Arab world's 'fake democracy is very dangerous'

Dubai: Debates on democracy and good governance in the Arab world are often passionate. And it was no exception at the forum yesterday.

The outspoken editor of London's Al Quds Al Arabi newspaper, Abdulbari Atwan dismissed the notion of democracy that merely associates it with the "holding of elections and polls."

"Democracy is a peaceful rotation of power, but the fact is elections in the Arab world keep the same regime in power. The results bring the same leadership, the same party," Atwan said. "This is fake democracy. And that is dangerous."

Atwan, a Palestinian based in London, did not mince words in attacking the US and its Western allies for imposing their norms and standards on the Arabs in the name of democracy.

He said in actual fact, the US supports election results when they bring to power regimes that are pro-Western, but when the results are unpalatable it is no longer willing to extend support, Atwan said, pointing to the Palestine elections that brought Hamas instead of Fatah to power.

And on Iraq he said: "What a price we have paid - thousands of deaths, continuing violence, sectarian wars - all in the name of democracy." Atwan added that genuine democracy means freedom of expression, respect for human rights, total separation of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, adherence to the rule of law and fair and just distribution of resources.

Joshua Muravchik, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington DC, lamented a distinct lack or deficit of democracy in this part of the world, saying that even the elected governments in Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine are under siege and challenged by armed groups in their societies.