March 03, 2004

Jordan Times

Towards Promoting Democracy

Editorial

The debate came on the heels of Washington's self-professed “Greater Middle East Initiative,” calling for a series of political, economic and social reforms within the Arab countries with a view to accelerate the pace of democratisation and progress in the region.

Reforms in the realm of political development, education and the rule of law, based on justice, are among the main features of the US initiative. In response to this US initiative, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak introduced his vision for reform in the Arab nation, based on the Arabs' own peculiar culture, history, civilisation and religion.

This debate may not be necessary, since the Arab countries are part and parcel of the globalisation process and cannot escape the external pressures that are applied on all nations. It would be wrong to dictate to the Arabs the manner and the conditions under which to reform. By the same token, it would be wrong to say that Arab reforms cannot be influenced by external norms. The international standards on democracy, human rights and rule of law have been adopted by the international community. The Arab states were part of the process that articulated these international norms and adopted them in due course as legally binding conventions. The Arab world cannot now claim that these international standards reflect only Western culture and perspectives.

The Arab and Muslim nations participated in the preparatory conferences leading to the codification of these standards and raced to sign and ratify them in order to make them part of their domestic laws.

Many countries refuse to move in the direction of reforms except when pressure is applied from without.

One of the principal standards that the Arab world is called upon to endorse is the new dimension of the right to self-determination. It is now part of the international human rights jurisprudence that the exercise of this right does not stop at the stage of independence from colonialism or occupation, but rather continues for all times. What better way for the people of the Arab countries to enjoy this right than by holding free and fair elections?

The Arab world has indeed a lot to learn from the international community on how to promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law besides factoring in their own special situations and circumstances.