A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (14)

The clock cannot be turned back– which is what the Islamic fundamentalists are trying to do. The discovery of oil in the Arab world has unleashed the forces of change and modernization, and these processes will continue.They are unstoppable and inevitable.Oman will continue to develop – the oil revenue will see to that... Sleepy Fanja now has a six-lane highway going past it , a whole mountain torn down to construct it.Bin Laden and his followers wish to take the Muslim world back to a mythical distant past , the Caliphate of the seventh century A.D. , ‘ the good old days’ ,when life was simpler,purer and less complicated than today. It is totally unrealistic, and is not going to happen... If the Arabs can be persuaded to view the future with confidence, with the assurance that their values and their identity are not in danger, they will not embrace fundamentalist doctrines which have no relevance in the modern world. It is our job to persuade them that they have nothing to fear from the forces of progress and modernization, that this is the only way forward

And, finally, we must solve the Palestinian problem. It is an utter contradiction for the Israelis to demand their right to a homeland, and then to deny that right to the Palestinians.The West claims that it believes in democracy and human rights, yet only goes through the motions of protecting the Palestinians. This issue is the catalyst of so much hatred in the Arab world. If the West were able to solve this problem amicably, a great deal of the bile and venom towards us would disappear.

Samuel Huntingdon and others have written about an inevitable ‘clash of civilisations’ between the Islamic world and the West .This is nonsense. As my experience proved, Arabs and Westerners can work very harmoniously together, as long as both parties feel they are pursuing mutually beneficial objectives.

ภาพจาก Destination Oman

เว็บอื่นที่น่าสนใจเกี่ยวกับโอมาน Oman Holidays BLOG

Notice: A British mate of mine, Robert Butterfield, sent me his journey story to publish on the blog. His experiences inside the kingdom and abroad would be shared regularly. I’d like to thank Bob for the fantastic writing.

โรเบิร์ต บัตเตอร์ฟิลด์ เพื่อนชาวอังกฤษส่งบทความการเดินทางท่องเที่ยวในประเทศไทยและต่างประเทศมาให้นำลงเพื่อให้เพื่อนๆ ได้อ่านกัน ขอขอบคุณบ้อบที่ตั้งใจเขียนบันทึกการเดินทางมาฝากเพื่อนๆ และจะทยอยนำลงให้อ่านกันอีกครับ

A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (13)

Iraq is a classic example of how not to promote change in the Arab world.Arabs, rather like the rest of us, will change their ways when they feel that it will benefit them to do so. Like us,they welcome modern conveniences and appliances that make life easier yet also wish to preserve what is best in their societies.Like us ,they have a strong sense of identity,which they wish to retain, and a fear of losing the best of their traditions. They are not that different from us. We should have a sympathetic understanding of their fears and anxieties and seek to allay them.We should not attempt to thrust our culture, especially its more tawdry aspects, in their faces, as is being done at present.We should appreciate the positive values of their culture .We have much to learn from their community values, and how they look after each other .Our society is far from perfect and we too have difficulties in adapting to change. We should be patient with the people of traditional, conservative societies and realize that we have much in common. Above all, we should cease to think that our ways are always superior to theirs, and stop behaving in a patronizing way.

ภาพจาก Destination Oman

A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (12)

There is also Israel. Israel, despite being a wealthy country, is the number one beneficiary of U.S. foreign aid.There is a powerful Jewish lobby, very active in Washington, which consistently influences U.S. foreign policy in favour of Israel.Thus the U.S. is seen as a sponsor of the repressive tactics meted out by the Israelis on the Arabs. “America props up and arms Israel,” said Nassir to me, “and without American aid, Israel would collapse tomorrow.” Unlikely, but this remark illustrates the power of America and the fact she has neglected to find a lasting solution to the Palestinian problem. This problem has been allowed to fester and has fanned the flames of Arab anger.

Countries like Oman are changing at bewildering speed.Changes which took place over centuries in other countries have occurred in two generations in Oman.It took the British two hundred and fifty years to change from a largely agricultural society to an industrial one.There was a great deal of social conflict along the way.Developing societies are being asked to cope with a pace of change much faster than this.Omanis have shown amazing resilience and adaptability to cope with the changes so far.The IT Revolution is forcing yet more change upon them ,the pace of development is accelerating. Even we have problems adapting.How much greater are the problems of adaptation for people from traditional societies!

The West must not impose its social and political ideas on people, but, instead, allow them to change and adapt in their own good time.Arabs must feel that they have control over the process of change.The current British and American attempt to install parliamentary government in Iraq is a case in point.It looks like neo-colonialism, the return of the white man. To paraphrase George Bush, “We’re the richest country in the world because we have the best form of government –democracy- and we’re going to give it to you whether you like it or not.”The arrogance is breath-taking. Perhaps Arab countries will evolve more representative forms of government in the future. But it will come when a majority of the people want and feel the need for them.

