ARAB AFFAIRS - Oct. 20 - Terror War Holding Back Arab Societies.

A group of leading Arab intellectuals warns that the US-led "war on terror" was "giving ruling regimes in some Arab countries spurious justification for curbing freedom". The Arab Human Development Report 2003, published by the UNDP, is the second annual report to examine the relationship between low economic growth, poor education levels and repressive governments. This year's report focuses on the need to create a "knowledge society" but in reviewing the past 12 months it presents a bleak picture of the effects of September 11, 2001. "Worldwide anti-terrorism policies have been largely military and security- oriented in nature," it says. "[Consequent] restrictive procedures introduced by some advanced countries and adopted in several parts of the developing world, including the Arab region, have created a situation inimical to human development". The introduction of ethnic profiling of Arabs and Muslims in the US has led, says the report, to a 30 per cent reduction between 1999 and 2002 in the number of Arab students in America. And in a clear criticism of US politicians and commentators who argue the US can export its values to the Arab world, the authors warn that "restructuring" must come from "within". The report explicitly calls for the Iraqi people to be able to "exercise their basic rights in accordance with international law - [and] free themselves from occupation". The authors also condemn the "horrifying human casualties and material destruction" of the Israeli reoccupation of Palestinian territories, pointing out that 85 per cent of Palestinians killed - of a total 2,405 by April 2003 - have been civilians and 20 per cent children. The authors are guarded in their criticisms of Arab governments. While the report names six Arab countries for trying civilians in military or security courts, it also cites examples of the deaths of detainees, torture and postponing elections without naming the country in question. Last year's 168-page report was downloaded by more than 1m people from the UNDP website. But aware they are dealing with sensitive issues, the report's 26 authors still at times require Arab readers to read between the lines. "We are aiming not just at governments, but at civil society, political parties, NGOs and people in the street. But we are in discussion with governments over our recommendations. Our role is to help trigger a process" says director of UNDP's regional bureau and one of the authors,Rima Khalaf Hunaidi. In assessing the past year, the report notes "positive improvements" in Morocco and Bahrain, with legislative elections in both countries, but finds overall that "in most Arab countries the march of freedom continued to encounter obstacles", especially as governments take a lead from western countries in adopting "restrictive procedures" as part of the US-led war on terrorism. Some of the set-backs - including the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories - are detailed. Others - including Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Tunisia, Lebanon and Palestine trying civilians in military or security courts - are mentioned more briefly. And in some examples, including the deaths of detainees under torture, the country in question is not named. The focus of the report is on a 'knowledge gap' between the Arabs and the rest of the world and it assembles a barrage of statistics to make the point. Only 53 newspapers are sold per 1,000 people in the Arab countries, compared with 285 in developed countries. Only 1. 6 per cent of the Arab population has internet access and there are just 18 computers per 1,000 people compared with global average of 78. 3. To remedy the situation, the report proposes a "strategic vision of the Arab knowledge society, supported guaranteed freedom of expression, universal, high-quality education, "embedding" science through promoting research, enhancing knowledge-based production in the economy and developing a specifically Arab model of knowledge through linguistic reform and the promotion of cultural diversity.