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Britain’s failure to honor

Muslim troops a great stain
ZAID M. BELBAGI
April 29, 2021

Indian troops serving with the British army pray outside the Shah Jahan Mosque in Woking,
Surrey. (Getty Images)

Short Url https://arab.news/mn6f3

More than a century after the passing of events, the long shadow of empire
still haunts governments today. In the same week that Turkey was pressured
over the massacre of Armenians during the First World War, the UK found
itself in hot water concerning imperial matters. The UK defense secretary was
last week forced to apologize over the successive institutional neglect of
British governments not properly commemorating black, Asian and Arab
troops that fought for the allies in both world wars. The furor around this
issue has once again highlighted how the history of both con icts has been
incorrectly recorded and how the role of Muslim troops in particular has been
entirely underplayed.

It is estimated that some 400,000 Muslim soldiers fought for Britain in the
First World War, along with 2.5 million for France and Russia, in a war not of
their making. It is becoming increasingly clear that their role has been under-
researched and poorly commemorated in comparison with the extensive
accounts of Western troops in poems, diaries and histories. Compounded by
the historical overlooking of the contribution of black troops, this issue has
come to remind latter-day governments of the prejudices of their
predecessors.

Last week’s great fallout came about due to a report by the special committee
appointed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) to probe
the early history of the Imperial War Graves Commission (IWGC) and “identify
inequalities in the way the organization commemorated the dead of the
British Empire from the two world wars.” Though it was not surprising that
the IWGC had either incorrectly or not commemorated at all soldiers from
certain ethnic groups, the scale of the report’s ndings have shaken both the
Ministry of Defense and the CWGC.

Where the rank of soldiers, whatever their religion, was meant to be

commemorated identically — with their name engraved either on a headstone
over an identi ed grave or on a memorial to the missing — the report found
that at least 116,000 predominantly African and Middle Eastern First World
War casualties “were not commemorated by name or possibly not
commemorated at all.” This gure could potentially be as high as 350,000,
with most of the colonial troops having only been commemorated by
memorials that did not carry their names. The decisions that led to this
disregard for the sacri ces of colonial troops have begun to see the light of
day, and they highlight the impact of racist policymakers who saw native
troops as man enough to ght, but not human enough to be commemorated.

In a 1923 communication between F.G. Guggisberg, the governor of the Gold

Coast colony (now Ghana), and the IWGC’s Arthur Browne, the individual
commemoration of troops was deemed super uous as “the average native of
the Gold Coast would not understand or appreciate a headstone.” The report
documents that colonial troops were referred to as “semi-savage” and that
“they are hardly in such a state of civilization as to appreciate such a
memorial.” It was added that “the erection of individual memorials would
represent a waste of public money.” Given the discovery of the pervasive
racism that inspired these decisions, it is little surprise that Prime Minister
Boris Johnson last week o ered an “unreserved apology” over the ndings.

The entire episode has left the government with a lot of questions and very
few answers. The fate of 350,000 mostly Egyptian and East African servicemen
a century ago may not immediately explain the current uproar but, put in the
context of the consistent “whitewashing” of the history of the two world wars,
it is unlikely this crisis will dissipate without a concerted e ort from the
government. At a time when Europe is struggling with how best to integrate
its Muslim citizens, the stories of the respect and loyalty that existed between
soldiers of all faiths and in the most gruesome circumstances are more
pertinent now than ever. Given that the contribution of colonial troops was
critical to the allies maintaining numerical superiority, raising public
awareness of their involvement could really go some way to help counter
growing anti-Islamic sentiment in Europe and give immigrant communities a
stronger sense of belonging.

"
This issue has come to remind latter-day governments of the

"
prejudices of their predecessors.
Zaid M. Belbagi

The government, under pressure to recognize the role of colonial troops in

light of the historical overlooking of their contribution, will be keen to act.
With very little attention having ever been given to this issue, it is
encouraging, therefore, that the National Muslim War Memorial Trust was
recently established by Lord Sheikh, alongside Lord Lexden and Maj. Gen.
Charles Fattorini. With a mandate to erect a permanent memorial to the
Muslim troops who served in the British armed forces, it will aim to combat
the generational undervaluing of their contribution while also educating
young people about their role. To Lord Sheikh, the central importance of the
project is “to combat Islamophobia to encourage people to realize the
sacri ces Muslims made to keep the Union Jack ying.”

Whether the government makes a worthwhile contribution to this work

remains to be seen. For now, the UK’s failure to properly commemorate the
Muslim fallen remains a great stain upon the country.