ภาพจาก Destination Oman

A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (11)

I left Oman on September 8th 2001, just three days before the destruction of the World Trade Center. That act was committed, I believe, by desperate men who came from traditional, socially conservative societies similar to Oman. They felt that their societies and their whole way of life were under mortal threat from the forces of modernity and development, usually referred to as globalization. The main source of this they identified as the United States. They regarded Western ideas and customs as enormous dangers, like huge tidal waves threatening to engulf them and their societies. The Arabs may have willingly embraced Western weaponry, technology and gadgetry, but they are afraid of Western concepts and ideas, such as parliamentary democracy, female emancipation, pop culture, sexual liberation and our secular values. I totally condemn the actions of the 9/11 terrorists, yet at the same time, I understand the motives that drove them to commit those terrible acts.

For the Arab man in the street,globalization can seem like one-way traffic.The mass media and the internet controlled by Western corporations,impose Western cultural values on you,whether you like it or not. American culture is very much‘in your face’ – it is frequently trashy and tawdry but is imposed on you willy-nilly.You do not have to be an Arab to feel this. The Frenchman who destroyed a Mac Donald’s with a bulldozer felt exactly the same way. The local cinemas in England where I live seem to show only American action films .There is no real choice. If you fancy a night at the cinema, it‘s Bruce Willis, Sylvester Stallone or nothing. You rarely see British films. This can look like cultural imperialism, total cultural dominance - I ‘m sure Bin Laden would agree.

ภาพจาก Destination Oman

A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (10)

Modernisation and development are happening at break-neck speed in Oman. In 1960, the country did not have electricity, proper roads, cars, television or any of the
gadgets of modern living.Then, with the discovery of oil, and later natural gas, things started to move.The current Sultan came to the throne after ousting his own father.

The old man had tried to stop all modernization, but with British military help, was swept aside. Oman was then set on a course of development which it has followed ever since. Modern hospitals appeared and the average life expectancy rose by fifteen years. A new road system now covers the country. New buildings shot up everywhere. Omanis exchanged their donkeys for fast Japanese and American cars. Changes which took place over centuries in other countries were accomplished in a few decades in Oman.The whole process of change was telescoped. The country was a fascinating mixture of the old and the new - a gleaming Mercedes would pass someone driving a donkey cart on the street. A brand-new BMW would be washed from water drawn from the centuries-old falaj water system, which derived its water from mountain streams.

Nasir explained to me that everyone in Oman was pleased with the material well being that the oil had brought. Life was much easier now with mod cons such as washing machines and refrigerators. Mobile telephones made communication easier. Cars and good roads meant people could get around more easily .Free universal health care was a tremendous boon – the average life expectancy had risen by fifteen years. Everything was easier and more convenient than in the old days.Nobody wanted to go back to those. However, he was much more wary when discussing social values.He liked the God-fearing, communal, traditional nature of Omani society and wanted it preserved. Women should continue performing their traditional role as well , and should know their place.Education was good but Omani life should not lose that sense of innocence , the strength of family and community ties that characterized it.He was proud,he said of ‘the positive values’ of Omani society which had to be cherished.We should be aware ,he said,of the negative aspects of progress and Western influence.To many Arabs,the West can appear godless, uncaring and materialistic .

ภาพจาก Bugbog

A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (9)

Sometimes we would go to the small town cinema. Action movies starring Schwarzenegger, Stallone or Bruce Willis were the usual fare. James Bond was a particular favourite.Many of my students were absolutely convinced that James Bond’s lifestyle typified that of the average Englishman such as myself.Their naivety was incredible.When I said that it was a shame that people did not watch Arabic films, Nasir vehemently disagreed. Action movies were much more entertaining, he said. When we had dinner in a cheap Indian restaurant ,nicknamed ‘a greasy spoon’, the television showed WWF American wrestling.I found this a ridiculous circus act and so did Nasir ,but it was popular enough among ordinary people for Omani television to continue featuring it.American ‘junk food ’ outlets were making their mark too. In 1985, MacDonald’s, Wendy’s, Pizza Hut and KFC were well established in the capital area. By the nineties, they were expanding inland. Young Arabs liked the glitz and the glamour –the ‘greasy spoons’ simply could not compete.

