rami's wall

What the world doesn't understand about the Arab Spring

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 08:55:00 +0000

Gibraltar

A few months ago, I took the boat from Andalusia to Morocco. From the Spanish port town of Algeciras to the Spanish enclave of Ceuta (Sebta) behind Jebel Mousa. From Babylon to Zion. From Europe to Africa.

As the boat broke through the waves linking the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, I went up to the top deck to marvel Gibraltar. The mountain rock that is Europe's southern edge, on the very edge of which, a huge white minaret stands today.

Jebel Musa - this is Africa!

In my younger days, I have studied about Gibraltar, in Arabic "Jebel Tareq" in reference to Tareq ben Ziad, the general who extended the Islamic empire into Iberia in 710 AD. Once he landed with his army upon Gibraltar, he cast the boats back into the sea, or burned them, and said to his soldiers, "You have two choices: the sea is behind you, and the enemy is ahead of you." The same method and the same line were used later by Spaniards in their conquests of America.

Travels through Andalusia, Portugal and Morocco have shown me an extent of how civilisations really influenced one another, Arabs, Africans, Europeans, Latin Americans, they all have had a stake at building these lands. They've always exchanged knowledge and goods, through colonisation, through trade, through travels, through war, peace and love.

However, today, in a fortress world, the old beacons of prosperity in Europe and North Africa are now exchanged with post-modern, consumerist societies in unjustly banked systems, societies of human-bots under growing surveillance. Yet the future is not beyond hope: emotional intelligence will always defeat IQs and artificial intelligence.

Alhambra - Granada. A beacon of co-existence during the Islamic
Empire days in Andalusia.

While the world's diverse cultures are still caught up in discussing sin and sainthood, smaller fractions in all societies are rising beyond this debate to discuss enlightenment and ignorance (read in post-modern terms).

Before heading to Andalusia, Portugal and Morocco I have been earlier in Jordan and Egypt, carefully witnessing a subtle transformation from authoritarianism to democracy. From Cairo's Tahrir Square, to Amman's coffee houses, to the Medinas and Casbahs of Fez, Tetuan and Tanger, there's an unbreakable urge to re-establish prosperous societies, like the ones Arabs, Moors and Spaniards had in Cordoba and Granada.

The real revolution is happening in the minds of these people, not only in the political circles nor at the voting centres. For the first time ever, during my whole 30 years of growing up in the region and revisiting it often since I moved to Sweden in 2005, there's an abundance of new air around the people of Jordan, Egypt and Morocco - and I can only imagine what it is like in Libya, Syria, Yemen, and elsewhere in the region.

Friday Muslim prayers at Tahrir square.

Arab spring in Tetuan, Morocco

The first great milestone is breaking taboos. There are no longer topics that are taboo. Everything is discussable: in every taxi cab or other means of transportation, in cafes, villages, mosques and most importantly at homes, the very values of democracy are weighed against the apathy and fear that have plagued the region since the establishment of these make-shift states after World War I. People are no longer hesitant to discuss any societal, political issue at the house hold level - where democracy begins in any modern, civil, and prosperous society.

The rise of the Islamists is nothing to be too wary off. In the midst of this huge bazaar of ideas, discussions, and with all the feelings that are finally being let out after decades of oppression - the Islamists came out as the only organised former opposition parties - and they are voted in to take command in the haste of having to re-establish order in these societies, which do have deeper roots in Islam than in any other ideological matrix.

The Islamic parties will now have to think in technocratic terms. They will soon have to drift away from discussing sin to think about GDP and GNP, about resources, about climate change, and about trade and welfare. Their success or failure to lead these societies towards the long aspired destination is intensively monitored and scrutinised in social circles, on social media, in traditional media, mosques, and other forums - and they know it, they feel the pressure, and will eventually leave the talk of morality and get into business. They will have to neutralise, or fail.

Dana village, Jordan. Coca cola knows more
about non-judgemental global investment than
most politicians today.

Meanwhile other parties will be established and will gain wider support. Those who are next in line, are those who really struck the nerve that started these revolutions: the youth with an unwavering longing to a civil and just society, to equal opportunities, and to prosperity. It is the youth in the Arab world that the world should bet on, invest in, and encourage to lead the future of these societies into one where alliances are made across the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, further east and further south. Alliances to build on personal enlightenment, economic prosperity, and social equality.

The western industrialised world will soon trap itself in a protectionist fortress with high walls, unless it can keep up with the changes in this region and others. China and India are already rising, and the revolutionary fever is breaking through Africa, Latin America, and is even echoing within the fortress west itself. The real challenge ahead is to not to regress into discussions on morality (which entails superiority) but rather not to be judgemental of global changes, and invest in an sustainable manner.

Globalisation is unstoppable, but to reap its real benefits, we will have to move beyond thinking in national terms. Approaching the 2020s, we will have to think more in planetary terms. And in order to do so, we have to invest in forces that align societies together and create wide-spread order based on self-determination.

We need to recreate our societies to allow everyone an equal chance to prosperity, like they did in Andalusia, like they do in many modern nations and other nations of old.

For a closer understanding of the real values and opportunities created by the Arab Spring, watch the Yemeni Nobel Peace Prize winner Tawakol Kurman address these issues during a recent seminar in Stockholm, Sweden. I am helping her with interpretation. Watch the video here: http://urplay.se/167868.

Tracking my family roots

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:45:00 +0000

Watching Lawrence of Arabia (the film) for the first time a few days ago made me think about the Arab Revolution that overthrew the Turks as part of World War I, and divided the Middle East into small kingdoms and countries. One aspect that interested me - is the Jordanian tribal history - those who received and fought by Lawrence, and later on received the new Hashemite King.

So I started to search for my own family's history - both, my mother's and father's - and it looks like I have a mix of two bloodlines of revolutionaries, warriors and leaders, and well, some strange surprises.

My father's side
My official last name on paper is Abdelrahman - which is one branch of a tribe called Shawakfeh. Shawakefeh is a name that this family took during a late stage in the Ottoman reign. The name was taken because the family started a timber business - they were makers of firewood - shekaf - thus then name shawakfeh.

Shawakfeh is one of four families that changed their original name " Zayadna " or the sons of "Zaid," simply because they were sought after by the Ottomans and prosecuted, because one of the elderly Zayadna, Prince Zahir al-Omar al Zayadna - and his siblings - started a revolution in the areas known today as north Jordan, South Syria, and extending to Acre on the Palestinian shores. They made Akko the capital of the new Zayadna State and aliged with the largest bedoin tribe in Jordan, Bani Sakhr.

The Zayadna, or the sons of Zaid, came originally from today's Saudi Arabia, and got their name being the sons of Zaid the eldest son of Hassan Ben Ali and Fatima, Prophet Mohammad's daughter. After Hassan Ben Ali signed a treaty with the Ummayyads to give them the rule of Today's Iraq (in the period after Mohammad's death), he returned to Medina and was killed there.

The family then moved west and north - some as far as today's UAE to the west, and the as far as Syria to the north. The Syrian branch then moved southwards into today's Jordan. By year 1516, they started sending messengers to all Arabs and introduced the idea of Arab Unity against the Ottomans. But it wasn't until the early 1700s that their revolution created a short-lived independent state in the area around Lake Tibrias (after aligning with Jordan's biggest bedoin tribe, the rulers of Egypt, and support from Queen Catherine of Russia). Their dynasty came to an end the year 1770 . The dynasty was soon broken as the self appointed Prince Zahir al Omar was betrayed and killed by his own Moroccan aides.

Since then, the family was prosecuted and displaced. Today, tens of smaller families in Jordan, Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and the Gulf States trace their roots to Zayadna, the sons of Zaid ben al Hassan ben Ali, the first son to the first grandson of Prophet Muhammad on his daughter's side.

