A group of friends were sitting around the dinner table discussing the sad state of affairs in the Arab world today.

One said, “Nothing will ever change.” Another added, “It is utterly hopeless.” I listened with sorrow to what they were saying and then asked, “Is there no optimist among us?” A fourth member of the party commented, “What is there to be optimistic about? I disagree with all of you.”

Yes, I had to admit that the Arab world is passing through very dark days; it is even possible that there have been none darker. Yes, I had to admit that the morale of the Arab people is low indeed. Yes, I had to admit that we are not in control of our own destiny. Yes, I had to admit that we often have to go to foreign sources for news of what is happening in our backyard. Those in the White House and at 10 Downing St. make decisions which will influence the future of millions of people in different parts of the Arab and Muslim world. Those decision-makers have sent hundreds of thousands of soldiers and weapons of destruction into our region, and what have we done? We have sat and watched helplessly while it all unfolded around us, often of course in spite of our wishes. But surely this is only a phase which will soon pass and be over.

There are assuredly many evils in today’s Arab world. We need to look closely at the situation and discover who is responsible for the myriad evils which plague us. The biggest responsibility lies with those politicians — in the region and beyond — who allowed tyrants such as Saddam Hussein to seize power and remain in control. Not only did such people come to power but they did so by killing and torturing their own people. Once power was in their hands, they also dealt deathblows to the fabric and infrastructure of society.

A portion of responsibility must also be laid at the feet of the so-called intellectuals, thinkers and media-created personalities who hailed and praised the dictators, feeding their egos and telling the tyrannical maniacs what they wanted to hear. And certain others who must also share responsibility simply turned their heads, looked away and went on with their private lives and equally private agendas.

At this point, one of the group suddenly interjected, “Don’t forget the Arab League.”

I accepted his challenge. If the Arab League had behaved as the Commonwealth did with some of its dictators, our Saddam Husseins would not have been able to rule with such utter disregard for Arab public opinion.

Straightaway came the obvious question, “But is there any such thing as Arab public opinion?”

To which I replied, “It’s time for us to create it.”

It is also long past the time when authorities in the Arab world should have realized that half the population is under-20. And those who belong to that half of the population has seen enough battles lost, have experienced humiliation to the full and have watched helplessly as their contemporaries in Asia, Europe and America move forward in pursuit of their dreams. Our young also want to learn, to be educated, to have a say in their society, to assume responsibility and to play the role of honest, God-fearing, upright citizens.

Throughout the Arab world, young men and women are discussing these issues. They are concerned about their future and their place in a changing, globalized and highly competitive world. They possess skills and talent and are second to none but their skills and talents must be nurtured and developed. The sad truth is that many of them — and with them, their societies — have been denied their dreams because of incompetent management, rampant corruption and simple greed. The Arab world cannot afford to continue losing those talents. If it does, it will sink even further into darkness than it is today. And that will be the end of us and our Arab world.

It is time for constructive dialogues in our society. It is time for the dialogues to be heard and not only heard but evaluated carefully and intelligently before being acted upon. For too long we have been known as talkers rather than doers. We have to change before it is too late. There is no alternative.

Arab News Features 28 February 2003