By Iqbal Tamimi
The gap between some Arabs and the Palestinians is very wide and deep. Even deeper than a bathtub full of molten chocolate.
UAE media code of ethics claim that it is an Islamic state and accordingly applies filtering. It even filters grassroots websites while at the same time it allows dating websites to eat the sphere available. It has its reservations on the news and what should be aired and what should not on grounds of ethics. At the same time it allowed bad taste video clips for local singers to be broadcasted on TV screens. Double standards are everywhere when it comes to media in UAE. The crimes of expatriates are always covered extensively while the horrors of the locals seem not to exist unless it happens to be on a very large scale that it can puncture some big investors’ pockets.
Alwaleed bin Talal Chairman of Rotana International media and business tycoon had to respond to appeals reached him through media and Internet forums, to intervene and stop showing a video clip of the Emirati female artist Roweda Mahrouqi on his channels, which showed Roweda (bathing) in chocolate. The public thought that such video clip is distasteful and contrary to the norms of the traditions. From my previous media experience I would say the norms they meant allows for bathing in chocolate but while being dressed modestly I guess. Alwaleed Bin Talal responded by instructing the officials in the channel to stop showing the video clip on his owned Rotana channels.
People has nothing against bathing in chocolate in private in UAE, but this indulgence in delicious dark chocolate bathing ritual was a demonstration of how insensitive media producers to people’s feelings. Even wealthy Arab countries have pockets of poverty one can’t believe how dark it is because of the false impressions people see through the glossy magazines and industrialist’s paid luxurious life adds on TV. I am not going to talk about the needy in oil rich Arab countries because they still can get help one way or another through charitable organizations, unlike their brothers in Palestine.
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, published a report about Poverty in the Gaza Strip in May 2006. It clearly shows that, more than 22% of children under the age of 5 suffer from malnutrition, including 9.3% suffering from acute malnutrition, 13.2% suffering from chronic mal-nutrition and 15.6% suffering from acute anaemia. It is expected that this will lead to long-term negative effects on the physical and cognitive development of many of these children. More than half of Palestinian families eat one meal a day only. Food consumption in Palestinian families dropped by 25-30% per person, especially protein intake. The number of Palestinians living under extreme poverty multiplied threefold since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada.
http://www.pchrgaza.org/files/Reports/English/Poverty%20in%20the%20Gaza%20Srtip.pdf.
These statistics are 2 years old and now the circumstances are much worse. The latest news was about blocking urgent Aid even through Interpal International relief through UK Lloyds bank.
I wish I can meet Rweda to advise her to save the chocolate she use for her bath to save the life of a number of children who are screaming of hunger. I would like to remind her that.. art - should she consider herself an artist – is a mission and it is supposed to be about ethics, ...a message to the humanity. I would like to ask her a very clean ..sugar free question...
What kind of message were you sending dear?
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