One story of significance: when the young Zahir (prounounced Tha-her) al Omar al Zayadna attended a meeting between the heads of Jordanian tribes around the late 1600s, the head of bani Sakhr, Jordan's biggest tribe held his steel arrow and placed it on top of a hard rock. He asked the attendees if anyone knew how an iron arrow could puncture through a hard rock and yet stay straight. No one had an answer, except Zahir who placed his hand on the arrow, above the hand of the elderly wise man, and then he said - the arrow does not puncture the stone, nor can it stand straight, if the arms of the brave do not hold it together. The wiseman was impressed by his quick answer and wit, but feared his disloyalty as the youngster placed his hand above his. However, Zahir won the respect of the attendees, and therefore he was given training and support in arms and politics, until he was able to spark a revolution against the ottoman in mid 1700.

On my mother's side

My mother's side is much more documented in the modern history of Jordan. Her family name is Lambaz, and they come from the caucasian mountains in the south of Russia. They are Circassians, given independence by the Austrian Empire until the late 19th century, when the Russians conquored their area (still an autonomous part of Russia to this date). During the conquests, Lambaz, like many other circassian families, fled south to modern Turkey, Israel, Syria and Jordan. Among the head of the Lambaz family was Jacob son of Simsar, whose son Isaac (my mother's grandfather) built the Hussaini mosque in Amman, and created the first cooperative society in Jordan in the late 1800s and early 1900. His sons, Ahmad and Saleh (my grandfather), built Jordan's first modern hospital in Amman.

Photos

Isaac Lambaz, who established Jordan's first cooperative society stands on its Balcony (Picture from 1910-1920)

A medal awarded to Isaac Lambaz by the Ottoman Sultan for his charity work.

A medal given to Isaac Lambaz by al Shari Hussain ben Ali, King Abdullah's Grand Grand father and the ruler of Mecca, for his contribution to building Jordan's first big mosque, the Hussaini mosque in downtown Amman.:

Isaac's son, Saleh, my Grandfather - clad in traditional Circassian warrior gear.

From Tahrir Square: lessons in unorganised resistence

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 15:29:00 +0000

I spent three days ahead of first round of Egyptian parliamentary elections since the revolution in the very place that kick started it: Tahrir Square. On Friday, the 25th of November 2011, a so-called "million-man march" was taking place.

I arrived just as a couple of hundred thousand Egyptians performed Friday prayers. In this blog post, I will revisit some of the observations I noted during my three-day activist tourism on the square. As soon as I approached the end of Talaat Harb St. leading to Tahrir Square, I came across a "control point" - youngsters have tied a rope across the street, and stood there as a human shield preventing anyone from going in without her/his ID checked and bag and pockets searched for weapons.

A young man informed me, as is the custom nowadays, that there is no reason to be offended or to feel targeted - this exercise is done to all visitors to Tahrir Square, and guarantees their safety in the occupied area. Then he said something that really struck me straight at the heart, when I asked him how they organised themselves between the different entrances to the square - he said "we're not organised, there's no central unit that gives out tasks, this is all done by volunteers, who keep watch, shift after shift." True enough, even when I re-entered the square two nights later at 4:00 am in the morning, there were different volunteers guarding the same location, with one young man and one young woman tasked with searching the bags of visitors of their respective genders.

The "unorganisation" of the resistence that overthrew a dictator, took over Tahrir Square, and occupied the entrances to other key strongholds such as the Prime Ministry, the Parliament and the road to the Interior Ministry, etc, was what fascinated me the most. "The only thing that organises us is that we believe in the same thing" -- that thing, being apparently a governance system of integrity and equality.
Tahrir Square was a bazaar for the newly regained freedom of expression, it had a festive feeling. Food vendors selling all sorts of street sweets, cold drinks, tea, koshari, fireworks, etc. Hundreds of thousands of demonstrators were engaging in all sorts of political debates and other trivia - with views ranging from radical islamism to ultra liberalism. The salafis had their area, press centre and clinics, and so did the seculars, and many other non-aligned groups.

The real Tahrir "revolutionists," the disorganised organisers, seemed not to follow any particular sect, party or political ideology - but expressed rather deterministic opposition to the governance status quo, and to many of the options that the more organised parties are putting on the table.
Poverty was also something that struck me. A family consisting of two parents and their 6 children, slept on the street, simply because they received free food and blankets from the volunteers. An almost post-apocalyptic scene that I encountered at a later hour, and something that I'll never forget.

The most fascinating aspect of it all is the joy, the determination, the pride, and the strength in many faces - the type of faces that tell you, we're all stakeholders in this. The fresh scent of hope after decades of hopelessness. All with the modest twist of brotherly and sisterly sympathy. This last bit, is something I have never seen before, anywhere, ever. I could go into the political analysis of what is happening in Egypt, but it is irrelevant, in every possible way. This is the very atom-heart of a long due, generational revolution that will create a parallel world order, if it doesn't really break the rather fragile, illusionary, and patriarchal global political orders.

Anyway, I'll leave you with a voice from the square - here I interview the blogger Wael Abbas - who was courteous enough to take me to the Arab Network of Human Rights Defenders later on, and introduced me to some of the lawyers and publishers working around the clock to help bloggers, journalists and others througout their struggle before and after the revolution. Enjoy:

Take 6: first to film the worlds largest water conveyance project at Disi

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 19:28:00 +0000

Water excavated is settling behind a sand-dam before being processed at one of the drilling locations.

A true oasis in the desert, billion years old ground water is excavated close to Jordan-Saudi Arabia border, to be pumped along 350 km to the capital city Amman. Truly fascinating experience, almost felt like the movie Armageddon with all the big drilling equipment and the dramatic desert landscape. Managed to also interview a local shepherd and an agro-engineer, both at a very large potato farm nearby that will be shut down as they are forced to close the irrigation wells pumping water from the same aquifer. I think I am very satisfied with todays trip, best tip: wear harder-duty jeans when you plan on going rock climbing in the desert to get the best shot :)

Take 5: interviewing the water journalist

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:20:00 +0000

Today I interviewed Reem al Rawashdeh, a journalist covering water since 2005 for the largest Jordanian daily, Al Rai. Reem has a lot of knowledge about dealing with water scarcity in the country on both the domestic and the national levels.

Some of the highlights of the interview: there is more awareness of the water issue in less fortunate areas, but then again, there's less population growth in more fortunate neighbourhoods. There's also better coordination around the Jordan river basin in the east, than the Yarmouk river basin in the north, and an amicable agreement with the Saudis in the south on the shared Disi aquifer.

She says that dealing with water scarcity is part of every child's upbringing, but much can still be done on raising awareness to improve domestic water saving, rain water harvesting, water reuse, etc. She is quite hopeful that the solutions on the table will contribute much to improving water access for domestic use.

When it comes to water use in agriculture, she mentions workable pilot projects where agriculture uses treated waste water, saving fresh water resources for drinking purposes only.

However, her main concern is with how some interpret the human right to water - she says one of the most chronic problems in Jordan is when individuals steal water, reasoning that it is their god given right and not a commodity. On the other hand, the vast majority of Jordanians is willing to pay a higher price for water access, which is one thing that they will eventually have to do as soon as they start receiving water from the Disi acquifer in the south.

Take 4: Jordan's water and energy shortage will be history by 2022

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 12:15:00 +0000

Good news. All Jordan's water woes will be over by 2022. This is the message I was left with while leaving the Ministry of Water. I went there earlier this morning to seek answers to very simple questions, what caused the severity of Jordan's extreme water shortage, and what is the solution.

