‘The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance,” Irish lawyer John Philpot Curran famously observed, and the events in Bahrain and in the courts in Abu Dhabi this week show this endlessly-requoted and often misattributed aphorism is as true for the UAE in 2014 as it was when he said it in Dublin in 1790.
The improvised bomb that killed UAE police officer Tariq Al Shehi and two other officers near Manama on Monday caused the first Emirati casualty since 500 UAE police were sent to help their Bahraini counterparts quell Shiite-led protests in Bahrain in 2011. The use of bombs has become an increasingly common tactic in the ongoing conflict.
On the same day, the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi imposed jail terms of up to seven years on an Islamist from Qatar and two Emirati colleagues on charges of aiding an illegal organisation for channelling Dh10 million to the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt. The recipients of that money – Emirati members of the Muslim Brotherhood – were convicted in their absence last year of sedition and trying to overthrow the Government.
All this shows that despite the UAE’s image as an oasis of calm, order and tolerance in the midst of a turbulent region undergoing the ructions of the Arab Spring, there are cogent threats to that peacefulness that deserve to be treated with the utmost seriousness.
The debate here is one many other nations, both in the Middle East and around the world, are having: where do you strike the balance between security and freedom? To what extent should the state’s duty to ensure the protection of those living within its borders authorise it to encroach upon the way they conduct their lives?
This is a dialogue each community must have, finding an answer that matches the threat level. The events of this week show that striking that balance in the UAE must reflect the genuine risks posed to the stability and security enjoyed by all of those who call this nation home, whether temporarily or as citizens.
For those in the UAE and beyond who are tasked with keeping us all safe, it is worth noting that Mr Curran’s famous quote is an abbreviation of his original, which concluded: “Which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime and the punishment of his guilt.”
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
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THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
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Previous men's records
- 2:01:39: Eliud Kipchoge (KEN) on 16/9/19 in Berlin
- 2:02:57: Dennis Kimetto (KEN) on 28/09/2014 in Berlin
- 2:03:23: Wilson Kipsang (KEN) on 29/09/2013 in Berlin
- 2:03:38: Patrick Makau (KEN) on 25/09/2011 in Berlin
- 2:03:59: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 28/09/2008 in Berlin
- 2:04:26: Haile Gebreselassie (ETH) on 30/09/2007 in Berlin
- 2:04:55: Paul Tergat (KEN) on 28/09/2003 in Berlin
- 2:05:38: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 14/04/2002 in London
- 2:05:42: Khalid Khannouchi (USA) 24/10/1999 in Chicago
- 2:06:05: Ronaldo da Costa (BRA) 20/09/1998 in Berlin
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
The specs: 2018 Mercedes-Benz E 300 Cabriolet
Price, base / as tested: Dh275,250 / Dh328,465
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 245hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 370Nm @ 1,300rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.0L / 100km
FIGHT CARD
Sara El Bakkali v Anisha Kadka (Lightweight, female)
Mohammed Adil Al Debi v Moaz Abdelgawad (Bantamweight)
Amir Boureslan v Mahmoud Zanouny (Welterweight)
Abrorbek Madaminbekov v Mohammed Al Katheeri (Featherweight)
Ibrahem Bilal v Emad Arafa (Super featherweight)
Ahmed Abdolaziz v Imad Essassi (Middleweight)
Milena Martinou v Ilham Bourakkadi (Bantamweight, female)
Noureddine El Agouti v Mohamed Mardi (Welterweight)
Nabil Ouach v Ymad Atrous (Middleweight)
Nouredin Samir v Zainalabid Dadachev (Lightweight)
Marlon Ribeiro v Mehdi Oubahammou (Welterweight)
Brad Stanton v Mohamed El Boukhari (Super welterweight
The biog
Name: Abeer Al Shahi
Emirate: Sharjah – Khor Fakkan
Education: Master’s degree in special education, preparing for a PhD in philosophy.
Favourite activities: Bungee jumping
Favourite quote: “My people and I will not settle for anything less than first place” – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.