With Americans preparing for a military strike on Syria and Egypt slipping into instability, Arab politicians want India to play an active role in the region, for the sake of stability. The falling rupee and the economic downturn has heightened West Asia’s importance for India. At stake are millions of jobs and 1/3rd of foreign remittances from Gulf countries.
Prominent Arab voice and leader of Shia opposition Al-Wifaq in Bahrain, Dr Jasim Husain, was recently in India. His party won a third of the seats in Bahrain’s parliamentary election. In a candid conversation he spoke about India’s role and the situation unravelling in the Arab world.
Last year, the Arab world sparked hopes of a spring which now seems to be fading all too soon.
Yes. The youth driven ‘Arab Spring’ came as a push for democracy. The transition was relatively smooth in places like Tunisia, but difficult in family-ruled countries. Each country is grappling with its own problems: Egypt is in turmoil, Syria in big trouble and so on.
Bahrain’s case was different. We wanted change from within the system and not subvert the system itself. We want participation in decision making, free media, a robust civil society, wealth distribution etc.
In Egypt, during the upheaval, liberals and radicals were united against Mubarak. Within a year, the democratic forces have fragmented. Could Bahrain go the same way?
In Bahrain we aren’t calling for overthrowing the ruling family. Regional dynamics make the ruling family important for stability. We want a say in the election of a PM and to strengthen Parliament. In Egypt, they had a united enemy in Mubarak.
But the Muslim Brotherhood didn’t go the right way following his exit. The need was for more democracy institution building. But at the same time, one year is too short to judge them.
Do you think the Muslim Brotherhood’s radical agenda was stalling a democratic order in Egypt?
There’s some truth in that. The Muslim Brotherhood model was flawed. Instead of broadening democracy, they undermined it. Egypt’s organised radicals are a force to reckon with. There’s need to promote democratic values rather than fight with them. But more worrying is the situation in Syria and the external interference. The use of violence by government and the opposition was a mistake.
How do the political changes, and consequent economic measures, affect Bahrain’s expatriate workers, especially those from India?
Immigrants make up 52 per cent of the population in Bahrain. Indians are the largest expatriate community. Foreign workers are exploited in payments, working and living conditions. Despite such a large immigrant population from India, we don’t have an engagement or dialogue with their government and people.
Is India indifferent to West Asia?
We are close to each other economically. The Emirates control 30 per cent of Indian flights going abroad. Jet has tied up with Etihad. But Indian foreign policy still lacks the focus it has for the West and even Israel. West Asia is hugely important to the Indian economy. India receives large remittances. Last year they got US$69 billion — one-third came from Gulf countries alone. India should realise that any regional instability puts 350,000 Indian jobs at risk. Remittances help during economic downturn. It’s in India’s interest to encourage inclusive change in the region. Does India want a situation like Uganda which expelled its expatriates? Despite a 350,000-strong Indian community Bahrain doesn’t have hate cases against them.
The writer is with dna