2005 frustrations & woes transferred to 2006 [Archives:2006/910/Opinion]

Prof. Abdulaziz al-Tarb
The year 2005 has already collected its papers and departed us, leaving behind, as usual, a question and queries with every single individual about impact it has left on their conditions and in themselves. The end of a year and the beginning of another usually constitutes a crossroads for meditation and a review of people life and things over the gone year. If such a question forms a stationary to think about a year-long march to fathom the human experiment and examine it at the individual level, it is quite certain that events of an entire year would constitute an important stop in the life of peoples and nations where at the end of it they would stop to read their past recent, reconsider their actions and to keep a firm grip on the fact and create visions that would support them to dream and work in a different way.

It would be vitally significant to o cast scrutinizing look at a year gone out of the history of our Arab region with the aim to appraise the change that took place or that which did not and the possibility of opening way for them in the future. Some might reply that one year is a short span of time to assess peoples' march which could be full of experiments, successes and failures and maybe pains and ordeals, and therefore we have to wait for a longer period. I would respond that the speedy rhythm of human history does no longer allow for waiting because it could be death or suicide. A one-year period in the twenty-one century is more rapid in rhythm compared to years of the last century and more fertile in events, a matter makes it imperative to have immediate knowing of the actual volume of inputs and outputs of those events. Later comprehension of events does nit necessarily imply better and deeper assessments.

Even before the beginning of the year of 2005, prospects were pointing to its being an exceptional year in the history of the region. It was then pregnant with developments ingrained in the region's womb by events of past years. Events of the past years were the result of long decades of weakness and deterioration made by disappointments created by failures and losses characterizing the whole f its situations.

The year 2005 was supposed to be the opportunity for repayment of political, economic and cultural bills, payable for a long time. Those dues were the product of self-weakness and inability to encounter challenges and threats, or to keep pace with speedy changes in the world in everything. However, the painful facts and indicators denote a continuation and growing of that state. This means inflation of those payable bills entailing an increase in pressures and tensions that would impede efforts for disentanglement from inability and destroy expectations to come out the region's chronic quagmire.

As the major issue begins and ends with reform, it was hoped hat the year would begin with enforcing the principles stipulated in the “Document of pledge, accord and solidarity” adopted at the Arab summit in Tunis in 2004 as well as its closing statement. Those were approved by Arab leaders and expressed the resolution to maintain steps of comprehensive reform, enhancement of the spirit of citizenship and equality and expansion of democracy and the course of partnership. As a matter of fact, we are aware that there is no such a program. In addition, we do not need to seek the help of a fortuneteller or reports of strategic studies centers to realize there is no time framework available for the process of reform. Nevertheless, we understand that the absence of a time-framed program would result in skepticism about reality of allegations that the region can accomplish a political, economic and social reform, quick and continuous. Fixing the start point does not only mean a rupture with the past and its heritage and moving to the future. It does not also mean getting rid of the conduct of randomness. It means more important than that. We have to adjust the watch of reform in conformity to the highly-accurate timing but not to local temperamental timings.

There is assumption of guarantees that frustrations would not continue in the 2006 New Year. It maybe more certain that the Arab World would be unable to achieve the hoped for expectations in reform and democracy. Some o its countries would remain standstill in their position in the hope of not falling depths of disaster. Some other countries would achieve limited gains that do not actually meet ambitions. But to come out of this closed circuit obliges the Arab regimes not to merely give flowery promises but rather to embark on sweeping offensive of irreversible reforms. The people of the region should on their part show more will and resolution and to strongly grasp the moment to cross over to a new year. Their new year should be the starting point for a reformative revolution delayed for a long time.

The New Year would witness the Palestinian elections, local and presidential elections in Yemen and changes in the Sudan and Lebanon.

Prof. Abdulaziz Al-Tarb is an economist and a professor in Political Science and an expert in administrative development. He is head of a number of professional associations, such as the Arab Group for Investment and Development.
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