On satellite TV , beamed in from America , there was a special show called ‘The Las Vegas Grind’ .It was the highlight of Friday evening in Oman.It featured scantily –clad and large-bosomed white girls dancing to disco music with men (mainly black) round a hotel swimming pool. I found it rather corny and unsophisticated, but for Omanis it was all very naughty and lascivious. The Arab world is extremely prudish in matters of dress and frowns upon activities like dancing. This TV material was for Omanis, the forbidden fruit. These programmes were very popular with young Omani males.In common with young men everywhere , they like looking at well-endowed , scantily clad girls dancing .However ,their culture and religion tell them that all this is wrong and sinful,the work of the devil. They are being pulled in two directions at once.

ภาพจาก lonely planet

A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (8)

Luxury shopping malls, based on the American pattern, sprouted up everywhere. They all seemed to follow the same pattern, selling expensive French perfumes, Italian clothes, and fancy watches. Youngsters would go there, not to buy but to gawk at the luxuries and to meet friends. I remember an elderly Bedouin woman examining a Braun hair-dryer imported from Germany... A woman who had always dried her hair with a piece of cloth was being induced to buy a fancy, foreign gadget. It was the advent of consumerism in the country as people were being seduced into buying expensive, imported consumer goods.Omanis took to computers and mobile phones like ducks to water.In addition, they began to travel abroad. Many military men did courses in Britain and students went to British universities. Many went to the Far East, notably Thailand for their holidays.They imbibed new ideas, observed different lifestyles and saw different political systems.

About this time too, I started visiting Fanja and Nasir Mansour.Nasir was a young fellow of twenty-eight who taught English in a local school. He lived in Fanja, a small and unremarkable town which nestled at the foot of a small mountain. His English was fluent and we became fast friends. Over the next eleven years, I used visit him on average once a week. I got to know his family and friends and developed a great affection for this small town and its people. We discussed ideas, the changes that were overtaking Oman and local people’s opinions of them.

ภาพจาก Ministry of Information Sultanate of Oman

A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (7)

Only Palestine mattered.Omani TV, in common with the other Arab networks, showed night after night the harsh treatment meted out on Palestinians by the Israeli army.They showed families being evicted from their houses at gunpoint, then showed these houses being demolished. Palestinian children throwing stones were fired on by Israeli soldiers and Palestinian women were constantly harassed.It was certainly one-sided.However,one began to understand the visceral hatred that exists between Arab and Jew , as well as the strong bonds of kinship that exist among all Arabs , enabling them to identify totally with the plight of the Palestinians.

As we entered the nineties, it all began to change.In 1991, Iraq invaded Kuwait and British and American soldiers were out on the streets of Oman.The country was a forward base for the liberation of Kuwait , and was in the world spotlight. There was a tense atmosphere as war approached. Speculation was rife as to whether Oman would be invaded too.We learned that nurses in the nearby hospital were doing courses on treating the victims of chemical warfare. Oman’s rulers were pro-Western, and sent soldiers to fight Iraq, but this certainly did not apply to everybody.Many secretly admired Saddam for having the guts to defy the West,and said it was wrong for Muslims to fight fellow Muslims.Then came the internet and satellite television.Suddenly, it seemed Oman was connected to the outside world. Omanis watched CNN or the BBC and were exposed for the first time to highly sophisticated news channels.The government agency OMANTEL attempted to censor material, but could not exert total control. A lot got through.

ภาพ Al Nakhal Fort, with Hajar Mountains in background

ถ่ายโดย Chris Mellor
ภาพจาก Lonely Planet

A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (6)

I bought a four-wheel drive vehicle and set about exploring the country. The landscape was wild, primitive, beautiful. I came across small villages where the way of life had changed little since biblical times. I still remember seeing a young girl driving a herd of goats home to her village, just as the sun was setting - it could have been taken from the Old Testament. Arab hospitality is warm and all-embracing.I was invited into even the humblest of homes to partake of coffee, dates and fruit. A refusal to do so would cause the gravest offence. I observed a way of life simple and yet deeply meaningful. There is a warm communality that exists among Arabs, a close- knit tribal togetherness.In addition; there is genuine care and concern for children and the old, and strong family ties.It was a simple life ,largely devoid of consumer goods. The only signs of modern life in these communities were televisions, pick-up vans, refrigerators and the electric light.

In 1985 ,Oman was a country hermetically sealed off from the rest of the world.Newspapers were subject to strict censorship .The main English language daily ‘The Oman Observer’ was published by the Ministry of Information and only published good news , or hagiographic descriptions of the Sultan’s activities..Crime, for example was simply never reported.One could believe that the whole of Oman was entirely crime-free.It was a propaganda sheet .Television news treated world events in a perfunctory way .There was no discussion or analysis of current topics - everything was very superficial. Omanis knew very little of the outside world – and cared even less. The place was a cosy backwater.

