04/10/2007

With frequent talk, nowadays, of the draft that is being prepared amongst circles in the US Congress to divide Iraq into three zones: Kurdish, Sunni and Shia, it seems that the US administration is at a loss and may support the draft partition as a “solution” following the disgraceful performance of US policy in Iraq as a result of the occupation that it was dragged into by the neoconservatives, despite the fact that this draft was conceived and adopted by the democrat, Senator Joseph Biden.

The reality of the matter is that partition in Iraq is not the only case that will be imposed on the Arab states; they accepted the “fait accompli” in Somalia, which saw the “independence” and the separation of its northern part for over a decade and the establishment of the Republic of “Somaliland”, which has its own president, airport, borders and flag. It was also the case after they saw southern Sudan suffering from the “symptoms” of separation that is expected to take place within the next two years if no serious action is taken. In addition, Darfur may follow suit and seek partition amidst voices calling for separation from Sudan.

Of course, prior to that was the odd “separation”, which still exists, of the Western Sahara from Morocco, a region that has all the potentialities to be an integral part of the motherland along with the obvious and explicit indications related to demographic integration between Morocco and this region. Now, of course, Gaza cannot be overlooked or forgotten as it has practically become separated from the national project of the single Palestinian state as a result of the reckless behavior of those who sought personal glories and positions in power.

Furthermore, the isolation of south Lebanon from the homeland is being consolidated in different ways whereby it has become a sovereign region that follows the instructions of special bodies in a way that resembles the world of the Mafia rather than a civil state and the protection of justice, law and order.

What has happened and what is still expected to happen in different parts of the Arab world, is mainly due to the overpowering of religious and national affiliations over the rights of citizenship and equality, which generated (as a natural issue) a permanent sense of injustice and marginalization, naturally leading to the call for a separate entity, in which all such significant and just demands can be (theoretically) achieved.

The Iraqi government, which is the main ally of the US administration in Iraq today, strongly protested against the draft for partition. However, this draft was welcomed and supported by the Kurds, which is an odd but understandable matter. The unparalleled writer Malik Bani Nabi had admirably talked about the susceptibility to colonialism and today there seems to be susceptibility to partition amongst the Arab peoples, which could only be prevented by establishing a clear and equal system of justice that is applied to everyone.

Mr. Shobokshi hosts the weekly current affairs program Al Takreer on Al Arabiya, and in 1995, he was chosen as one of the "Global Leaders for Tomorrow" by the World Economic Forum. He received his B.A. in Political Science and Management from the University of Tulsa.

Source: Asharq Alawsat