Refleksi: Orang Indonesia sangat marah, malah lebih marah dari orang Arab. Apakah ini berarti orang Indonesia sangat manusiawi dan memperhatihan kemanusiaan? Bila demikianhalnya, bagaimana dengan pembunuhan besar-besar pada tahun 1965/1966 dimana lebih dari sejuta manusia disembelih? Bagaimana dengan pembunuhan dan perkosaan wanita-wanita di Aceh semasa DOM? Bagaimana dengan masalah korban lebih 10.000 jiwa melayang dan 500.000 penduduk di Maluku menjadi pengungsi di Maluku semaca 1999- 2003?
http://www.arabnews.com/?page=7§ion=0&article=118189&d=16&m=1&y=2009&pix=opinion.jpg&category=Opinion Friday 16 January 2009 (19 Muharram 1430) I see no Arab anger Reem Al Faisal | Arab News Where is the Arab anger? Where are the hundreds of thousands in Arab streets marching day and night for Gaza? Every commentator in the world keeps talking about the seething rage in Arab streets. Sorry, but I don't see any of it. Yes, I see a few thousands here and there, but that isn't a rage equal to what is going on in Gaza. I see a group standing with burning candles on the steps of some building or a few schoolchildren marching and calling on their Palestinian brethren to keep up the resistance. This is not an explosion of anger at the worst carnage of the century. This is the kind of anger one sees when governments raise taxes or food prices go up. Where is the righteous indignation? It's not enough to call TV channels and complain and rant over the positions of Arab leaders. It isn't enough to go out in the street for a few hours and sometimes on weekends. Those dying in Gaza can't wait for us to find some time for them from our busy schedule. It is not enough to pray and fast asking God to save the Palestinians and send text messages to millions of Muslims beseeching them to read a specific surah from the Qur'an for the success of the resistance. It's not enough to give to charities for Gaza or help in sending medicines for the wounded. I'm not saying that all of the above and more doesn't help, but unless we bring about more pressure on Arab governments to stop once and for all the aggression of that savage state called Israel and its enablers in America, then we have done no more than put band-aid to a fatal wound. We object, we scream for a while and when they have gotten what they want which is to put an end to any form of resistance in the region, we come in and rebuild the homes they've destroyed and care for the wounded and maimed and try to rebuild a society that has been totally decimated. No, we have to stop this interminable vicious circle where Israel is the mad bully destroying and killing as his doting mother America gives him all the cover he needs to do whatever he wishes. There should be millions surging in the streets of the Arab world day and night, not leaving the place until their demands are met. There should be strikes and shops closed and nations should stand still until our governments heed our call and start listening to us, and not to the West or America. We have to bring about constant pressure without break until all embassies of Israel and any representational offices have been closed and all relations cut off. It is time for the Arab world to divest from America that is the lifeline of Israel and its greatest supporter. The only way for Israel to go on as an entity is through America's unquestioning support for every crime it commits. America sustains Israel with arms and money and protects its actions by giving it political cover in every world forum like the UN. America blindly supports Israel and has a callous disregard for the Arabs. So we should divest ourselves from it. We should boycott its products; cease commercial, cultural and educational relations with America. This is something within the reach of every Arab citizen. We can refuse to go to restaurants that serve American products or buy from shops that sell American products. Our universities should cease sending students to American universities and stop all programs they have with them and exchange programs and find alternatives in other nations. The list goes on. It is up to our people to put the message through to our leaders that we want them make America feel our anger by diminishing our commercial and financial and diplomatic relations with that country. Stop the game, you people of the Arab world. You hold our leaders responsible for all our failures. You are as much responsible for them as they are. It has been a very comfortable act for so long by which, we scream and shout for a bit, then Arab governments crack down and stop the demonstrations and everyone goes about his/her job as though nothing has happened and the death and destruction is then swept under the carpet as though it never happened until the next massacre or war or carnage. Enough of the pretence; you either cease acting as minors and blaming your parents for every failure or assume responsibility as thinking adults and undergo the sacrifices that inevitably come with it. If not, you will continue to cower behind the great lie you've told yourselves all these years. But you should know that no one else is fooled by this lie anymore and that you as a nation, as a people and as a culture will cease to exist and you would have brought it upon yourself. -Reem Al Faisal is a Saudi photographer. She is based in Jeddah. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