Zaid M. Belbagi is a political commentator, and an adviser to private clients

between London and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Twitter:
@Moulay_Zaid

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do
not necessarily re ect Arab News' point-of-view

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Opinion

Zaid M. Belbagi

Britain’s failure to honor Muslim troops a great stain

Ray Hanania

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Nidhal Guessoum

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Arab world needs to ensure

Israel respects Palestinian
rights
RAYHANANIA
April 29, 2021

Activists protest the planned Israeli evictions in Sheikh Jarrah, Jerusalem, 19 March, 2021.
(AFP)

Short Url https://arab.news/g7xpe

The Arab world is nothing if it is not Palestine, which is at the heart of Arab
culture and the world’s most widely followed religions. So why is Palestine
struggling, even on simple matters that involve obvious violations of the
international rule of law? I understand the politics of the Israel-Palestine
con ict: It is debatable and often distorted and exaggerated. But the
international rule of law is very clear and is nondebatable.

This week, 500 Palestinians living in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of

Sheikh Jarrah were forced to appeal not to the Arab world but the
International Criminal Court (ICC). Despite being bullied by both Israel and
the US, two of the world’s most powerful nations, the ICC is forging ahead
with an investigation into potential Israeli war crimes in the Occupied
Territories. The ICC probe is to Israel what Israel’s bulldozers have been to
Palestinian homes.

The Palestinian appellants represent 28 families who assert that Israel’s

military is seeking to evict them from their homes in a deliberately racist
manner. The Israeli bulldozer is deliberate and steady, and will evict four
families on May 2, along with three more by Aug. 1, throwing them all out on to
the street.

I don’t get the lack of support for these homeowners. The world is screaming
about violations of the civil rights of African-Americans at the hands of US
police. Palestinian, Arab and Muslim activists have declared solidarity with the
family of George Floyd and backed the wave of protests that followed his
death. And yet the silence in support of the Palestinians in Israel is deafening.

OK, some 190 Arab and Muslim organizations have co-signed the letter from
the residents, but that is not enough. The concerns of the Palestinians should
be on the front lines. But they are not. It is easy to sign a letter and declare
solidarity, but apparently it is extremely di cult to direct the world’s
attention to Israel’s ongoing criminal enterprise.

Israel wants to evict these Palestinians in order to replace them with Israeli
Jews, settlers who have been protected by the state and ignored by the world.
The Israeli settler movement steals lands from Christians and Muslims, builds
Jewish-only settlements and uses violence to protect their land theft.

What are the Sheikh Jarrah Palestinians asking? That their civil rights be
protected. Israel has no internationally recognized legal authority to forcibly
evict them from the homes they have occupied for generations. But it has the
political mandate given to it by the US and the Arab world’s silence to
ethnically cleanse Arabs from Jerusalem.

If the Israelis can throw out the Palestinians of Sheikh Jarrah, they can throw
out Arabs from any land or location in the Middle East and North Africa. If the
Israelis can defy international law with such callousness, they can defy any
international law and even contracted agreements that they have signed with
other governments. How can any Arab government trust Israel to keep its
word and not violate the principles of its promises? Who can believe Israel’s
word?

With all the generous gestures being made to Israel by Arab nations recently,
you might think they would ask for something in return. Like that Israel might
be compelled to adhere to the international rule of law in Palestine and to
respect the civil and human rights of the Christians and Muslims who live on
the lands where their religions rst began.

The Arab world can and should move ahead with its e orts to embrace peace,
expand relations between Jews and Muslims and forge a new climate of peace
and understanding, cooperation and respect. This would create a strong
foundation on which to build economies and strengthen the lives of people.

"
If the Israelis can throw out the Palestinians of Sheikh Jarrah,

"
they can throw out Arabs from any land or location.
Ray Hanania

But unless this new environment is built on the bedrock of justice, civil rights
and the international rule of law, what are those agreements but meaningless
rhetoric and empty promises? The Arab world needs to step up to the plate
and use the new environment it is seeking to create as a powerful foundation
to litigate for peace and justice in Palestine.

If the Arab world cannot do that — and it has been a long time since it really
tried — then what kind of culture will emerge from this new environment,
which is supposed to be built on “mutual understanding and coexistence as
well as respect for human dignity and freedom, including religious freedom?”

