As I write this article, the full details pertaining to the Kingdom’s coming municipal elections have not been made public. Naturally enough, the decision to hold elections in Saudi Arabia has attracted international media attention. Dozens of journalists of every political and social hue have been trying to get entry visas. In fact, there is nothing unusual in the media’s wanting to cover the Kingdom’s first comprehensive election for members of local bodies. Such wide media attention should afford us the opportunity for some positive news and might even go some way toward repairing the damage of 9/11 and the resulting media hostility. Some media persons have gone so far as to cast doubts upon the Kingdom’s capability to undertake real social and political reforms.
I would like to warn everybody against our old way of viewing international journalists who come here. We have normally looked at them with mistrust and have consequently controlled their activities either overtly or covertly. They have come here to write about us and our country. We Saudis should not always expect to receive positive coverage. Telling the truth about us involves telling what is right as well as what is wrong. We should keep in mind that every foreign journalist coming to our country, like millions the world over, might have encountered negative coverage of the Kingdom, especially in the wake of the tragedy of 9/11.
We should also keep in mind that the coming elections will be a first step in educating our people concerning their rights and obligations. Since we are, for the first time, at the threshold of an important experiment with ballot boxes, we cannot rule out the possibility of mistakes or abuses. Several Saudis, who are familiar with the functioning style of Western journalists, point out the significance of these reporters being actually present in the Kingdom when they write about it — and not filing their stories from Dubai, Beirut, London or New York.
We might profitably remind those in our country who are responsible for dealing with matters related to the foreign media that the presence of foreign journalists in Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Hail, Najran and Taif will only enhance their understanding of our society’s history and concerns. This will lead in turn to improved reporting with a clearer understanding of our society and the factors which hamper rapid social transformation. It will also give an insight to those outside the country into our government’s policies. The presence in the Kingdom of these foreign journalists will also help the journalists themselves find satisfactory answers to questions they often ask about change and reform in Saudi society.
When Western journalists come to report the elections, some of them may express their doubts about it or criticize its methods. Some may even put the blame for these faults squarely on the government or find fault with some of the candidates. This is common practice in virtually every election anywhere in the world; it will not be something that has only happened in Saudi Arabia but it will be the first time that it has happened in Saudi Arabia.
We are all well aware that the last US presidential election was not free from charges of rigging. The Republicans were accused of violating electoral regulations, including attempting to buy votes and exploiting family connections in Florida where the governor was — and still is — George W. Bush’s brother.
It is not reasonable, particularly when the world is moving toward democracy and liberalization of the media, to remain hyper-sensitive to criticism in the international media. It is not acceptable that we close our doors to journalists who are coming to report a historical event because we fear negative reporting or are worried about being seen in embarrassing situations. The attempt to see ourselves as an ideal society populated by angels will only worsen our own view of ourselves as “special” people. We are not “special” and this idea which has been widely propagated and circulated in our own media has made us conceited and reluctant to accept the simple fact that we are simply like any other people: A society with positive and negative qualities, with merits as well as demerits.
We are now beginning a new experiment which will no doubt produce arguments and disputes. This is normal until the process has been refined and we become accustomed to the usual noise and confusion accompanying any election anywhere.
(Suleiman Al-Hatlan is a Saudi writer.)