The answer to the first question, as it came from the head of communications at the ministry, Adnan al Zouby, was simple and not totally unexpected: drastic population growth. Since 1948, Jordan recieved millions of refugees from Palestine, Iraq, and other countries in the region. Those usually came in groups over 100,000, and were immediately adding a strain on infrastructure and resources. More recently, since 2003, Jordan recieved a number of up to 1.5 million so called refugees - and huge development projects in the field of real-estate, hotel and tourism, etc, added also to this strain.

The solution to this problem - apart from the usual water saving business and waste water reuse is three fold: pumping water out of the disi aquifer in the south (starting 2013), which is a temporary solution until Jordan is able to finish linking the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, desalinating water along the way, creating hydro-energy and using waste water to cool a nuclear power reactor under the way - which in turn will provide enough energy for the desalination processes.

The Jordan Red Sea project is part two, as explained here. The third part would be linking this project with Israel and Palestinian Territories for optimal water sharing. By 2022, the three projects should be done and practical.

Meanwhile, or until the first project is completely operational, Jordanians could expect to recieve half as much water as they do today, or recieve water to their home for a few hours every second week, as opposed to every week now.

This means that both Nestle's Pure Life, and Pepsi Co's Aquafina will continue to enjoy providing clean water to about one third of the water bottle market. As the quality of water provided in these projects is another issue that will not be solved by 2022.

Tomorrow I am interviewing a journalist who will give me an explanation to what this means for the average household. And on Thursday, I will be joining others to visit the Disi project site.

Take 3: hard talk at the world economic forum

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:06:00 +0000

I just came back from the Dead Sea, where I attended a closed, high-level meeting on paving Jordan's water future. Lovely. Now I can look for answers to many unanswered questions that I have gathered throughout the past few days - the farmer, the environmentalist, the young water professional, they all had unanswered questions too, which I put forward on the discussion table.

The meeting was held with the patronage of Prince Faisal Bin al Hussain, which was a good thing, in the sense that he was willing to listen, to answer and to discuss things openly, albeit in a closed meeting.

Following some presentations, the invited participants were divided into four discussion groups - water demand, water supply, water institutions and water politics - I happily ended up sitting on the later, with top level executives at USAID, Pepsi Co, Qatar Foundation, and the former President of Rotary International.

Questions that I raised were well received, I thought. As I brought up the environmentalist's dire wish to have integration of the work of all Jordanian authorities dealing with water - something along the lines of a regulatory body overarching the water, energy, environment and agriculture ministries. I also brought up the need for regional integration - where you could produce food in Sudan, desalinated water in Saudi Arabia, etc, capitalising on what has already been established before trying to find near impossible ways for self-sufficiency.

My examples and questions were then discussed at the meeting at large. To which the Prince answered: we cannot opt for regional integration when we do not develop reliable data on, for example, how much does agriculture contribute to our GDP (meaning that we don't know how much do we need to export - and that the market is free for products to compete without any regulation). On the need for integration within the Jordanian governement structures, he says there are attempts by the Royals to keep the water agenda on top, but there is a need for capacity building on the top managerial level - admitting what other participants already agreed on - the middle management is more equipped with information than top management along Jordanian governance structures.

He then highlighted an issue that 2-3 other interviewees in my documentary deemed very important: mentality - how people approach the water issue on all levels.

Finally, I got to interview many of the participants at the closed meeting, and I was happy to turn away and head back to Amman. One thing that frustrated me was the inability to record scenery shots, because everytime I put the camera up, someone would come and tell me its not allowed to film around here (yes, the level of security paranoia around this event is extreme - a trip to the dead sea usually takes 30 min - took me half day to fix the permits, park at parking places, shuttle myself to the meeting on two different closed-zone shuttles (although the security personnel were all quite helpful, the vulgar dispaly of military power was too much machismo.)

Take 2: Rsaifeh - a microcosm of global water issues

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:26:00 +0000

Yesterday I joined a group of water experts from Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Palestine, Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Yemen for a field study to Rsaifeh - which is an impoverished industrial / residential area sandwiched between and linking two major cities, Amman and Zarqa.

Many decades ago, the area prospered around the Zarqa River, which later dried up to become a seasonal torrent, which was totally dry at the time of our visit yesterday. The river dried due to extremely rapid and disorganised urbanisation, industrial expansion, and due to pumping a major share of its water to serve the big cities, which in turn, poured waste water into the torrent. A treatment station was established to treat waste water downstream, i.e. after Rsaifeh. So the residents of Rsaifeh are meant to live with the fact that the big cities took their clean water and gave them bad waste water instead - without any compensation.

On the "bank" of the torrent, we met one farmer who grows different vegetables by the nation's only yeast factory. He irrigates his crops with the factory's waste water, which he says is "bio-degradable" - impressive use of terminology from a farmer who never finished his school education.

Farmer Abu Khaled (left) and friends, with their plot of land behind, and urbanisation crawling down on their land.

The factory owner thinks this is a good deal. He provides waste water from yeast production to the farmer for free, instead of having to transfer it to a waste water treatment plant and pay a large sum for them to clean and reuse the waters. The Rsaifeh municipality had earlier banned his factory from pouring its waste water into the Zarqa torrent, and deemed the water unhealthy. Both the farmer and the factory owner think this is a good deal, as crops grow successfully using this "free" water.

However, the agriculture ministry thinks this is a bad idea, and would often come and plough the crops away because they deem them harmful (although they've never tested the biodegradability of this sample of waste water in agricultural production). Farmer becomes unhappy.

Another problem, is the urban expansion. Ministry of municipalities has finally agreed, after lobbying from farmers, environmental activists, and a cooperative for local women to stop allocating this farmland as a low-cost residential area. However, urbanisation is closing in on the little green plots that are left, and air, land and water pollution is rapidly increasing. Which puts the quality of the agricultural products in question, regardless of the water used for irrigation.

Climate change increases the dryness of this area, also very noticeably. Poverty and underdevelopment there is easy to see and relate to. In short, this little farm plot is everything the world water community agenda is all about.

Take one still: booking interviews, going south

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:41:00 +0000

Today I had a meeting with Reem al-Masri from 7iber, the leading jordanian alternative news and analysis source. Reem is working with a 7iber project called "once upon a water in jordan" which is a play on words in arabic to once upon a time.. what they do is arrange location shooting for social media activists, photographers, film crews etc, to report on different local stories, which they produce later for their own web and for different screenings.

This is their facebook page.

The meeting was very successful, we went through what they've done and what they'd like to do, and we agreed that they will help me arrange interviews tomorrow at the Ministry of Water which will lead to a trip to the controversial DISI project site in the south of Jordan (a 3-4 hour drive from my current location). The project is deemed as a solution to jordan's water woes, although totally unsustainable, as it will pump water from a ground water basin in the south desert along hundreds of kilometres to the capital - something that really pissed off the local inhabitants of that area, as they don't even get to do construction work, which is done by a Turkish contractor. Another controversy that arose recently were claims by a study group that water in the disi aquifer were contaminated and radioactive, the claims were shrugged off as a political play from Israel who wants Jordan to stay dependent on the jordan river basin, shared with Israel, and on the possibility (almost none) of going ahead with the red-dead project, pumping water from the red sea into the dead sea and desalinating a fair amount of that water for municipal use (check map).

IT will be interesting to interview the people down south, and then put their questions in front of the officials in the capital for answers. This bit of the film will be produced together with 7iber for a seperate screening in November, details are still to be concluded.

Things are just moving along!

Take one: I am producing a documentary on dealing with scarce water

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 17:54:00 +0000

Four days since I landed in Amman, and after a short break by the shores of the Red Sea, I am back in Jordan's capital to start my months long self-appointed mission: to produce a documentary. Today I stepped out of my comfort zone and took the camera out of its bag, started ringing around and booking appointments for possible interviews and trips to different locations around the country.