Ray Hanania is an award-winning former Chicago City Hall political

reporter and columnist. He can be reached on his personal website at
www.Hanania.com. Twitter: @RayHanania

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do
not necessarily re ect Arab News' point-of-view

    

Opinion

Zaid M. Belbagi

Britain’s failure to honor Muslim troops a great stain

Ray Hanania

Arab world needs to ensure Israel respects Palestinian rights

Nidhal Guessoum

How youngsters’ reading habits are evolving

Talmiz Ahmad

Russia’s expanding footprint in the Middle East

Sandra Breka and Brian Finlay

Why Europe is the perfect model for the future of multilateralism

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How youngsters’ reading habits

are evolving
NIDHALGUESSOUM
April 29, 2021

Image courtesy of Renaissance.com

Short Url https://arab.news/9k4hx

A few weeks ago, the 2021 edition of “What Kids Are Reading” was published.
This is an annual report that draws from data on more than 7 million
youngsters in the US — the largest such yearly study of reading among
children from kindergarten to Grade 12. It allows educators, parents,
policymakers and communicators to gauge the evolution of children’s reading
habits and devise strategies to improve the trends. This year, the e ect of the
pandemic was an additional factor that observers wanted to analyze, in
addition to the continuing tug of war between digital and print media,
between ction and non- ction, etc.

In the Arab world, an “Arab Reading Index” was published in 2016 by the
Dubai-based Arab Knowledge Project, based on an electronic survey that was
conducted among more than 145,000 participants from all 22 Arab countries.
However, to my knowledge, there has not been a more recent report.

As the report “What [US] Kids Are Reading” shows, there are new trends, as
children’s habits are evolving. Brie y, the highlights are: Helped by digital
reading solutions, children are reading more; while they still prefer to read
ction (easier and more fun), non ction material is attracting their attention
and now makes up 43 percent of their reading; and comprehension has
remained (perhaps surprisingly) high, only slightly better in ction than
non ction (whose content is generally more challenging), despite the di cult
circumstances of this past year.

Another interesting development is that the availability of free e-books,

whether legally or illegally, has increased students’ reading. Indeed, I have lost
count of the number of people who have messaged me on social media asking
where they can nd my books in (free) PDF format. Many people assume that
most titles will be freely available somewhere online. When they are, people go
get them and read at least a few pages, but when they can be bought for a
small cost, many people will ignore them.

The availability of millions of e-books for free download is a double-edged

sword: On the one hand, it increases people’s reading, but on the other it
lowers sales and thus discourages publishers from taking on titles that will
not sell well — for the wrong reasons.

There are perfectly legal websites that o er free e-books: Project Gutenberg
o ers more than 60,000 free titles; the “Free E-book!” web page of the
University of Chicago Press o ers one free title each month; IntechOpen is
the world’s largest provider of open-access scienti c books; and even
Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online booksellers o er numerous free
books for e-readers.

"
We need to nd ways to maximize the bene ts of electronic

"
reading while minimizing the negative aspects.
Nidhal Guessoum

The debate over the pros and cons of on-screen reading versus on paper has
continued. And recent developments have not settled the issue. On the one
hand, high screen fatigue and eye damage greatly increased during the
pandemic, while on the other there are now eye-friendly e-reading devices
and they easily mesh with laptops. However, children tend to multitask and
skim over the material they read on laptops, tablets, smartphones and
internet-connected e-readers, and we need to nd ways to maximize the
bene ts of electronic reading while minimizing the negative aspects.

We also need to nd ways to entice children to read. Perhaps popular new

media such as YouTube videos and podcasts can be used to introduce
youngsters to books, magazines and other reading material. For example, I
recently produced a series of short videos on great short books from the
Arab-Islamic civilization, such as “Hayy Ibn Yaqzan,” the wonderful “Arab
Robinson Crusoe” novel from the 12th century. I was pleased to read
comments from youngsters saying that my brief summary and commentary
had enticed them to read the novel, especially since it is barely 50 pages long.

Other people have regular podcasts and YouTube videos devoted to presenting
either famous books or new ones, and this certainly helps encourage people
to read.

Reading is not only important for one’s intellectual and moral growth, it
shapes one’s personality and view of the world. That is why a favorite question
of job interviewers is: What is the most recent book you have read? Similarly,
before the winter or spring break or before the Eid holiday, teachers should
perhaps tell their students in passing: “I am eager to know, when we return
from the break, what you will have read.”

We need to make reading a regular part of our daily lives; buying books,
carrying them around, exchanging them with our friends, writing and
speaking about them on social media, and so on. And we need to reserve time
for reading in our daily or weekly schedules.

