Emiratis have faith in their leadership

The long-awaited date of July 2 is just days away. The date is of significance to many Emiratis, who have over the course of several months, anxiously kept track of the case of the 94 people arrested on charges of trying to overthrow the government and threatening state security by running a branch of an organised illegal political activity. These members of the group called Al Islah have also been accused of enrolling members and raising funds without a licence. They have denied all the charges.

The lengthy trial proceedings are finally drawing to a conclusion.

To better understand Al Islah, I need to shed a little light into its history and ties to the UAE. The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood fled to the Gulf in the late 1950s and 1960s to escape the crackdown of president Jamal Abdul Nasser. The Gulf leaders embraced them. After the UAE federation was formed, they were given prestigious positions in the educational and judicial sectors.

Not long after that, and specifically in 1974, they officially formed a group called Al Islah and started enrolling local members. The group’s influence grew in the following decades, especially among the youth. The Arab Spring brought them into focus again.

Their ideologies resurfaced and were shared among many through social media. They have tried to gain popularity and sympathy for their cause. They have been very systematic in their social media presence and their approach. It is quite fascinating to actually see how well coordinated their work is. Their words are liable to have a major effect on people, especially the youth.

The UAE’s biggest internal stakeholders are its own people and it’s important that they are educated and kept in the loop about the dangers and implications of such threats to state security, especially with the hidden messages that are being sent through social media. It is vital that the people stand together in these hard times and remind themselves of the fortunes and the blessings they enjoy under the UAE’s leadership.

I am not here to judge anyone, but I see many hidden messages in the online groups that support that 94 accused. I question many of these hidden messages and wonder where their loyalties really lie. It’s unfortunate that we are witnessing such events. I want the law to take its course and personally, I can’t wait for July 2.

Human rights groups globally have made allegations relating to the arbitrary detention of the 94 Emirati suspects and their mistreatment, but we stand behind our judicial system, which is non-biased and transparent. The judge has given each accused ample time for defence and to provide evidence to substantiate their claims.

I have confidence in the court’s integrity and in the fairness of our laws and I am satisfied with the trial proceedings. The legal system has proven to be transparent from the beginning. It has been an open court; both the Emirati local media and the families of the accused were invited to attend the proceedings.

Our leaders are committed to their people. It isn’t just rhetoric; their actions speak louder than our own words. Even during the trial, when one of the accused fell ill, President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan ordered that she be flown out for treatment.

It is a fatherly gesture that shows his kindness and unconditional love.

Our leaders are walking the walk, they are with us on the ground listening, and taking notes of the needs and wants of their people as they always have. Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has made countless visits to different regions of the UAE, where he has tirelessly met with citizens in different cities over several months and continues to do so throughout the year.

His meetings are normally concluded with the execution of major projects that fulfil the needs of each emirate. He once famously said that “the house is united”— so no matter what the country goes through we will remain united.

The trial has important implications for all Emiratis because we want to close this chapter once and for all. We want this darkness to be over. We condemn the fact that Al Islah with its ideology sought to overthrow the government. We want to ensure that whoever is guilty as charged is held accountable for their actions. It is disturbing to us as Emiratis that today we are witnessing such acts by some individuals. They don’t represent the many who are truly happy and content. We are sure that the judicial system will come to a right and fair verdict using the evidence at hand.

Al Islah stands for reform, but we don’t need to be reformed. What we need is to continue with our successes. We are busy achieving benchmarks that other nations are envious of. The Arab uprising might have been needed in some states, but not in ours. Some Arab countries might have needed a spring. We have been living a spring for the past four decades! The rule doesn’t apply to all, we will, no matter what, remain united.

Shaikha Al Maskari is an Emirati writer from Abu Dhabi. You can follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/uaeyah