KHALED ALMAEENA
Lately, there have been news items about Ethiopians committing crimes
and infiltrating the southern borders of the Kingdom. Many writers in
the Arabic press have gone ballistic and while commenting on these
incidents have said things that have clearly hurt the sentiments of the
Ethiopians residing in the Kingdom. Recently, in fact, the Ethiopian
Ambassador to Saudi Arabia issued a statement in an attempt to clarify
the situation. However, even after that the criticism of Ethiopians
continued.
There has been a counterattack by some Ethiopians and this paper has
received many letters which were not only highly critical of Saudi
Arabia but which also contained abusive comments about Saudis and
Muslims in general.
I am a very open and accepting person. But false and bigoted remarks do
upset me. And, like some of the Saudis writing in the Arabic press, many
of these Ethiopians went overboard!
The Arabian Peninsula is separated from the Ethiopian mainland by a
narrow strip of water, and bilateral relations go back to the time of
early Islam when the first group from Makkah went to King Najashi to
seek refuge from persecution. Throughout history and before borders were
defended, a flow of people and goods from both sides went back and
forth uninterrupted.
Ethiopians have always been a part of the Jeddah scene. I remember, as a
young man, groups of Ethiopians playing table tennis in Al-Nahda Hotel
where many Italians also resided. Jeddah then was a small and sleepy
town and people got on well with each other. A fistfight was a scandal
in those days!
However, with the oil boom and development projects, more people came to
live and work in the Kingdom. The population of Jeddah also increased
and interactions between citizens and residents at times caused
misunderstanding.
With the boom came new problems of sponsorships, salaries,
non-fulfillment of contracts and a host of other difficulties. And often
when these problems surfaced, they were blown out of proportion and
caused distrust between members of the community.
Let me assure my Ethiopian brothers that those of us who know are aware
of the good qualities of the Ethiopian people and have respect for them.
The majority of Ethiopians are law-abiding citizens just as the
majority of Saudis are not greedy and unscrupulous sponsors!
The present situation is similar to that faced by another nationality
which at one time was unfairly portrayed in the local media – the
Bangladeshis. Again there were a number of crimes committed by some
members of that community and some Saudis went gung-ho and were not only
critical but said things that really hurt the feelings of our
Bangladeshi brothers.
Many Saudi writers have presented a positive picture of Bangladeshis.
Just look around and see who keeps our cities clean and tidy as we
brazenly throw refuse and litter with delight! Our lack of civic sense
makes their work harder. Our lack of empathy causes them despair. And
they not only work in menial positions, but are professionals in every
field. We owe them our heartfelt thanks.
Everyone makes mistakes and in every community there are good and bad
people. And I wish to state clearly that the Saudi Gazette will not
allow any unfair criticism of any particular community. We do not like
generalizations and will not permit any community, from any part of the
world, to be maligned in this newspaper.
Just as I am against all Saudis being condemned for the unfortunate
behavior of a few, the same goes for my dealings with other people no
matter where they come from. My advice to all Saudis is not to apply the
principle of collective guilt or hate en masse. If someone from my
community makes a mistake, I should not be blamed for it – I am not my
brother’s keeper!
There are many Saudis who make mistakes and break laws both in this
country and abroad. Are all Saudis to blame? If some sponsors commit
unlawful acts does the whole of Saudi society deserve to be held
responsible?
General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Commander of the Allied Forces in
World War II, was once asked if he hated Germans. He replied: “I never
hate in plurals!” A wise and appropriate response from a great man who
later served as President of the United Sates from 1952 to 1960.
And that is precisely what I would like to say to everyone, whether
Ethiopian, Bangladeshi or Saudi: We must not jump the gun, resort to
unfair generalizations and hurl accusations at each other. Personally, I
and many of my countrymen appreciate everything that these two
communities have done for our country. And I wish to reassure them that
an incident or two in no way tarnishes the image of their honorable
communities.
http://www.saudigazette.com.sa
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