Let me close with the exquisite words of the celebrated American author Nora
Ephron on the subject: “Reading is everything. Reading makes me feel like I’ve
accomplished something, learned something, become a better person.
Reading makes me smarter. Reading gives me something to talk about later
on… Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it’s a way to make contact
with reality after a day of making things up, and it’s a way of making contact
with someone else’s imagination after a day that’s all too real. Reading is grist.
Reading is bliss.”

• Nidhal Guessoum is a professor at the American University of Sharjah, UAE.

Twitter: @NidhalGuessoum

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do
not necessarily re ect Arab News' point-of-view

    

Opinion

Zaid M. Belbagi

Britain’s failure to honor Muslim troops a great stain

Ray Hanania

Arab world needs to ensure Israel respects Palestinian rights

Nidhal Guessoum

How youngsters’ reading habits are evolving

Talmiz Ahmad

Russia’s expanding footprint in the Middle East

Sandra Breka and Brian Finlay

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Al-Habtoor Abbas

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Russia’s expanding footprint in

the Middle East
TALMIZAHMAD
April 29, 2021

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov with UAE counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, in
Abu Dhabi. (Reuters)

Short Url https://arab.news/b44qs

Over the last month or so, the shadow of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov has loomed large across the Middle East. In March, he visited the UAE,
Saudi Arabia and Qatar. He was soon back in the region, visiting Egypt and
Iran on April 12-13.

Russia became a key player in the Middle East when it brought its armed
forces into Syria in September 2015 to prevent externally sponsored regime
change. Having achieved this fairly quickly, its diplomatic canvas has
broadened to include all the regional states, with which it is building
substantial ties in the areas of energy, economics and defense, while seeking
to pursue regional peace and security.

During his visit to the Gulf, Lavrov promoted a UAE role in enhancing stability
in Syria, which his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan
strongly supported. The latter criticized sanctions on Syria and backed the
country’s re-entry to the Arab League.

In Doha, Lavrov shaped the Russia-Turkey-Qatar troika to discuss peace in

Syria as an initiative to supplement the Astana process. Turkey and Qatar
could jointly promote the settlement of the Idlib issue, where a few thousand
Turkish-backed extremist elements are embedded within a 3 million-strong
civilian population.

Lavrov’s most important interactions were in Saudi Arabia, with Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman and Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. These
meetings took place against the background of some uncertainty relating to
the new US administration’s position on regional security issues.

In this scenario, Russia can play the useful role of a “balancer” in respect of
the Kingdom’s two major competitions — with Turkey and Iran — by
facilitating dialogue between them. Once mutual con dence between
estranged neighbors is achieved, Russia will seek to obtain Middle East
stability through a new regional security architecture shaped consensually by
the area’s nations acting in concert.

As in the case of other Gulf countries, Russia’s agenda with Saudi Arabia is
buttressed by substantial bilateral ties based on trade, including grain
exports, and defense cooperation, besides being partners in the OPEC+
dialogue that ensures stability in the world’s energy market.

Lavrov’s foray to the Gulf states in March was complemented by his visits to
Egypt and Iran in April. Though some commentators have seen the Cairo visit
as a deliberate rebuke to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who was
meeting the Ukrainian president in Istanbul at the same time, the outreach to
Egypt was important in itself.

Russia has consolidated its defense relations with Cairo through the sale of
military hardware, including ghter jets, tanks, attack helicopters and missile
systems, as well as regular joint exercises. Besides this, Russia is working on a
nuclear power plant and developing a gas eld in the country, while it has also
become a major grain supplier to Egypt. Russia’s ties with Egypt have been
further strengthened by an Egyptian company emerging as the region’s rst
manufacturer of Russia’s coronavirus vaccine Sputnik V.

In Cairo, in terms of the regional agenda, Russia’s two main interests were
Libya and Syria. Russia and Egypt were already partners in the Libyan
con ict, opposing the Tripoli government that is backed by Turkey, and they
have also now become partners in the country’s peace process. With regard to
Syria, they are again on the same page, as Egypt has also consistently opposed
regime change in Damascus.

Lavrov’s visit to Tehran was in the context of coordinating their positions on

the revival of the Iran nuclear deal. The two countries agree that this should
be kept separate from the other issues relating to regional security and that
there should be a “synchronized approach” to the US lifting sanctions and Iran
returning to the provisions of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. In
January, Russia and Iran had entered into an information and cybersecurity
agreement that will boost Iran’s cyber defenses against hostile attacks, mainly
from Israel.