But first things first. What is the documentary about? This is a good question that I have to keep asking myself all along the process. The initial idea is to document how ideas discussed in international forums like the World Water Week in Stockholm, the World Economic Forum, and Arab Water Forum translate in real life down at the bottom of the "supply chain". What ideas? Ideas of water management, dealing with water scarcity, waters role in climate change, and more NGO speech - do they ever leave conference halls and policy papers? Or do they translate at households, farms, and even at water ministries, management utilities, or just down at the street!

After making some calls, I headed to The Jordan Times newspaper, my employer about 7 years ago. I went there because I know they are excellent at archiving everything, including the so-called "water-beat". You won't find any other place in Jordan that has a more comprehensive archive of water stories.

I flipped through the 2010-2011 folder -- for some reason I like to flip through paper folders than search for articles on the Internet. And voila, there you go, 1 opinion piece, 3 articles with bylines from Stockholm (I work at www.siwi.org) and an article covering a local lecture on Green Water - a concept that was developed in Stockholm too by one of our knowledge leaders, Prof. Malin Falkenmark, back in 1995. Good, first stop with some achievement: a confirmation of something that I already know: many concepts like Green Water, developed at international forums, translate in many shapes and forms and end up in local newspapers and local academic lecture rooms.

Green water: a concept that was mostly developed and coined at the Stockholm International Water Institute, much of the work is attributable to Professor Malin Falkenmark. This paper clip was found in a local newspaper in Jordan.

Still, we're speaking NGO, intellectual elites within the water box. After all the journalist who wrote the article is very familiar with water issues and terminology, and so was the lecturer. Do politicians account for green water when they are negotiating water agreements with other countries?

I'll have to ask, and yes, I'll have to simplify this, I am still speaking NGO speech. Green water is the water that exists in nature in other forms than physical water: one example is rain water or waste water that is going into the ground - the idea is revolutionary: it means that no water is truly wasted, but is somehow recycled into other physical bodies in nature, such as land, animals, foods, etc. At least that's how I understand it!

It will be a challenge to get out of the water bucket (an inside joke which means to think outside the box in the water research world). But it is not impossible. I feel that I will learn much, and scale down, and simplify as I go along.

The shooting will take place in Jordan, Egypt, and hopefully later in Morocco, Spain and Portugal. Many maps as the ones below will be drawn, followed and explained. and you'll see a lot of faces, and hear many different dialects and languages, speaking water, not NGO speech.

Playing cajón for the swedish dream

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:59:00 +0000

If the american dream was all about prosperity, the swedish dream is all about the humbleness that comes after prosperity. It is not about a big car, a fat flat, rock stardom or 15 minutes of fame on prime time commercial lameness. It is about having the possibility to have all that and yet going for a modest version. Taking only what you need, having a little ecological cottage in the country and a good earning in the city - the social status and security are almost guaranteed for all citizens in riches or in need.

How far would some go for the swedish dream, the bohemian pacifistic countryside life, versus a growing influence of the american dreams on young suburban tarzans - an identity in transition that fascinates only the most patient observers. Post-modern, ultra-liberal and yet barely ethnic.

Last weekend, I got to play with Diipak at Rosenhill - a big farm place where wwoffers, ecological aficionados and other odd nice folk like to hang out, pick veggies, make juice or eat together. Singing about love, life and the swedish dream, we were met with hopping hobbit-like hippies, humping black-tie fine types, and the odd yoga instructor, church goer, finance fiancé and other sorts of non-smoking yuppies.

In tribute to the swedish dream, I share with you two videos from our concert.. where I play cajón - fittingly enough for such a plot, cajón is a drum box made by african slaves brought to latin america to bypass a ban on traditional music, later becoming the essential instrument in spanish flamenco and tango argentine.

Enjoy it while it lasts.

There are 2 Rami Abdelrahman, I am not the Syrian one!

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:06:00 +0000

Recently there has been another Rami Abdelrahman whose being quoted a lot in the media regarding what is happening in Syria. Apparently, the other Rami Abdelrahman is a Syrian based in London and working for a Human Rights Observatory. I am not him, I have never been in touch with him and I am not an expert on Syria.

I am from Jordan and I am based in Stockholm, Sweden. I have been working as a journalist since 1999, both in Jordan and in Sweden, but never anything related to Syria. I did meet Syrian activists on many occasions where I met activists from the Middle East and North Africa, but it is very important to highlight that there are TWO Rami Abdel Rahman. I am the Jordanian one in Sweden. Not the Syrian one in the UK.

I am writing this after I received one call from a Croatian journalist who thought I was the Syrian one. The other reason is that infosyrie.fr also had some doubts about the two identities. Thankfully they cleared the issue here http://www.infosyrie.fr/decryptage/mais-enfin-qui-est-et-ou-est-rami-abdel-rahmane/. And I am in touch with them to make sure that they see that we are two different persons and that I am not the one dealing with Syria.

A love letter

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Sun, 17 Jul 2011 21:01:00 +0000

This is the first of hopefully many letters that I'll start publishing here. Some will be in Swedish, some for officials, some to total strangers, some to people I love, and some to people I have yet to forgive. I have much to say to many, and this way I could keep this blog active while making peace with my past, present and future perfect.

A love letter...

I woke up at night, walked around the house like a thirsty madman in search of water. I was barely looking for anything, I just loved coming back to bed to lay beside her warm shoulder, knowing that in the next few seconds, we will scramble our tired bodies so that she'd lay her head on my chest, with our arms and legs entangled in a most comfortable position. As soon as we sleep away our embrace, ill wake up and walk back, and will do the whole thing once again. And when I finally surrender my sleepless body to deep sleep, she rolls around, and makes sure that she adjusts our bodies back.

Her breath smells like a faint after taste of white chocolate, and her heart is bigger than all of my absurdities and imperfections. She listens to me speaking three different languages to her, and she understands what is beyond all the words. She plays along, she speaks to my soul, she is the last of the endangered species of an independent, intelligent romantic in a world of lame commercial hedonism.

I'd lose count of nights, and sense of time, while I wait for her to come barging through the front door. The longer the distance, the longer the wait, the more intense our love elates. The longer the talks, the quieter the walks, the more our understanding deepens. And in between the depth and the elevation, I am loving this bipolarity of being two, giving and taking as we become one.

When I drop half the items off the store's shelf, she'd laugh with me. When I am the last to leave the party, she's laying down waiting for me, when I go out for a swim, she'll dip in with me, whether its - or + 20. She entwines a love story in my mad plot. She's always eager, always keen, and she keeps my heart kicking, my body ticking, and my soul afloat.

This is my love letter to the one I have only found and always lost.

I died two weeks ago

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 21:16:00 +0000

I died two weeks ago. I had a wife and a daughter, I was 34, and was the first among my peers to die. I've seen them come and throw flowers on my grave before I was resurrected. Then I've seen how my own death changed their perspective on what's important and what's not. I became some sort of a silent angel, with yellow flowers growing behind my ears, and long white wings, like a greek god. I've seen my daughter grow with another father, I saw her lose her mother, I've seen an olden family house that once was full of life, I've seen how people turned to hobbies, got heart attacks from working or studying too much, and I've seen others eat eve's fruit before they died.

This was a real mind opening experience. In a short simulation where I was born again, and made my choices from scratch, where I had another chance, where I was a carpenter, and a university dropout. Where I was denied life, but learned to embrace it, after I died.

This was only one part of a life-workshop I took part in, in the beautiful Danish North Zealand city of Helsingör, with 20 other "people at crossroads" from all over Europe, aged 23-63.

