Democratic reforms in Arab world evaluated [Archives:2007/1027/Local News]
ADEN, Feb. 21 ) Human Rights Information and the Training Center organized a symposium on Tuesday to evaluate democratic reform programs in the Arab world. More than 40 participants interested in human rights and democratic systems from across the Arab World attended the symposium.
Many papers were presented during the symposium and they considered the hurdles and challenges before political reform can be achieved in the Arab world and the Gulf. The Palestinian issue was also discussed.
The symposium also addressed issues relating to social, economic and political conflicts which hampered democratic transformation in the Arab countries. The participants linked these conflicts with political powers such as the US wanting to create the world according to its own wishes and further wanting all judicial, educational, economic, political, etc systems to respond directly to its own interests and monopoly.
They further stressed that other parties such as the European Union, governing families and public forces also have a role to play in such conflicts.
At the conclusion of the symposium, the participants asked the Arab governments to adopt democracy and enable all factions of society to participate and further to commit to constitutions and laws giving greater margins to press freedom.
Egyptian journalist Huida Hafez from Al-Khabar Newspaper pointed out that the papers were valuable; he also added, however, that democracy in the Arab world is currently no more than slogans.
Hafez further noted that civil society organizations go to great lengths to make progress and to make changes to Arab and international legislation, maintaining that these organizations defend human rights and freedoms.
For her part, Syrian Farah Al-Omari, who works for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said the symposium was indeed useful although it lacked discussions between participants. She also noted that democracy mingles with both religion and the state in the Arab world resulting in racism and sectarianism.
She went on to say that civil society organizations should work together to consider all human rights issues and stressed the importance of institutionalism and neutrality in their work.
Human rights activists Ahmed Shams Addin, a Lebanese national, noted that there should be a survey on human rights in Arab countries in order to evaluate their levels and discover the required solutions. He also stressed the importance of building people's understanding in order to help build the nation.
Bahraini Fatma Fayrouz from the Female Future Association highlighted the democratic experience in her country, which was initiated by political reforms and the constitution issued in 2002. Other reforms included setting political prisoners free and adopting rights and freedoms, together with granting women the right to involve themselves more in political work.
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