While Russia backs Iran on the nuclear question, it is also sensitive to the
security concerns of Israel and the Gulf Arab states and, hence, strongly
advocates Tehran’s participation in a regional security conclave taking place
within the framework of the peace plan that Moscow had oated in July 2019.

"
As the US recedes from the Middle East landscape, Russia will

"
emerge as the central gure in the regional cauldron.
Talmiz Ahmad

Though Ankara was not on Lavrov’s itinerary, ties with Turkey are an
important part of Russia’s regional interests. While bilateral ties have
blossomed in energy, the economy and defense, Turkey remains a di cult
partner as it seeks to retain its strategic autonomy on regional issues and its
partnership with the US, despite their many di erences. It is likely that Joe
Biden’s coolness toward the Turkish leader and Saturday’s recognition of the
Armenian genocide of 1915 will push Ankara further into the Russian embrace.

There is a churn being seen in Middle East politics, with regional states
asserting new interests, playing new roles, engaging with fresh challenges,
and building alliances to serve ideological and/or security interests. As the US
recedes from the Middle East landscape, Russia will emerge as the central
gure in the regional cauldron and is likely to o er the best hope for peace
and security.

Talmiz Ahmad is an author and former Indian ambassador to Saudi Arabia,

Oman and the UAE. He holds the Ram Sathe Chair for International Studies
at Symbiosis International University in Pune, India.

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do
not necessarily re ect Arab News' point-of-view

    

Opinion

Zaid M. Belbagi

Britain’s failure to honor Muslim troops a great stain

Ray Hanania

Arab world needs to ensure Israel respects Palestinian rights

Nidhal Guessoum

How youngsters’ reading habits are evolving

Talmiz Ahmad

Russia’s expanding footprint in the Middle East

Sandra Breka and Brian Finlay

Why Europe is the perfect model for the future of multilateralism

MORE IN OPINION

Latest Updates
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says

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issues: Sources

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Saudi pharma sector takes leap forward with Ho mann La Roche

localization deal

Columnist

 
Yasar Yakis Khalaf Ahmad Faisal J. Frank Kane
Al-Habtoor Abbas

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A lot said and brilliantly

explained in just 90 minutes
FAISAL FAEQ
April 29, 2021 00:57

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman speaks during televised interview in Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia, April 27, 2021. (Reuters)

Short Url https://arab.news/bxwda

The 90-minute interview with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
was dazzling in its details and perceptions, moving from generalities to the
smallest details with actual gures, as he outlined the country’s development
plans and phases.

Local, regional and international audiences waited for the emergence of

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the “visionary” who undertakes the
task of explaining what is happening — making him a safety valve and a source
of inspiration, passion and positive in uence.

Every time the crown prince appears in the media, he covers the issues
comprehensively, with complete transparency and in a systematic manner
that is easy to follow and understand.

The crown prince outlined the measures and decisions taken in order to
address the problem of unemployment, and the remarkable, positive results
achieved in transforming the economy from one su ering from many
imbalances to one that is sustainable, achieving serious growth and actively
solving the challenges it faces.

The crown prince has broadly assured peace and stability in the region and
the world with strategic partnerships and a moderate approach. He reassured
the world when he emphasized the consistency and rationality of the
Kingdom’s policy, which advances the national interest, and places an
emphasis on the prosperity and safety of his nation as his rst priority. The
crown prince talked with clarity about what has already been achieved and,
looking to future generations, acknowledged that Saudi Arabia’s greatest asset
and true wealth is its citizens.

In 90 minutes, the crown prince talked about the progress that has so far been
made by the Vision 2030 program, with dazzling historical, political, economic
and social insights, and an emphasis on transparency, positivity,
determination, ambition and moderation.

In 90 minutes, he reassured his citizens with a courageous speech from the

heart, and with utter frankness, clear logic and strong arguments, winning
admiration from local, regional and international audiences.

The crown prince also touched on the realistic goals achieved, despite the
exceptional challenges witnessed in 2020. He said the Kingdom will achieve
even greater targets in 2030, as the word “fear” does not exist in the dictionary
for Saudis, and because the most important pillar of the Kingdom’s success is
his fellow citizens.

• Faisal Faeq is an energy and oil marketing adviser. He was formerly with
OPEC and Saudi Aramco. Twitter: @faisalfaeq

Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do
not necessarily re ect Arab News' point-of-view

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