We learned what it meant to be alive, not by lectures, but by reliving it. We also learned how valuable it is to go out and ask strangers for validation: we had a task to exchange one needle to stuff of a higher value, and many of us ended up with a bag full of worthy stuff in less than two hours.

We also learned trust - as we stage dived on bare hands, also feeling like greek emperors and empresses. We drew ourselves, our pains, our dreams, the happiest versions of ourselves, and wrote a "cook book" for achieving the desired happiness: tools, ingredients, and processes.

We learned that empathy only comes when we drop our egos, and then uncovered unimaginable levels of appreciation, of love, of humanity, of happiness, of music. Never before have I really believed that love can achieve so much, the unbelievable, the unimaginable. Random acts of love - like being a secret guardian angel to an unknown stranger.

We learned building consensus despite severe divides over what is moral and what is not, over judging and none-judgement, we learned the value of the consensus commitment.

This was all part of an EU funded workshop, at the Danish International Peoples College's entitled "At a crossroads" . Well worth spending every second of my vacation time, the changes it left me with are for a lifetime, and so are the friendships, and not least the love, the forgiveness, and the appreciation of just merely being alive.

And so began my seasons of love.... a life not measurable with years, days, coffee cups, laughter or strife... a life only measured by amounts of love.

arriving to the IPC with my lovely GF

Taking a rest at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Arts

Me and Nadia showing our sand artwork on the Helsingör beach

Stage diving 1 - the trust game

Stage diving 2: the trust game

Group Photo

Raising a glass of water

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 21:33:00 +0000

Water has always been on my mind. When I was a kid, I used to wait by the water tank on the roof for it to fill up once a week, only to place a huge lock on its lid. I had to bath with only one bucket of heated water when we didn't get water at all, let alone clean water.

Yesterday, I went kayaking for 8 hours in the archipelago of Stockholm, the city where I live surrounded by water in every direction. Where bathing in the fresh summer water and skiing during the winter become weekly activities for a whole population.

Yesterdays Kayak tour in the Stockholm Archepelago.

On my upper right shoulder, which I cannot move because of yesterday's kayaking, there's a snow flake tattooed thickly in the center, for a good reason: this Aquarius is symbolically a real water carrier.

I also happen to work with water, or water policy issues at a global water research institute. We teach water professionals, give water prizes, lead water science, and arrange one of the world's most important water conferences. After 10 years of journalism, covering water among other topics, I found out that beyond freedom of expression, water is an equally important agenda that should be pushed across and along global political structures.

Raising a glass of clean water is a luxury for billions around the world. So raise yours, and look at it for a second - this colorless, odorless, secret of life. And think, there's water in everything, you're 70% water, the earth is 90% water, your jeans, food, couch, it all consumed a whole lot of water before it got to you.

So raise your glass for those who can't have it - mostly because you do.

Reflections on self distance and the 30 year old crisis

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 20:52:00 +0000

Keeping a distant from others can result in a meticulous process of self absorption. Keeping a distance from yourself, can be socially appealing. Recently, I've been wavering between the two, only to discover that you cannot take a distance from yourself, if you do not know yourself well enough to take yourself lightly, i.e. make light jokes about yourself to make others feel at ease, drop their guard, and feel no need for a confrontational stance. I mean, seriously, why take yourself seriously.

I've been in a bit of self reflection recently. Going back in my mind, I reflect that I have:

- Never went to any of my own graduations: I missed them all on purpose.

- Hate weddings and funerals: Barely called mine a wedding when I got married (or a celebration when I got divorced).

- Despise religious holidays, national days, and traditions: anything distantly traditional or "normal" such as eating three meals a day, meeting family at high seasons, sleeping in one shot, joining any group that can call themselves "us" is remotely unappealing and rather appalling to me.

- Know a whole lot of people, but none that I could call real friends: no one who knows me inside out.

- Judgmental: my way or the high way.

- Breaks up relationships because of the slightest attempt to change my erratic ways of living. Or for showing any sort of religiousness towards a particular god, thought, group or party.
- Never succumbed to peer pressure, in fact, I drop the peer as soon as they pressure me.

- and most important of all, I love it.

There are many ways to analyse this: cowardliness or bravery? Self absorption or self distance? Anti-social or socially open to all? Nomad or inept to establish bases? I guess the answer depends on the perspective of the reader. In any case, I have decided that after reflecting on who I have become, I shall:

- Continue to disregard any form of normativeness.

- Won't feel no shame, for anything I do or anything I don't.

- Accept that the mind is a boggling mystery.

- Continue to play by the one simple truth: my life, my rules. I'll just continue to surround myself with those who have an understanding for the unshakable need for freedom and the parallel desire for closeness.

Being always "on the road somewhere" has been extremely helpful in making me adapt to anything that comes my way. But now, when I, for once, feel that I have established my own base, home, and roots somewhere, I am waking up to the fact that it is empty and rather lonely. I am no longer "on the road somewhere," I am "right here and right now" and I do have to face myself and my surroundings every passing minute.

Mastering the art of being right here and right now is not only about being witty and quick. It seems to me that it is about accepting that you don't need to make a point to yourself, nor to others, anymore, and instead, take it all with a light heart. It is about stepping out of self absorption, and taking a distance from yourself. And only then, you can actually enjoy others for who they are (not too hard, or is it?).

I still don't give a shit about normativeness.

a spring in verse with links

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Sun, 08 May 2011 20:23:00 +0000

Roger Waters performs The Wall in Stockholm last week.

I swear oath to the humming bee
slipping through the half open window
to awaken me.

I swear oath an to the division bell,
to the grass that is greener,
to the night that is brighter,
to the friends surrounding
to the nights of wonder
to the endless river

I swear oath under the spreading chestnut tree
that I'll never sell you, and that
you'll never sell me.

I swear an oath to dreams,

that even if they die,

life will not become a broken-winged bird,

that cannot fly.

I swear an oath to the people's will,

That fate will answer their call,

their night will begin to fade,

and their chains break and fall.

I swear an oath to Sabali

that I will not buy the stereotype,

the image of the images,

as long as I know what the image is.

(This was a poem about spring in many places - here and there - playing on words of other poets and lyricists, turning their worries around to make them oaths of mine.)

Jordan: the thin line between reform and deform

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 20:50:00 +0000

As public debate in Jordan centers on reforms, Jordanians are discovering that they cannot stand apathetic anymore, despite their disagreement on what they want and what they need.

Since King Abdullah II took over charge little over a decade ago, billboards along the kingdom's highways and news headlines in newspapers have communicated many branded, reformist initiatives. Such initiatives like: "Jordan First," the "National Agenda," "Dream Big," mustered enough hope only to feed into public frustration over the unmeasurable failure of consequent reformist efforts.

For the non-ideological, well educated, networking Jordanians, the country needs immediate political reforms, for the vast majority, the priority should be set on achieving quick economic reforms that ensure equal opportunities and better, even barely decent, living standards.

The form of governance in the past years have focussed on minimizing the size of the public sector, while creating an "investment friendly" climate in the hope that the private sector would create enough jobs. Arguably, this model has not worked the way it was deemed to, as this so-called public-private partnership opened many back doors for shady deals and corruption, while the majority of mega projects in Jordan, employed a majority of non-Jordanians as the over-qualified locals refused low earning jobs.

Governments have continuously blamed grass-root hurdles such culture of shame: the fact that it is shameful for many young Jordanians, particularly women, to take low-wage, prestige-less cleaning or construction jobs. However, they never were self-critical in the sense that they'd admit they could have solved such problem by measures such as building fast track transportation to mobilize workers from outside the main cities into the car-congested, rapidly growing capital.