ภาพจาก Destination Oman

A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (5)

Oman, in common with most Gulf states is subject to autocratic, one-man rule.
Be they emirs,sultans,presidents,kings or whatever, Arab rulers are all dictators of one stripe or another.Western democratic notions of parliaments,political parties and elected representative government have simply not taken root here.The Omani political system was quite medieval in character.The various tribal chiefs assembled once a year in the capital to pay homage to the Sultan , similar to the barons in 14th century England.It was reported that one day the Sultan was out driving in his Landrover ,when he saw an apartment block that offended his sensibilities.It blocked his view of the mountain range.He immediately ordered its demolition – an operation carried out two days later. Henry VIII. would have heartily approved, I’m sure.

The position of women in Moslem society is, of course, quite different to the West.Oman is regarded as fairly liberal by Gulf standards and one does find women working in offices and banks, driving cars and attending university. They are only fully veiled in the remote desert areas. However, the sexes are segregated at the onset of puberty and girls are taught that their primary roles in life are to be good wives and mothers. Arabs are extremely possessive when it comes to their womenfolk. On my second day in Oman, I was warned by a British military policeman not to look at, talk to or make contact with Omani women. Occasionally, I had girl students in my class.This was always a time when I had to be on my guard not to say or do anything which could be construed by them as being offensive.In 1990, when Oman’s first university opened its doors, classes were strictly segregated.Male students would listen to a lecturer in one room and female students would have the lecture relayed to them by closed-circuit TV in another room.

ภาพ Al-Bustan Palace Hotel จาก Wikipedia

A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (4)

It was the same, during Ramadhan, the holy month devoted to fasting. It started as soon as a group of religious teachers,known as ‘the Moonsighting Committee’ confirmed the sighting of the new moon.They took a plane and flew above the clouds , to do this ,and their decision was final. Many mountain villages in remote parts of Oman started fasting early – afraid that they would miss the start of Ramadhan. In the newspaper,there was an advice column written by a mullah , to help devotees to fast correctly.One man confessed to having inadvertently swallowed some saliva, and asked if this could be counted as an act of consumption.The mullah said yes,it was ,and to atone for this transgression , the man was solemnly instructed to do two extra days’ fasting.

ภาพจาก Destination Oman

A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (3)

I was immediately pitched into a society that was totally different to my own.I still vividly remember the original culture shock, and the difficulty I had getting over it. The first thing that struck you was the prime importance of religion in daily life, and how it completely dominated people’s thinking. The Omani day began with a booming call to prayer at 6 am, from the mosque outside my window.The end of the day was signaled in the same way. Religion provided a rhythm of life for the whole society. Ordinary Omanis, in common with other Muslims, exhibited a remarkable devoutness in their religious beliefs .They really believed. .They prayed five times a day without fail.They washed their hands before reading the Koran. They did not question religious injunctions.I was frequently asked by my students whether or not I ate pork. When I said I did, I was given dire warnings of the damage I was doing to my body.None of my students had ever eaten pork , but that did not matter. They believed the mullahs (religious teachers) implicitly, when they were told it was injurious to health.It simply did not occur to them to doubt or to question.

ภาพ Ruwi CBD Area จาก Wikipedia

A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (2)

I have been a teacher of English to foreigners for the last thirty years. . It has been an interesting, if frequently precarious existence, which has enabled me to see a great deal of the world. Sixteen of those years were spent in the Arab world.I feel I have acquired an understanding of what makes Arabs tick,and how they perceive the West and its culture.And I think I understand some of the motivations of the perpetrators of 9/11.

I first entered the Arab world in September, 1985. My motives were unashamedly
financial.I had been teaching for a number of years yet had very little in the bank to show for it. The Gulf countries offer high, tax-free salaries to people like me, and the Middle East is the one place in the world where language teachers can make big money quickly. I decided to take a job to teach air force cadets in the Sultanate of Oman, a little-known country on the south-east tip of Arabia.It seemed a great opportunity at the time.

ภาพจาก Welcome to the Arab World

A WINDOW ON THE ARAB WORLD (1)

It’s the question for our times.Why did a group of well-educated young Arabs choose to fly airplanes into New York skyscrapers? Where did this hatred for America and the West come from? Robert Butterfield, a British ex-patriate teacher who spent many years in the Middle East, offers a personal explanation.


In these times of conflict, friction and general mistrust between the West and the Arab world , it seems to me that we have seriously neglected Middle Eastern public opinion .How much do we know about what ordinary Arabs think about 9/11 ,about globalization?We do not really know why 9/11 took place , and only have vague ideas as to what actually motivated the perpetrators of those terrible deeds.Yet clearly it is vital to do this , if international peace , harmony and understanding are to be restored to a troubled world .In this article,I hope to make a modest contribution to this worthy goal.

ภาพจาก วิกิพีเดีย