Abdullah Talib Al-Marri, Managing Editor of the sisterly daily newspaper Al Raya
The State of Qatar stands on the threshold of the fourth year of the unjust blockade imposed by the quartet on June 5, 2017. Qatar appears more powerful than ever, after turning the after-effects of blockade into a catalyst for economic independence, strengthening partnerships with the states, the UN and international organizations in the world, said Abdullah Talib Al-Marri, Managing Editor of the sisterly daily newspaper Al Raya.
On June 5, 2017 Qatar was awakened by the news of the Quartet imposing land, sea and air blockade. The move was aimed at imposing economic, political blockade which led to violations of the right to movement, residence, ownership, education, health, work and litigation, said Al-Marri.
This unjust siege also led to violations of the right to family, right to practice religious rites, reunification, freedom of opinion and expression, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, incitement to violence and hatred.
According to the latest report of the National Human Rights Committee, the total number of violations of human rights committed by the blockading countries amounted to 4,275 cases, he stressed.
Speaking to The Peninsula, the Managing Editor of Al Raya, pointed out that the quartet sought to invade Qatar — as revealed by H H Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait — to undermine its sovereignty and control its political decision. However, he added the blockading countries were surprised by the solid position of Qataris who rejected any violation to their country’s sovereignty and national dignity, as has been clearly made by the Qatari leadership which completely rejected the 13-point demand made by the blockading countries, considering them unacceptable dictations.
The Qatari people stood firmly behind their leadership and the Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, said Al Marri and made the blockade to crumble on the rock of Qatari resistance and under wise management of the crisis by exposing the claims of the blockading countries, and refuting their frail justifications that were not based on even a single evidence.
After 3 years of siege, said Abdullah Talib Al-Marri, Qatar supported the mediation led by H H Amir of Kuwait, which was based on unconditional dialogue that does not violate national dignity, sovereignty and interference in internal affairs.
Qatar has dealt successive severe blows to the attempts of the blockading countries to tarnish its image accusing it of supporting terrorism he said, adding that Qatar signed unprecedented agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with major countries and international organizations, thereby strengthening its position as a key partner on combating terrorism globally.
In affirmation of rejection of extremism and terrorism in whichever way, Qatar has developed anti-terrorism laws and signed important MoUs and letters of intent to strengthen global counter-terrorism efforts with the United States in July 2017, France in December 2018 and Britain in July 2018.
Al-Marri underlined that Qatar is a founding member of the Global Forum on Combating Terrorism, which is a global multilateral platform to enhance mutual cooperation, implementation and support for the United Nations counter-terrorism strategy.
Therefore, he said, Qatar’s serious steps to strengthen the efforts to combat terrorism, earned praises of the UN and international envoys, including the Under-Secretary-General of the UN Counter-Terrorism Office, Vladimir Voronkov, who confirmed that Qatar is one of the largest donors to the UN Counter-Terrorism Office.
US President Donald Trump has emphasized, on more than one occasion, that Qatar is a key partner in the fight against terrorism, and that Doha hosts the field headquarters of the Central Military Command from which the operations of the International Coalition to Combat Terrorism and ISIS are launched.
On the other hand, Al-Marri added the violations of the blockading countries and their hostile media campaigns and their attempts to politicise the economy, art, culture, sports and religion, have foiled but not stopped.
Despite all the efforts made by the blockading countries against Qatar, we can say with confidence: That Qatar has overcome the political and economic implications of the blockade, and has become “a thousand times better without them”, Al Marri emphasized.
According to the Managing Editor of Al Raya, the most hurting element to the Qatari citizens is the humanitarian and social impacts of the blockade, which has separated the mixed-families and made communication between them difficult, despite claims made by these countries that they have put in place mechanisms to facilitate communication.