Jordanians remained as apathetic as ever. This did not reflect in better turn-outs at parliamentary elections, a less regressive parliament or an organised populous political movement. The reason is a general disbelief that things can become any better, as the contrast between rich and poor expand to unprecedented extremes.

Continuing on the same path of "reform" will only lead to deforming the country, forever. It is arguable that Jordan's understanding of a "liberal" economy is unfounded in any other international experience. The model of economy liberalization in Jordan is not balanced with fiscal measures to "redistribute" the wealth to its stakeholders, i.e. citizens, let alone a half-decent "welfare" system for the vast uninsured majority.

It is no wonder that this is coming even as the World Bank, announces that it would press countries in the Middle East and North Africa to apply economic reforms that ensure social prosperity - signalling that world powers at large, are now prone to think that the old forms of governance in the region are unsustainable, if not outright dangerous, as long as public dissent and opposition is suppressed to a ticking bomb.

Jordan's status quo is unsustainable. Jordanians are waking up to this realization, as public debate rages, rather subliminally, over the continuous failure of the country's system of governance - coupled with hooligan nationalism monopolizing the definition of citizenship - and an overwhelmingly illusionary government rhetoric that "Jordan is on the right track." The very euphemism that became a bit of an "inside joke" at certain western foreign aid departments dealing with the country, where the second part continues: "...but you know how it is."

Thank you, King Abdullah of Jordan

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 23:24:00 +0000

Thank you, King Abdullah of Jordan for standing up for the free word of the youth, for taking it upon yourself to preserve our right to free expression. For the first time since you became King of Jordan, I feel that you have finally addressed something that really concerns me, and it looks like we, the youth, and yourself are stuck on the same side of this hard fight - and not against each other.

Who are we fighting against? The stagnation that prevents us from moving forward at our potential pace. The stagnation preserved by dictators along and across all levels of governance: the patriarchy, the tribalism, the nepotism, the inefficiency, the corruption and the ignorance hiding behind "loyalty" to god, the king and the nation. Those who put up your picture in their offices and restrain modernity and regress society in your name, and ours, throughout the establishment.

Just a few examples: bloggers invited for "a coffee" with state security personnel, demonstrators called traitors and faced with "anti-reformists" holding your pictures and our flag, a school system that teaches us to obey and memorize, not to think for ourselves and arise. Officials close to you and further apart employ relatives to keep the system stagnant, and prevent you, and us, from achieving the desirable change. Meanwhile, brainwashed ignorants troll around online and offline social networks to accuse reformists of "betrayal" as they hail your name and our nation.

To allow our freedom of expression, and your own, to prosper - we have to work to tear down this ignorance, enlighten ourselves and those around us that democracy is not a foreign conspiracy, but is a responsibility that we have to take upon ourselves.

It is, however, disappointing that this very ignorance is broadly represented in so called national dialogue committee, which is supposed to steer the reform agenda in the near future. The committee is made up of those who stand between you, us, and reform: Old men who do not understand the ways of the new modern world or who did not achieve any change when they had the chance. Only two women among a horde of such men is supposed to represent a society where women outnumber men.

We need to stop empowering bureaucrats, if we are to become the role model that we have promised the world and ourselves to become. We need to empower the society. We need to stop feeling that we are at the bottom of the world, that we are unable to change, that "nothing will ever improve". We all need to become the stakeholders of change that you, and we aspire to become.

We still believe, in all honesty, that you mean well. Thank you for your initiative.
We will surely make good use of it, and remain many steps ahead the oppressors, as we have always been since we started blogging.

We don't need any reformers, we will do it ourselves.

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:27:00 +0000

I just posted this on the Facebook group: What do Jordanians need? (update, group was shut down the next day!)

Great news! I received a donor invitation to a meeting to finance a project to help social media activists in the Middle East get unbreakable tools and bring about more democratic change.

I have earlier posted on my blog that Jordan's political pandora's box is now open (read previous post here.) This means that, as many continue to observe and practice, what was taboo is now Friday breakfast family talk. Meanwhile, the government is stuck - it is stuck in the old way of thinking, of arranging things, of "reforming", and holding "dialog" with an opposition they have kept in regress since independence. They are missing the fact that young aspirations want to change the current forms of opposition just as much as they want to change the current form of governance.

They talk about "dialog" and stick to the old "dialog" proxies. Like Islamic Brotherhood, the Parliament, retired military personnels, and regressive family figures. And when they want to talk to students, they pick the Jordanian student council, which barely any student has ever heard of, let alone elected. The revolution is here, online, and since 2006 we, bloggers and social media researchers, have been saying... "Social media activists are always, always, many steps ahead of any authoritarian regime." Statistically, technically, and scientifically proven, now this has come out to the older generation as an undistortable truth.

What is happening in the Arab world comes from a huge generational gap in education, global access, connectivity and not least, aspirations. The kind of thing that goes beyond national borders, the reach of ministers, technocrats and bureaucrats, and the like. Then there is the digital gap, between the young and even the most advanced national communications bodies. Any blogger can spot authority visiting their blogs, or googling information about them, whereas authorities websites are painstakingly pathetic - an indication of their competence. Any blockage is breakable. And then there are global legions of human right defenders, hackers, etc who do not even know each other IRL or online, but are united in securing a better earth for all.

Addressing "need" and addressing "want" is a distinctive difference. Governments offer to satisfy some "needs" and think that covers all aspirations. They totally miss the fact, that what we want, is beyond what we need. In fact, most of us don't need anything, but we want: nations where every individual, man or woman, is free to choose the course of their lives, and has the means to achieve it.

Question is what do authorities need to do - reorganisation - the tools are out there, offered by the likes of Transparency International, UNDP, etc etc. But those offer the basics. What we aspire to, as Jordanian or Arab youth, is beyond food, shelter, jobs, marriage, a means of transportation and some "dignity." We want to see the kind of social revolution that brings people of all orgins, all beliefs, and both sexes together in one hand, as equals - and to that end - they all have a common goal - to secure that equality. The kind of thing that was sparked really in Egypt - where social media "anarchists" inspired millions of offline people to come out of the "closet."

Down with the old ways of thinking. We do not need parliamentarians who want to give us "pizza and hamburgers" because we use "facebook and twitter" and call us all sorts of derogatory names. We do not want a government that is stuck in models that make the 1950s sound progressive. And we certainly do not need a leadership which cannot fix all this, nor one that decides whether and when we are "ready" for democratic change. We want to do it ourselves, we don't need anyone.

It will take time, but we won't stand aside as fellow Arabs advance while we regress. Let alone the rest of the world - who finally is waking up to the fact that they too, have been decieved by our rulers - Jordanian officials are becoming an inside joke at European Foreign Ministries: "...everything is on track, like in Jordan, but you know how it is...". This is a revolution against authoritarian systems, from patriarchal homes to monarchical heredity... not from the top down, not from the bottom up, but flat!

This has been my rant after learning that the new government in Jordan - which has not even promised any substantial reforms got a vote of confidence from a parliament that dissed protests and protestors (and voted almost unanimously to give confidence to the former corrupt government). Same same, but different, like they say in Bangkok.

Anyway, here's another view with much more influence and credibility.

Jordan's political Pandora's box is open

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 20:59:00 +0000

Jordan's median age is 21 years old. Picture is from recent protest.

As Jordanians continue to show unwavering support for Arab revolutions through social media, the majority of commentators seem to stand a little short of calling for similar action in their own country, partly due to a culture of self-censorship and partly to what seems to be uncertainty in what a democratic makeshift would lead to. Meanwhile, King Abdullah, being leader supremo in the country called his shots, calling for immediate and "real" reform, but also standing short of enforcing anything in this regard. Some western media reported the recent government change in Jordan as a sign of change, disregarding the fact that Jordan has had dozens of government changes since its independence from British colonialists in the 1940s. Almost each government was asked to perform adequate "reforms," but never stayed long enough to see that such aspirations are implemented.

