sales in the country is expected to reach weathering the economic storm that hit In 2009, Dr Aseel Al Awa-

predicted to exceed those of last year
by $2 billion as the Kingdom's auto sec-
tor recovers from the global economic
crisis.
After tepid growth in 2009 of around
$600 million over 2008, the 2010-2013
period growth in the value of auto sales
will be more robust, Business Monitor
International (BMI) stated in its latest
quarterly report on the sector.
The research house said, the value of
$18.53 billion in 2010, a $2 billion in-
crease over 2009, and will rise further
to $20.37 billion in 2011, $22.73 billion
in 2012, and $25.05 billion in 2013.
Between 2010 and 2013, the number
of vehicle units sold in Saudi Arabia
is forecast by BMI to increase from
676,000 to 880,000, an increase of just
over 30 percent.
BMI's report said, “Saudi Arabia's
automotive sector is showing signs of
the global economy in the latter half
of 2008 and which continued to wreak
havoc throughout the first half of this
year. While the fundamentals are still
weaker than in previous years, there is
gradually increasing confidence that the
worst is over for the Kingdom's auto
sector and that things could start to im-
prove.” Overall BMI expects that by
end-2013, sales should be up by nearly
50 percent compared with 2008 levels.
dhi, along with three other
Kuwaiti women created
history – the first women
to have been elected to the
Kuwait National Assem-
bly. But for Dr Al Awadhi,
a PhD in Philosophy, the
pride is not in the gender
or ‘first’ tags, but in the
mission that she has set
out to accomplish.
d
Dr Aseel Al Awadhi,
MP, Kuwait
r Aseel Al Awadhi was in town for Carnegie Mellon University in
Qatar's Distinguished Lecture Series, to deliver her lecture titled
‘Gulf Women and Politics: The Kuwaiti Experience’. She discussed
the challenges she faced as one of the first women to be elected as a
member of the Kuwaiti Parliament.
“Personally, I have always looked for ways to bend the rules and
break away from convention. As one of four women recently elected to the parlia-
ment, we are pleased that the voters have recognised the need for change in order

