This time Spanish newspaper. Lali Sandiumenge writes at "Avui" means "Today" in Catalan, the language that they speak in North-East of Spain (Catalonia). Lali told me that this newspaper is the main newspaper written in Catalan in Barcelona.
Here is the full interview transcript, part of which was published in last Sunday edition beside other parts of similar interviews with other Arab Bloggers.
Mostly open minded, moderate and people searching for alternative views and news.
In the coming future, I'm coordinating with few Middle East bloggers to hold an annual regional bloggers conference. This should give us a forum to discuss tools and strategies to develop blogging in the Arab world.
On the other hand, due to low level of education in some countries, and high cost of Internet access in others, language and censorship, Internet is still not so publicly used resource. In fact it is very much under utilized in so many parts of the Middle East.
When it comes to blogging, we are witnessing now a huge increase in the numbers of blogs, both in Arabic as well English. Earlier, it was difficult for Arabic blogs to take off due to limitation of tools online. Now that many open source projects, volunteers and tutorials exist to assist and help spreading the use of blogs, both in English and Arabic, the number and quality of blogs are improving.
I'm not an enemy to my society, nor I'm a missionary. Having said that, we have to lead by example. Not only in the Arab world, but in front of the whole world as well. If I criticize any, that's because I like to find a solution to it, or to dispel the myth that surrounds all the taboos around us. Now, that is not a crime, so why should I hide behind a anon ID?
Beside that, moderate Arabs and Muslims are in fact majority of the Middle East public now. Unlike what is said about Arabs and Muslims in the MSM and the tags and labels that were stick to us. Therefore, speaking without hiding faces is in fact a reflection of what we live these days. It is very important for me to be transparent, so that visitors to my blog are encouraged to practice the same. This makes it easy to break ice and establish bridges of communication.
Having said all that, I don't believe one should hide his ID when blogging. The world is becoming even smaller than a global village, and one should not fear that he will be accused for something he said or thinks as far as what he says is objective and does not break rules. One has to remember that a big mass of supports and NGO's will jump in if a blogger is detained or accused unfairly by any local authorities. Unlike the old days, authorities can not hide this. I believe one of the best ways to fairly protest and express his freedom of expression can be online, and with original ID. This way he will establish support, beside get interaction and maybe form or reform his ideas for best, yet not fall in the trap of negative criticism.
On the other hand, if blogging anonymously is extremely important due to personal security reasons, then that's welcome. But one has to keep in mind that blogging anonymously opens the doors for intruders to spread lies and rumors claiming an ID of a local or a country that he might never even visited or knew. Organized propaganda is a serious tool that is cleverly used by extremists of all parts of the world as well to spread poisoned theories among bloggers thus society. So, one has to be careful to what he reads and whom he believes and support.
as for statistics, I don't have much, sorry, but I can tell you of some aggregators which list many (but not all) of the best Middle east blogs. here are they:
Bahrain: http://bahrainblogs.com/
Another Bahrain: http://ping.bahblog.com/
Saudi: http://saudiblogs.blogspot.com/
Tunisia: http://www.tn-blogs.com/blogs
Maghreb: http://www.maghreblog.net/
Palestine: http://palestineblogs.net/
Kuwait: http://safat.kuwaitblogs.com/
Arab: http://arablog.net/
Iraq: http://iraqblogcount.blogspot.com/
Jordan: http://jordanplanet.net/
Arabic: http://arabblogcount.blogspot.com/
Period.
My Other Media Interviews and Mentions…
Update – Here are few more Mideast aggregators and blogger-like projects:
Jordan: http://blog.fastlink.jo/
Mideast: http://blogs.albawaba.com/
UAE: http://www.dubaiplanet.net/
Lebanon: http://lebanonheartblogs.blogspot.com/
Algeria: http://dzblog.jexiste.fr/dzblog/ (French)
{ 17 } Comments
Hi Sabbah
Thats a great interview. I liked your responses and congrats for being a very good representative of arab bloggers.