The leader also expressed his, and Jordanian citizens "dissatisfaction" with how reforms in the past have not lead to substantial change that meets the ambitions of young Jordanians. Instead they continued with centralizing an ever shrinking government service sector, widened national debt, and hoped for foreign direct investment to fill in the gaps. Even as investments poured into the country, a very small minority of Jordanians could feel the effect - partly because of elite personal agendas, a fierce, capitalist class segregation, and because of social factors - i.e. Jordanians refusing to do low-wage jobs.

Jordan's king has, not too long ago, said Jordan is undergoing a democratization process and expressed clearly that he does not think that the country is ready for a real democracy, yet. Meanwhile, the blame game has been abound- while officials put the blame on "directions from the top", the king is asking officials now to shoulder their responsibility, saying there's no such thing as "directions from the top." As a leader, he seems to be concerned with the low performance of his appointed governments, while a weak elections law gives unwavering support to the establishment, regardless of who runs the show. Meanwhile, the opposition is old fashioned, ragged, and carry decades old slogans that do not fit for Jordanians 21st century aspirations.

Jordanians of all origins are worried. For once they are discussing the future of their country at homes, schools, workplaces and off record, with little discussion going on record on social media. Nevertheless, Pandora's box is now open - and what seemed to be totally bizarre ideas are now becoming options -- notions such as an elected government, and a renewed role for the King to be a constitutional monarch, European style, with an independent judiciary system.

Election law must be reformed to begin with- no doubt about it. A fair representation of men and women, Jordanians of all origins, must be ensured, if the establishment is serious about a plural and democratic progression. The aspired dialog is not a means to an end, it will be an ongoing process even as real democratic changes take place, if they ever do. Pandora's box, or national dialog, are not steered from the top, and will put all questions out for the mainstream to judge on.

A nation does not become democratic in one day, but it requires a very brave and well deserved decision or revolution to begin the process. The time now is ripe for answers, when all questions are being raised.

First and foremost question: when will Jordanians, like fellow Arabs, be "ready" for democracy according to our appointed leaders?

Why should any Jordanian citizen be obliged to like the status quo, and obliged to love an establishment that s/he does not feel like a stakeholder in?

Why should I be stopped on the highway by a solider, to find out that he is my poor cousin from the north of Jordan whose reality is ultimately grim and shockingly different than mine due to class segregation?

Why should kids shut up when they are beaten or mobbed in schools, at homes, and by friends because they dared to speak their mind?

Why should travelling between Amman and refugee camp slums or provincial villages feels like travelling through ages of human development?

Who should bare responsibility, when supreme leaders blame the people they are accountable for, for their "incapability" to become "reformed"?

(insert your own question here).

How to start a revolution? - a 10 step guide inspired by Egypt and Tunisia

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 09:58:00 +0000

I attended the other day a panel discussion (recorded streaming) at the Swedish Institute organised by a civil society think tank called Sektor 3. The debate was on “How to start a revolution” in relation to what is happening now in the Arab world. I decided to blog all the points that the “experts” missed.

The 10 essential ingredients of starting a revolution (inspired by Egypt and Tunisia):

1 – Generation gap: The Arab world’s population is undergoing a big generational shift. More than 60% of the population are under the age of 25. They are getting connected; internet and mobile penetration growth is faster in this region than any other place in the world.

2- General frustration: Power structures in the Arab world today are a by product of colonialization, who were fed from both sides during the Cold War, and continued to enjoy undeserved support during the “terrorism era,” aka the past 10 years. Young people in the Arab world have felt the betrayal by their leaders and the world at large since they were born and throughout their upbringing. The fact remains that leaders in the Arab world cannot deliver anymore what they are paid to – they cannot secure international interests in the region, and they cannot deliver for local ambitions. Everyone is frustrated with the power structures.

3- Creativity: Opposition in the Arab world is mostly tight knitted to the power structures – at least in its bureaucratic form. They can push papers around, reuse old banners and slogans that do not fit for a 21 century society. To start a revolution, we have to look outside the current opposition formats in the Arab world, and seek to reform the opposition just as much as the power structures. New ideas are therefore needed. Clusters of unorganised, but networking anti-establishment activists have succeeded in driving the revolution in Egypt and Tunisia. The establishment will now try to turn them into bureaucrats – as Theodore Rozsak suggests in his book, and my revolutionary bible: “The making of a counter-culture: reflections on the technocratic society.”

4- Thinking beyond borders: As is the case with other ingredients – nations in the Arab world are a by-product of colonization. What is Jordanian civilization, or Libyan or Iraqi? Apart from Egypt and possibly Iran, the rest of the regions civilization history has been going through phases of unity and isolation. Arab young people see that there’s a need to reconnect with other Arabs outside their own region, and sometimes, when internet goes down, with others abroad. We have to think outside our borders. South Koreans just balloons to North Korea carrying flyers about the news from Egypt.

5- Remember Ghandi: No violence (unless in self defence). First they will ignore you, then laugh at you, and then they will fight you, then you will win (or they will join you)…. Enough public mobilisation of peaceful demonstrators can outtake any fascist dictator guard. Beware of the Army though, the Army is the Joker in this game, they are guilty until proven innocent.

6 – Mobilize: mobilize, mobilize: Social networking is beyond twitter and facebook; it is beyond all mass media. It takes place across all society structures: in the family, at the work place, in educational institutions, in the neighbourhood, down the street. Use face to face interaction; do not just depend on electronic media, mobile phones, etc.

7- Belief. Believe in a better world – a world of equal opportunities for young, old, men, women, across societal classes. We’re all brothers and sisters, and we all deserve a chance to be equal stakeholders in managing our lives, in owning our minds and bodies.

8- Dress properly: When going to a demonstration, wear running shoes if you have them. Take a scarf to cover your mouth and nose to minimize the effects of tear gas. Carry water, something to eat, and warm clothes if you have to spend the night outside. Do not worry about your looks; you look pretty hot when you’re leading a revolution.

9- Stick together. Help your fellow brothers and sisters with all you can. Build road blocks together, protect one another, and carry each other to safety. Doctors can nurse the wounded, for example. Muslim, Christian, secular, gay, straight, queer, young, old, poor, rich, all that doesn’t matter, we’re creating a world for all of us together, and all are of the same worth.

10 – The PR Campaign: Egyptians and Tunisians have been excellent in driving an unorganised PR campaign and managed to win the hearts and the minds of the world, and inspire people to stand up for their own even outside the region: from Gabon to Albania, Kazakhstan to Italy. The way to do this is to post online: make songs, put out videos of what happens on the street, twitter, start facebook campaigns, blog about it, and write to the media making yourself available for interviews and correcting media mistakes when they take place. Apologise for the bad actions of a few that could disturb the good image your protest is getting abroad.

Arab revolutionists must not forget Arab women

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 22:29:00 +0000

The ongoing winds of change blowing in Arabia have not only reshaped the regions political ambitions, but mostly reinstated social unity. Observers have marveled at how young and old, men and women of all classes and beliefs are standing and calling for equal rights.

I say marveled because this is merely a politically organised campaign. It is rather a break from the image of social divisions that western media and patriarchal, ogliarchal, dictators have instilled in the Arab peoples' minds.

For many generations, the social structures in the Arab world have been weakened, where religious tolerance became division, gender equality became discrimination, and social security became poverty and lack of adequate services for children and the elderly. The workers movement died and became controlled by religious fanatics in countries like Jordan. In the aftermath of the revolutions that toppled the dictators of Tunis and Egypt - the role of social (media) activists behind those movements and beyond is to ensure that the demands they called for are met.

