Emirati Student Viewpoint of Turmoil in Middle East
Amidst the violence and upheavals in the Middle East, the UAE is a small pocket of tranquility, stability and peace. Emirati students are in an ...
Oct 19, 2013
Amidst the violence and upheavals in the Middle East, the UAE is a small pocket of tranquility, stability and peace. Emirati students are in an interesting position, and being removed allows them to witness these changes in the Arab world.
When speaking of the recent changes that have wracked the region, Emiratis who commented used several key terms when speaking about the conflict: mindsets, stereotypes, country, change and hope. Such a pattern lends insight into how the UAE situates itself in this volatile movement as nearby countries endure upheavals and violence.
Mindsets and stereotypes
These two words seemed to play an important role in relations between countries, especially the West and the East. For example, Sarah Al-Awadhi, a recent graduate of Sharjah Women’s College and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Scholar from 2012 to 2013, attributed these terms to current unresolved problems.
“It’s a mindset. Everyone is blaming each other from the past and after what happened to Iraq, which affected a lot [of us] over here,” she said. “Stereotyping and being judgmental are the [ways] toward escalation in hate.”
Hazza Banimlek, a current student at Masdar Institute, explained the relevance of these words to the fading goal of unifying the Arab peninsula.
“The unity, this is not even in the distant future … because the mindsets are all different from one country to another,” said Banimlek.
Perhaps this terminology is actually the starting point for solutions.
“[At univerisites] people from around the world can see [that] their stereotypes about Arabs can contradict with what they actually think [of Arabs],” said sophomore Muna Al Hammdi.
Country
The word country shapes the idea of living in the UAE amidst the turmoil. While contemplation of one’s own community brings gratitude, it is sometimes paired with a sense of compassion for the rest of the Arab world.
Shakhbout Alkaabi, a sophomore at NYUAD, commented on this dichotomy.
“I’m very blessed that my country is, in this way, very stable, very safe. But when I look to all the other countries, I feel sad for them,” Alkaabi said.
The ways people participate in a country reveal interpretations of the term itself.
“This country is multinational and everyone is coming from everywhere,” Al-Awadhi said as she acknowledged the possibility of ongoing conflicts between a set of friends at school or people from countries like Syria or Egypt.
“For me, I [haven’t] see[n] anything,” she said.
Change
This word branches into different meanings. Freshman Noor Al Mehairbi noticed that uncertainty is a major difficulty of the conflicts in the Middle East.
“You never know what to expect … with all of these new forms that are constantly changing,” she said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen. That’s the problem; that’s what keeps people worried.”
On the other hand, the term also refers to the efficacy of the recent revolutions in the Arab world. Banimlek did not believe that this was the most productive road to improvement.
“If you want to change the whole governmental system, why damage the whole governmental system just because one guy represents the whole thing?” he said, explaining why he does not agree with coups.
Instead, he advocated a different path.
“If you want to make change, you [have to] believe you can make change to yourself, afterwards maybe to your family, afterwards to the community. You go from within,” Banimlek said.
Al Mehairbi added that education might also be helpful, especially since it could prevent history from repeating itself.
“Even if you bring awareness, it might not make a change,” she said. “But at least people can’t just be completely oblivious to what’s going on … you should know the present to be able to deal with the future.”
Hope
This last word guides the prospective visions for the Middle East and beyond. While finding a solution is not easy, there is an overwhelming desire for the violence to come to a halt.
Al Hammdi, who lived in Libya before the upheaval, expressed concern for the rest of the Arab world.
“I’m really hoping it ends because it’s devastating, what’s happening … I think these conflicts will keep on going, but we’re just hoping that they … settle into something that everyone agrees on, which is something really difficult,” Al Hammdi said.
For Alkaabi, this word expands to an even larger long-term aspiration for the world.
“Anyone would hope that every single person in Egypt, in Syria, in Palestine, in Libya and Tunisia and everywhere, [the United States]. … every single person should have the right to live a good life, without wars.”
Constanza Maio is a staff writer. Email her at editorial@thegazelle.org.
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