20 Qatar Today february 10 february 10 Qatar Today 21

 arab snippets
to prepare Kuwait for a future in an in-
creasingly global society.
“Our short-term objectives are to work
together on laws representing those
groups in our communities whose rights
are not held up to international standards
including women, labourers, children
and those with special needs,” she said
in a statement on the eve of the lecture.
In an exclusive interview to Qatar
Today, Dr Al Awadhi speaks in greater
detail of the challenges facing both her
nation and the region, and on the person-
al convictions that drove her to politics.
You are probably one of the
few tech-savvy politicians in
the region, gender no bar.
Launching the campaign on
Youtube, nurturing a Facebook
support group, active on Twit-
ter... a strange dichotomy given
the extent of censorship in the
region.
In Kuwait, new media is very popular,
especially with the youth.
My campaign was designed and exe-
cuted to attract that group of people – to
motivate them to participate in national
politics and to make a mark.
Launching my campaign on Youtube
was an idea given by my team leaders.
My campaign was run by a very young
team whose average age was not more
than 30.
This (the Arab) society is very author-
itative and always believes in a one-man
show. The candidate would take unilat-
eral decisions and pass it on as orders.
My campaign was very different from
traditional election campaigns – it was
decentralised.
The team leaders – a consulting com-
mittee – would meet every night, and
they would brief me on decisions they
have made for me to follow. This was a
group of politically aware youngsters.
I wanted a positive outlook for the
campaign. We were living in a very
distressed political environment – the
Parliament had been dissolved thrice in
three years. There was anger, loud and
heated arguments.
We wanted to present a different mod-
el of a politician, who uses logical argu-
22 Qatar Today february 10
ments; a calm voice; short and pertinent
speeches. I wanted to present an exam-
ple of an alternative way of conducting
politics. Using the Internet to that end
was part of our strategy.
But for those who fear change
– as we have seen in the region
– the Internet is perceived as a
threat isn't it? Hence, the at-
tempts at censorship...
Technology has created a wave we can’t
resist. Whether we like it or not, it’s im-
possible for anyone to censor the Inter-
net. We might as well just be prepared to
ride the wave instead of fighting it.
Though women won the right
to run for office in 2005, none
were elected in 2006 nor in
2008. Why?
Women were out of the political arena
for 40 years. This is a relatively new
experience. We had to build trust and
confidence; and it takes time to garner
enough support. The Arab culture is such
that people are resistant to change.
They are worried about the social im-
pact of these changes. It is also because
of the patriarchal culture we live in. The
distinction between the role of men and
women is ancient and stereotypical.
There is this inherent conviction that
"Lack of certain reforms or legislations does not
mean democracy is not good. There are lots of ben-
efits that has accrued to us, the Kuwaiti people,
because of democracy."
women are emotional, weak and can't
handle the consequences of being a
political activist. It takes time to break
those stereotypes.
But the third time around we worked
around these challenges and the four of
us got elected.
Kuwait has the oldest parlia-
ment in the region. It's also the
first constitutional monarchy
in the Gulf, but there are crit-
ics who say development has
slowed down (compared to oth-
er GCC states) because of po-
litical differences. Your take?
I would agree partially. Political devel-
opment has gone in the wrong direction.
The role of the tribe and family, has
for years, taken priority over national
interest instead of real democratic prac-
tices in which people vote for agendas
and common objectives. In 2010, we
still have a vast majority voting for rela-
tives and tribes. This is certainly a nega-
tive practice. Kuwait has not succeeded
in overcoming this.
The government too has to be blamed
for the lack of development. It has ex-
ecutive powers and is responsible for
carrying out development plans.
Our government has no strategic
plans! For the first time in 1985, we
voted on a law passing a five-year-plan,
but in 1986, when the parliament was
dissolved, the plan was dismissed. The
government is reactive, not proactive,
and so it can’t lead change.
But the danger of such criticism
is that democracy itself is seen
as the root of the problem.
Yes, but to have a real democracy there
must be some prerequisites. We need ed-
ucational reforms that promote tolerance
and critical thinking. We don’t have this
in Kuwait.
There is a move now to curtail the
freedom of speech that Kuwait has en-
joyed so far. We are going to oppose
that.
We need a party system, but the par-
ties can’t be tribe or family-based.
The lack of certain reforms or leg-
islations does not mean democracy is
"The role of tribe and family, has for
years, taken priority over national
interest... In 2010 we still have the
vast majority voting for relatives
and tribes."
not good. There are lots of benefits that
have accrued to us, the Kuwaiti people,
because of democracy.
Freedom of speech is something we
are proud of. We can criticise the gov-
ernment, the royal family, people in
public offices...
Private television channels hold po-
litical debates on controversial issues.
Do you think political parties
will be allowed anytime soon?
No, I don’t think the society is ready.
We proposed a law that not only allows
parties but seeks national interest as
the party should have a national objec-
tive. All members of the party cannot
be of the same tribe or sect.
Putting commitment to a tribe or sect
over commitment to national interest
hurts democratic practice.
At a social level, you can be proud of
your heritage, religion, tribe – it could
be a source of your identity, but in the
political and public arena you are a
citizen first.
You have witnessed two Gulf
Wars, rather directly in one.
Do you think diplomacy as
a tact no longer makes sense
since wars are resorted to so
quickly?
I don't think so. There are some atti-
tudes that force war. If diplomatic ef-
forts have failed, then policies need to
be revisited.
You can’t enforce a political system
on a country. Saddam Hussein de-
served to be removed, but the people
did not deserve the aftermath.
What is happening in Iraq now – the
chaos – was expected.
These are people who have lived un-
der a totalitarian, oppressive regime all
their lives – who have had relatives die
in front of their eyes for differences in
opinions!
How do you think they would func-
tion when they have freedom?
They are not going to be tolerant or
democratic. They are going to seek re-
venge. For them, if you disagree, you
kill. They don't know any other means
of communicating or working out their
differences. It was an irresponsible act
to disregard all these factors and wage
a war.
When I was doing my PhD in Austin,
there was a women's delegation from
the Middle East.
There were a couple from West Bank,
Gaza. I had an interesting conversation
with them.
They were telling me how it was
very easy for Arabs sitting in air con-
ditioned comfort to say ‘We don't want
peace. We want all of the land of Pal-
arab snippets
estine.’ The lady from Gaza said, “It's
not their children who are starving or
their houses that's being knocked down
and they are not fighting. We just need
a piece of land to live.”
This conversation has played on my
mind. It is ridiculous for us to decide
for people in the line of fire. Same
goes for Iraq. It’s not America’s place
to decide what's good for Iraq.
In your opinion, what ails the
region (GCC) and what is en-
couraging?
Problems vary. Some have political re-
forms. The religious reforms in Saudi
Arabia are positive.
But if you are talking about social
challenges, then the biggest problem is
resistance to change, especially when
it comes to technological revolution.
The sooner we realise that change is
inevitable, the better prepared we will
be to deal with it.
Economically, the rest of the GCC
countries seem to be recovering better
than Kuwait. In Kuwait, the Parlia-
ment is dominated by conservatives
who are against privatisation and for-
eign investments. The government
has no real plan. In other countries,
it's a one man show, and sometimes
that seems good – YOU decide; YOU
do it! n
february 10 Qatar Today 23