Reflection

Studying the Middle East over the last 13 weeks has been one of the most intensive units I have studied and we have barely skimmed the surface. Is it difficult to comprehend the complexity of the region, with conflicting religions, sects, ethnic group and external influences. I believe the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one of the most intractable of our time and cannot see any positive changes in the near future. However on the other hand I can see how quickly a situation can change. One week I blogged about the possibility of a three state solution on the basis of an unlikely reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, however just two weeks later they reconciled their 7 year conflict.

Another example of how situations can change is the Arab Spring of 2011 which was sparked by a single mans actions in Tunisia. No one could have predicted this was cause such an impact across the region.

As a social justice student I have been moved by the human rights abuses in the region and disgusted at the actions and lack of actions by the West. In the future I hope to see Australia taking ownership of its foreign policy and not just following the US. In particular I hope to see a move toward prioritising human rights over economic goals. This unit has sparked an interest for me and I will continue to explore issues in Middle East, particularly the Israeli-Palestine conflict and the Syrian refugee crisis.

Middle East and Social Change

To look at social change in the last 5 years over the entire Middle East region is a difficult task. The Arab Awakening was successful in deposing authoritarian regimes and em stalling a form of democracy in Tunisia and Egypt, whether these democracies are viable remains to be seem. However political progress does not always translate to civil liberties and social change.
As a social justice student I have taken a focus on human rights and particularly women's rights.  I believe that empowering women through education is the key to overcoming poverty and oppression. When a women is educated their is ripple effect in her family and the community.
In regards to women and education I believe Iran has made the most progress in recent years. Enrolment is education is equal in gender and one third of medical students are female. Today the government reiterated its commitment toward women's education. "Women should enjoy equal opportunities, immunity and social rights; we have a long way to go on this path before we reach the destination," President Rouhani said. The government intend to set up a women workgroup for different religions and tribes in the Women and Family Affairs Department. 

Based on the education reforms and commitment to a future of women's participation in society I predict that Iran will continue the most social change. The next generation of women will be better educated which will impact on broader society. I look forward to seeing further reforms and conditions for women. 

Womens Rehab Clinic in Tehran, a sign of changing times

Women's rehab clinic in Tehran

Transportation of opium from Afghanistan through Iran means there is a growing number of drug abuse amongst the population of Iran. The statistics vary but it is estimated that 3 million of the 27 million population abuse drugs, with 700,000 being women.
Drug abuse is against Islamic values and certainly for women. In a country were women are often oppressed, women who abuse drugs face an even greater challenge. Razeih Khodadoust, the director general of the State Welfare Organization states that “The addiction of women to drugs is a trick by or enemies to attack Islamic values of Iranian families." 
This article is about the women's rehab clinic on the outskirts of Tehran.  The grassroots clinic has been open for 2 years and is all run by women, with little financial support. This is an example of growing women's activism despite the risks.
Since the 1979 revolution the rights of women have been restricted to be in line with Islamic law. Some of the issues included unfair divorce and custody laws, pressure to wear the hijab, increased prostitution and domestic violence. Feminists fighting the oppression are restricted by laws to prohibit advocacy and public discussion of women's issues. Despite many oppressive laws there are also some reforms for women in the decades after the revolution, for example in education where enrolments rates in primary education are equal. Women in higher education are also on the rise, in fact one third of medical school students are female. The framework around women's rights is characterised by "equality-with-difference" which can be interpreted in different ways. However as long as equal education is condoned I think we will continue to see a rise in women's activism, such as this grassroots women rehab clinic in Tehran.

