The world has its hands full with news of destruction, death and terror, which is wreaking havoc in many parts of the Arab world, including Iraq, Palestine and other countries.
Sectarian tensions are on the rise, and threatens countries that were earlier considered oases of peace and sectarian tolerance, such as Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, although none of these countries wants to become the battlefield of a sectarian conflict.
At this critical stage, one must take the time to remember a brave man who stood up to the threat of sectarian terror.
The late Ahmad Al Rubei, Kuwaiti lecturer, writer, and former member of the parliament, realised that development is a natural part of life, and that the battle between idealist and the realist will go on.
The University of Kuwait was the hub of the educated generation in the Gulf region prior to the establishment of the Gulf Cooperation Council. It brought together people from two generations - those who believe that development and transformation from traditional to modern will happen eventually, and those who believe radical change is the only solution.
The university witnessed the first stage in the life of Al Rubei, who always believed in the importance of providing a decent life for mankind, and that life is a struggle for a better social, political and economic future.
Arab project
Al Rubei was restless. He was a journalist and a professor at the University of Kuwait, and constantly travelled between GCC and Arab countries. The issues of the Arab nation were his cause, which is normal for a person who joined the armed struggle in Palestine in his youth.
Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990 was an added concern for Al Rubei. He travelled everywhere to promote his nation's cause and defend it, and tried to resist the occupation in every possible way, until Kuwait was liberated.
He also remained loyal to all those who stood by the Kuwaitis during the crisis.
Last week, Al Rubei lost his battle against cancer, just like his friends Ganem Gobash and Saleh Al Obaidi. They all had something in common, other than the disease. They loved people, and loved working for others. They also lived their lives to the last and refused to surrender.
Many have tried to evaluate the experience and development project of those leaders, and may talk about the failure of this project and wonder why we are so proud of these people, who failed to implement their social and national agendas.
The same was said about prominent figures in our history, including leaders such as Jamal Abdul Nasser and Yasser Arafat. Yet, has the national project really failed?
It would be unjust to say that, since we know that the project is still alive and strongly present in the hearts of Arabs despite the many tragedies in the Arab arena.
Kind gesture
How else can we explain the growing democracy in the Arab nation? And how can we justify the compliance of many governments to their people's requests by holding trials for intellectuals and politicians and allowing human rights societies to unveil any errant practices?
How can we explain the Palestinian people's resilience despite Israel's oppression of the people, and destruction of their properties?
Even Israel, which never accepted to have borders, and only acknowledged the Nile to Euphrates territories as its land, was finally forced to imprison itself behind an ugly apartheid wall, similar only to the Wall of Berlin (which did not stand long in the face of change, and people's will).
The kind gesture of Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, to invite some of Al Rubei's friends in the UAE to offer condolences to his family reflects the UAE's keenness to maintain the national project and honour those who contributed to it.
Al Rubei died, but his project lives on. He touched the lives of many people in the GCC and the Arab nation, and for this all his contributions will remain alive in the memories of people.
Dr Mohammad Abdullah Al Mutawa is professor of sociology at the UAE University, Al Ain.