The ambitions in Egypt and Tunisia have been higher than those in Jordan or Algeria. Although all demonstrators across the region have similar calls for freedom of assembly, political organisation, free media, free expression, and fair and free elections - the reality remains that no one has taken up calling for equal rights for women.

My first visit to Cairo was to attend a UNIFEM conference on the right (or lack thereof) of citizenship for Arab women. The conference took place at Semir Amis hotel by the Tahrir Square. Memories of that 2005 conference echoed in my head as I shouted "Down with Husni Mubarak" at both my computer and TV high definition screens. I marvelled how women in Tahrir square were saying they never felt more secure in Cairo - no harassment - there was the real arab social structure - brothers and sisters protecting their collective interest equally.

Yet this has not translated into the demands of the protesters - although "fair elections" and "free political organisations" will give women in Egypt a better foundation for their movements and rights, this has to be guaranteed some how.

We have seen public display of affection on the Arab street, let us keep it going. I expect that we should not abandon our mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends and high-jack the revolution - the way Islamists in Jordan are doing (in a recent protests, they exchanged the picture of a dead Egyptian protesting woman with a bearded man on one of the signs raised).

Call for equal rights to citizenship for Arab women. Equal rights to work and education. Call for the right of women to feel secure wherever she is. Call for punishment of sexual molesters. Call for equal divorce rights, for equal fostering rights, for equal marriage rights, for the right of people to own their own bodies, minds and future.

Call for equal human rights. Now!

How media failed in covering the Arab revolution(s)

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 23:12:00 +0000

Less than five minutes after Egyptian President Husni Mubarak announced he was not running for presidency in the next September elections -- CNNs main headline changed to "A future with the Muslim Brotherhood." A couple of days later, the Muslim Brotherhood announced it does not aspire to put a man on top, and distanced itself from leading the revolution into an Iran-like Islamic takeover.

A painting from 1500s baring stark resemblance to a recent Cairo scene.

The revolution tsunami sweeping across the Arab world is everything but Islamic. It is more to do with demographics and opportunity, than idiology. More than 250 million in the Arab world are under the age of 25 - and the number is rapidly increasing. Jobs and opportunities for self achievement are far from enough to ensure a decent future for these millions. Many of those leading the calls for revolution are internet savvy, well educated and rather secular, connected, young people - straight, gay, muslims, christians, different varieties from one middle class - before their calls were adopted by richer and poorer classes.

"I feel sorry for my own existance. I am university educated and working on a black taxi in Sharm el Sheikh, because a normal job barely pays for food. I really do not have hope, it is a very pathetic situation,"

this is what a taxi driver told me in Sharm el Sheikh, about 4 weeks before the protests erupted in Cairo.

CNN could not have been more wrong - despite excellent efforts througout its different programmes to analyse the political turmoil - they failed to provide a deeper analysis beyond the delicacy of the White House's take on things. They often described US officials as if they "managed excellently not to say anything" as they themselves did the same.

Their biggest miss was double fold - the loss of veteran Middle East correspondent Christiane Amanpour to ABC News, and the take over of Hala Gorani. Hala managed to interview Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ahmad Abou Al Ghait. She asked the right questions, why doesn't Mr Mubarak succumb to the will of his people? and why did not the Egyptian government condemn attacks on journalsts?

Abou Al Ghait managed excellently not to answer the first question, and she failed miserably when she did not pose the question again. CNN did not even broadcast the answer to the second question. Amanpour on the other hand, interviewed Mr Mubarak himself when she was in the palace to interview his newly appointed Vice President Mr Omar Sulieman.

As seen in the above clip, no live interview with Mr Mubarak was broadcasted - instead she reported over still photos of her and Mr Mubarak sharing laughs at the palace. She said "he honestly believes he's done many great things for Egypt - he is a proud old man." Is he even fit for presidency at his age, or is the future of millions of egyptians stuck in the head of a stubborn aged man? Anyhow, Amanpour's report was excellent, it reshaped the media agenda - all news outlets led with "Mubarak wants to leave power, but he think Egypt will be in chaos."

What amanpour lacked, is a deep follow up conversation with her ABC colleague - the kind of exchange she would have had if she was still with CNN. Gorani on the other hand, had a chance to follow up on Amanpours interview, but failed miserably.

Apart from American media, Aljazeera's viewer rate was increased by 2500% during the past few days. It provided updates round the clock, even at the risk of putting out contradicting figures and misspelled words. One example is the rolling breaking news bar on the Arabic service, which at one point repoted 100,000 demonstrators in Tahrir square, and the next line saying there were 120,000.

Twitter-like, minute for minute updates were a new comer in global media coverage. Al jazeera English, BBC and Swedish news sites like SVT and SVD were publishing updates minutes-by-minutes. Some updates became headline, even misleading at some point - like the Swedish Radio's main headline claim: The Army switches to the people's side. Where it still, to this day, unknown where the Army has its allegiances. The Swedish Radio later led with "Rumors and conspiracy theories are wide spread in Egypt," -- probably one of the most accurate, although grey, headlines in this whole charade.

All in all - the prize for best live reporting goes undoubtedly to Aljazeera. Whereas the prize for mind-opening, deep analysis goes to the Guradian. In any case, the revolution was not properly televised. Social media killed the TV star: it made politicians and mass media alike more honest, but keeps them lagging behind.

The truth is as complex as ever, it just became faster.

How I voted in Swedish elections

noreply@blogger.com (Rami ) — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 18:33:00 +0000

As a resident, non-Swedish citizen, I got to vote in both Stockholms commune and county council elections, but not for parliamentary candidates. It came as a pleasant surprise: I have the democratic right to choose how my city will be run, but now how the country is run, i.e. I am a resident of Stockholm city, but not a citizen of Sweden, which makes perfect sense. It is little wonder that Sweden was recently acclaimed by Newsweek as having the healthiest political system in the world today.

The tough part is choosing who to vote for. Traditionally, Sweden is a social-democratic country, i.e. leftist, labor. But during the past four years, it has been run by the center-right coalition. New comers such as the far-right, anti-immigrant, Sweden democrats have gained much momentum during the past few years, and are much likely to make a parliamentary debut, when all is said and done by the end of this month.

Voting strategically would mean that I'd vote for the coalition that is most likely to win and form a majority government, in this case being the center-right coalition. I must admit I do like their small and medium business incentives, and their rather half successful attempts at cutting red tape in a very technocratic system.

Voting morally I find myself closest to the Green Party, which went into alliance with the Social Democrats and the Left Party. Unlike the last two, the Greens are creative, full of new ideas, and possess a huge drive to modernize Sweden (not that it is not modern, but all for the best). The problem with the Social Democrats is that they are stuck in old habits, old rhetorics, and assume that everyone knows what they're all about, where they themselves seem to have lost touch with modern day Sweden and still talk in ideals long over exhausted. The left is all about solidarity but barely offer any pragmatism.

More recently, I found Swedish parties and coalitions (all grown up in a social democratic society) coming closer to each other, and for that matter, to the center. The distance between the right wing and the left wing is much narrower, and way to the left, than US republicans and democrats. The European ideals of taking care of the citizen from cradle to grave shapes the politics of all Swedish parties alike, and there's no notion of free economy and personal liberties above all, despite that having a strong social welfare system, makes citizens as individualistic as could be.

When I balanced my opinions, I found myself leaning mostly towards creativity - I wanted to vote for a party with creative solutions to stagnant problems. A party who thinks outside the box, one whose agenda makes common sense. And just before I made my way to the ballot box, the Greens announced that they are ready to engage in collaboration with the center-right if their coalition won, despite that the Greens are aligned with the left.

The choice was relatively easy, I went for the Greens, in my first vote ever.