Baghdad School of Music and Ballet

Baghdad School of Music and Ballet
 

In Baghdad the secular institutions of Saddam are still struggling on, such as the Baghdad School of Music and Ballet. Dateline recently ran this story about some of  the students and the struggles they face to continue something that contrasts with the walls outside of the school. The story focuses on Leezan Salam, a 17-year old ballet dancer who is 2 months from graduation, and student pianist Mohammed Ramsay. Although their determination and defiance is extraordinary it contrasts with the grime opportunities upon graduation. The school registrar Thena Ibrahim tells how students that have graduated have emigrated or been killed. Sectarian violence is rampant, student Ali was killed by a Sunni suicide bomber coming home from school.
The sectarian violence in Iraq is at one of its highest levels yet. Last week Iraqis were able to vote in parliamentary elections, the results are yet to be announced. Iraq is characterised a majority Shiite Muslims, as well as Sunni Muslims, Christians and ethnics groups such as Arabs and significant proportion of Kurds. The current leader Nouri al-Maliki runs a Shia dominated government. In his previous term he promised coalition of parties which was barely achieved.
The results of the election are due next week although I think it is unlikely the Shia dominated government significantly change. We can only hope for an end to sectarian violence to give children such as Leezan and Mohammed a viable future.

Syrian Refugee Crisis

Syrian refugees in Lebanon, May 2014

Media attention on the Syrian conflict peaked last August with the Assad Regimes chemical weapon attacks killing thousands of civilians. However the current issues faced by Syrians has failed maintain the interest international community. The conflict enters its fourth year and has had shocking human consequences. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs labels the Syria the worlds worst current crisis with 9 million displaced and requiring aid. The refugee crisis is having a significant impact on the region, with neighbour Lebanon taking in 1 million refugees and 600,000 in Jordan. Despite the enormous scale of the conflict the response to the Syrian Humanitarian Assistance Response Plan has been severely underfunded , below is a graph by the UNOCHA

The statistics and the worlds response are troubling, but one of my greatest fears is what will happen 20 years down the track. Half of the refugee population are under 30 years old and many of them children. We have a generation of youth growing up stateless, disenfranchised, relying on aid with no hope in the immediate future. This is the generation will be the leaders of the region and the future is in their hands.

Tyre for Tyres

Driving school in Tyre, Lebanon
 

In the Western world we often ignorant of the experiences of Middle Eastern women. Women within the Middle East are not differentiated and seen as marginalised in society. However the experience of women across the Middle East varies. In Lebanon women are underrepresented in parliament, with only four women in the 2005 parliament. In recent years Hezbollah has carried out propaganda to enshrine Islamist values which oppresses women. However women in Lebanon enjoy civil rights to a degree, with relatively high representation in education and the workforce. In this recent story we can see the determination of women in Lebanon. Faten Damrieh has her own driving school and dedicates 12 hours a day to teaching women to drive in Tyre. Faten Damrieh believes in the empowerment of women and says they should have more confidence in themselves. Although she struggles with disapproval and ridicule of men she perseveres.
This determination of women in Lebanon has also taken form in protest on International Women's Day, when thousands descended upon Beirut to protest against domestic violence. This action was successful weeks later when the parliament passed a law to criminalize domestic violence. Although the law does not cover marital rape it is still a step in the right direction.

Three State Solution

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This article  discusses the benefits of a three state solution to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unlike other "three state solutions" Malcolm Lowe proposes the independence of Israel, Gaza and the West Bank, whereas other solutions of the same name propose Egypt and Jordan be given control over the regions. Lowe points out that amidst the peace talks for a two state solution the regions have already split into three distinct states; Israel, Gaza under Hamas and the West Bank under Fatah. Since there is no strong alliance between Gaza and the West Bank it would be easier to split the two regions. By doing this it would appease Israel by eliminating the threat of a larger Palestine. He also states that the geographical locations of a two-region state would be too difficult to maintain.

Despite some valid arguments of a three state solution the article is flawed. Lowe solves the question of Gaza being able to support itself by citing that it has an Olympic sized swimming pool and upmarket shopping mall, so of course it's economy is equipped to support the whole region. He also goes as far to say that the economy would grow ever more if could overcome it's "bad habit of shooting missiles at Israel."
Lowe also says that the separation of the two regions would eliminate the threat of Palestinian terrorism, as if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could be ended by only addressing Palestinian violence. There is no mention of how Israeli settlements in the regions could be addressed.

The validity of the argument is over shadowed by bias against Palesine. However it would be interesting to see this version of a three state solution to be developed and proposed in the next peace talks.