The media has been busy dissecting all the talk about secession movements in many conflict-hit countries in the region. Some observers consider the division of strife-torn countries such as Iraq as the only solution, while others believe secessionism would only lead to further chaos and bloodshed.
In the pan-Arab daily Al Hayat, George Semaan commented on recent changes in Iraq that have seen a package of reforms aimed at tackling corruption and keeping the country together.
Semaan said: “This is the last chance for Iraqis. Demonstrations have opened doors to the possibility of a serious change.
“Iraqis stand at a crossroad that will define their destiny.”
He concluded that it was in everyone’s interest to work towards establishing a state based on unity, and not on the basis of sects and religions.
Writing in the pan-Arab daily Asharq Al Awsat, columnist Ali Ibrahim observed that secession would not do any good for Iraq.
In fact, the writer said, “secession cannot be the solution to any problem in any Arab country. It will only aggravate the situation”.
The situation in Libya, Yemen and Syria is an example. The massive chaos in Syria has been caused by extremist organisations such as ISIL that export terrorism to other countries in the region and beyond.
Secessionists are wreaking havoc in that country, where millions of people have become refugees in neighbouring states, while others are risking their lives by trying to cross the Mediterranean by boat, the writer said.
The situation of Libya, where Shias and Sunnis are fighting each others, is similar. This regionalism and divisions are not just dragging the country down, they are having an effect on neighbouring countries and in Europe.
“In Yemen too, previous problems of regionalism have resurfaced,” Ibrahim wrote.
“Many people think that the solution lies in such divisional politics. Such ideas are absurd.
“ISIL is proof of this, as no one can explain why its fighters are killing everyone who comes in their path – be it in Iraq, Syria or Libya.”
The writer remarked that any secessionist movement in Iraq, Libya or Syria would prove to be “much worse than what Yugoslavia experienced” in the 1990s.
He said that the biggest mistake made in Iraq was to dismantle the army and state institutions without having an alternative.
The solution to the problems in the Middle East does not lie in secession, nor the creation of dozens of mini-states. The solution is to correct past mistakes and work towards building a solid foundation based on unity and solidarity, the writer concluded.
* Translated by Carla Mirza
cmirza@thenantional.ae
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Barcelona v Liverpool, Wednesday, 11pm (UAE).
Second leg
Liverpool v Barcelona, Tuesday, May 7, 11pm
Games on BeIN Sports
Earth under attack: Cosmic impacts throughout history
- 4.5 billion years ago: Mars-sized object smashes into the newly-formed Earth, creating debris that coalesces to form the Moon
- 66 million years ago: 10km-wide asteroid crashes into the Gulf of Mexico, wiping out over 70 per cent of living species – including the dinosaurs.
- 50,000 years ago: 50m-wide iron meteor crashes in Arizona with the violence of 10 megatonne hydrogen bomb, creating the famous 1.2km-wide Barringer Crater
- 1490: Meteor storm over Shansi Province, north-east China when large stones “fell like rain”, reportedly leading to thousands of deaths.
- 1908: 100-metre meteor from the Taurid Complex explodes near the Tunguska river in Siberia with the force of 1,000 Hiroshima-type bombs, devastating 2,000 square kilometres of forest.
- 1998: Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 breaks apart and crashes into Jupiter in series of impacts that would have annihilated life on Earth.
-2013: 10,000-tonne meteor burns up over the southern Urals region of Russia, releasing a pressure blast and flash that left over 1600 people injured.
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
A Bad Moms Christmas
Dir: John Lucas and Scott Moore
Starring: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski, Cheryl Hines
Two stars
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
How to become a Boglehead
Bogleheads follow simple investing philosophies to build their wealth and live better lives. Just follow these steps.
• Spend less than you earn and save the rest. You can do this by earning more, or being frugal. Better still, do both.
• Invest early, invest often. It takes time to grow your wealth on the stock market. The sooner you begin, the better.
• Choose the right level of risk. Don't gamble by investing in get-rich-quick schemes or high-risk plays. Don't play it too safe, either, by leaving long-term savings in cash.
• Diversify. Do not keep all your eggs in one basket. Spread your money between different companies, sectors, markets and asset classes such as bonds and property.
• Keep charges low. The biggest drag on investment performance is all the charges you pay to advisers and active fund managers.
• Keep it simple. Complexity is your enemy. You can build a balanced, diversified portfolio with just a handful of ETFs.
• Forget timing the market. Nobody knows where share prices will go next, so don't try to second-guess them.
• Stick with it. Do not sell up in a market crash. Use the opportunity to invest more at the lower price.
Tori Amos
Native Invader
Decca
