Qatar, where the Toyota Land Cruiser is considered a proof of citizenship just as much as a passport. Where new skyscrapers are pointing towards the hot sun. Where in some areas the spaces between neighbors is a block. It is considered by many Bahrainis as the land of milk and honey, the land of opportunity. It also happens to be where a good chunk of my family calls home. I came back last night from Qatar and this is what I felt.
It wasn’t long ago that I last visited my family there and the scenes of downtown Doha was not a surprise to me, nor was the new road networks being built to facilitate the establishment of new suburbs. What struck me was the fact that Qatar has got plenty of two main things, oil/gas which is evident in the wealth of this little populated country and the amount of land being opened up for new communities. Just like the UAE they do lack the native population and so they are forced to import labor from overseas. From the basic Asian blue collar laborer to the blue eyed Brit CEO, they all now call Qatar home. It is known that Qatar is also one of the major upcoming economies in the region and is a major competitor to Dubai. What makes it so different from Bahrain is only three words. Standard of living. Across the little stretch of water that separates Bahrain from Qatar we usually look to our neighbor with envy at the high standard of living. Not long ago though we Bahrainis thought ourselves superior to Qataris in term of education, not anymore. The huge steps taken up by HH Shaikha Moza towards overhauling education is simply amazing. She has single handedly, with little support from the people I should point out, she has taken it upon herself that the Qatari educations programs be improved ten folds with new and upcoming high standard universities take Qatar as a home away from home. All of this does come at a cost, and I do not mean monetary cost. More education means more open minded people, means more distance from the old habits and traditions of the past that go against education. It can be seen that there is a crisis of identity being fought in the hearts and minds of Qataris with both sides giving valid points to its respected arguments. Nevertheless I consider it only as a generational struggle that will pass, like so many generational struggles in the Arab countries.
During my visit there I have noticed that not once had I heard any reference of wanting or needing any form of representative government or that of democratic flue that seems to have infected so many minds around here. Who needs politics when your standard of living is that of Sweden if not more? Even in the UAE, you can notice the same feelings. Also in Qatar it can clearly be noticed that their royal family of Al-Thani considers itself as citizens rather than super citizens or aristocrats, yes they do have wealth but so does many Qataris who are not from Al-Thani. They have so wisely chosen to share the wealth and blessings that their country holds and in doing so have become as inseparable as the sand that covers Qatar. On one occasion I have personally greeted their Amir and their prime minister once in the Four Seasons hotel as they were having lunch next to our table. He greeted me with his traditional big warm smile and welcomed me to Qatar along with my colleagues. You can hear many such stories of his warm friendly feelings from any Qatari should you ask.
When taking all those facts about Qatar and more that I have failed to mention you could clearly see an emerging country. Ready to stake its claim in the world scene, not just because of its mass wealth but rather that Qatar has adapted the form of a huge land cruiser; it can fit all the family and can ride through any hardship. I only wish that everyone can learn something from them.
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