Zainab
WAY TO GO HAITHAM!!
I'm so happy for you. Wish you more and more success inshallah!
Thank you, Zainab, Eman… Both of you are a great representatives of Arab bloggers too… Keep the good work coming ladies.
Eman, you were quite for very long. Hope every things is ok…
Zainab, let me tell you that you are setting a very good example of one of the Bahraini blogsphere sides. Many envy you here in Bahrain (where I live happily ;-))
Wonderful interview, Haitham. Congratulations on a job well done!
Mabrook good interview, but where is Jordanplanet?!?!?!?!
Ooops… did I miss that.
Now added (It was in the initial script). Thanks :-)
So happy to have such a "Renaissance" man to represent Arab bloggers! Mabrook on a wonderful interview. Best from umkahlil
Thanks you umkahlil, sume, everyone. I'm honored by all these compliments and trust.
I've just created an archive for my media interview and mention (http://sabbah.biz/mt/in-the-media/). Would be happy to hear your comments on anything I've said or claimed. One keeps learning every day :-)
great interview, Haitham! I really liked your points about not being afraid of using your name and of course, the necessity of free speech. It took me a few weeks before I decided to make the connection between my name and my blog (a lot of people already figured it out) but it was really a watershed moment, especially since Palestine is such controversial material, and there are a LOT of virus and spammers and harrassment is a daily experience. It took me many more months to put up a picture. I basically did it because someone told me that harassment would be reduced. Strangely enough, this turned out to be the case.. I still get harassment, but somewhat less than before. I suppose when people realise that the blogger is another human being, they perhaps think a few seconds before abusing.
Again, Haitham, you are a great asset to the internet and communication experience, and I can't thank you enough for how you tirelessly promote other people and do such hard work.
You are so lucky your family is supportive of the time you dedicate, the contrary is true for me. My whole family is against it, virulently. But that won't stop me. Like you say, it is somewhat addictive!
a warm embrace from Italy, mary
Thank you so much, Mary. Your words made my day :-D
Let me share with you guys. I can't say that I enjoy the time I spend online searching, reading and prompting news worth mention here or there, in fact I feel it is my duty now. Therefore, I feel ashamed if I fail to do this one day.
And how can one miss to read blogs such as all those who commented here so far, and many many more.
I'm pleased to hear all these positive feedback, and hope that I get the strength to continue doing this and much more, inshallah.
I add my congrats, Haithim. Even when I don't agree, I always learn something new. Blessings to you and your family.
Congrats, Haitham – the attention folks are beginning to pay to you and your work is well deserved… and, I believe, this is just the beginning.
I´ve been reading your blog a lot on the last months ! I really want to congratulate for your terrific work !
All those diferences between poor and rich, races and East and West, shall not continue, and while people like you keep showing how things are different as they are shown on conventional TV, we have great chances to become diferent on future !
I´m from Brazil, and wish someday I am so strong as you, to show all bad and sad things that must be changed around my country !!
Regards from your unknown friend,
Marcos
Thanks for your complements, Marcos.
It's really happy to discover new friends from places as far as Brazil.
Best wishes!
Hi Arab bloggers read this:
three nice advices that may lead to trhe development of and establishment of "bridges of communication" and healhty public shpere:
1 "Identity plays a major role in establishing credibility to what a blogger says".
2 "speaking without hiding faces is in fact a reflection of what we live these days".
3"blogging anonymously opens the doors for intruders to spread lies and rumors claiming an ID of a local or a country that he might never even visited or knew".
Dear Haitham thank you very much for your promotion of this new political communication tool in the Arab world.
We have just seen this post while browsing your impressive blog.
Great interview Haitham , you mentioned very important points and represented the Arab bloggers in the best possible way, we are all proud of you .
Thanks, Jeeran Blogger.
If you are interested in more interview, you can find more in my media page here:
http://sabbah.biz/mt/in-the-media/
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