Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi

In the first half of the 20th century, the Arabian Peninsula was mostly a harsh place to live in. There were times that were harder than others. Wars, especially World Wars, as well as tribal conflicts, political turmoils and natural disasters made life conditions unbearable for many.



In the absence of mineral, agricultural, industrial and skilled human resources, development was way behind the modern world. Those ahead of us included neighbors such as Turkey, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon, North; Iran, India and Iran, East; Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia, West.



Seeking better economic and educational opportunities, many, including whole tribes, immigrated via land and sea to these countries. They were welcomed and treated well. Many settled for ages, and only returned after the oil boom made Arabia richer, more developed and promising.



Trade, cooperation and social communication continued afterwards, as we sought experience, expertise and manpower to help us in our huge development projects. We invited guest workers from these areas and beyond, and they helped us build this part of the Arabian Peninsula into what it never has been in history, and bring us closer to joining the First World club.

 

The reason I am saying this is the feeling that many, especially of our young, are not adequately aware of how the universe evolves. As it turns, luck and privileges change hands. One day we were there, today they are here … and who knows where tomorrow we will all be.



The new generation seems also to be ignorant of the role others have played in getting us where we are today. They may think we were born privileged and are destined to be. They may thought we have made our fortunes on our own, and so earned the right to enjoy it alone. They need to be educated … or reeducated about all that.



Recently, we saw anti-foreigners sentiments flare again. We had seen this episode a few times before. Yesterday, it may have been against Bangladeshis,  today it is directed against Africans in general, Ethiopians in particular. This is a shame. It is more so because it goes against our sacred Islamic and Arabian values. What have we been educating ourselves all these years, then?



The danger we are facing is gross. It is not the outside enemies that should concern us. Instead, we should worry more about our inside enemies. These attitudes, beliefs and ignorance that many of us are carrying and spreading, are destroying the very core of our standing in this life and the hereafter. The world is looking at us with the standards that our identity, as the Land of Islam and Arabia, entitled us to. Then comes those ugly pictures and voices and make us all look shockingly arrogant, savage and hypocrite. We cannot afford that!



I am calling on all intellectuals, educators and preachers to acknowledge the phenomenon, worry about it, and start working on fixing what needed to be fixed. I hope we all join the effort. We are all responsible and needed. Your thoughts, dear readers, are appreciated.



Here’s some of your comments on my last article “Ethiopian phobia: Candle holders needed!”



May sanity triumph!



“I was saddened to hear about the abuse of Ethiopian workers in your country, and hope sane people will finally triumph. Saudis should remember where the country was four decades ago. Fortune is not finite!” Kelemu



Stereotyping!



“Saudi Gazette again proved that its team is always on the right track. The Saudi majority accepted foreigners as their brethren, the abusers are the exception. Similarly, we should not generalize against expats.” Abdul Aziz Mir



Defamation campaign!



“There was media defamation campaign against Ethiopians. Some individuals used the opportunity to abuse them, which was under-reported.” Dere



Innocents had to pay!



“You should not punish all for the crimes of the few. There was a gross violence from some Ethiopians, and from some Saudi civilians, who took the law into their hands. Unfortunately, innocents had to pay, as a result.” MyRom



Civilized people



“Despite their poverty, civilized Ethiopians respect and protect their guests. In the past, they had hosted Yemenis who fled the Imam and Saudis who fled poverty.” Lu-ul Bezabih



Justice



“Perfection is the quality of the Creator not the creation. When humans sin, we should apply justice not revenge, regardless of who they are.” Sufian Mohammed



What’s next?



“Most deportees are Muslims (including pregnant women and nursing mothers), even though Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) taught us to have compassion for them. The issue, now, is what is next for Ethiopians in KSA?” Dr. Filmon Hadaro



Hooliganism



“Collective punishment is not just, no matter what the circumstances. Taking the law into the hands of hooligans is barbaric.” Adane Wasie



Anti-Islamic sentiment



“What happened sky-rocketed the already high anti-Islamic and anti-Arabic  sentiment in Ethiopia and the world, thanks to Islamophobic media.” Naser Feto, Vaal University of Technology



– Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi can be reached at kbatarfi@gmail.com and be followed at Twitter: @kbatarfi