New Delhi (Dr. Ajitabh): The state of Qatar, an Arab Gulf nation of 2.7 million population, completes a year of regional isolation and economic blockade by some of its mighty neighbours led by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). On 5th June in 2017, four nations – KSA, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt – imposed a land, sea and air siege of Qatar accusing it of supporting terrorism and Iran. Qatar firmly denies the charges. Citing its sovereignty being compromised and in danger, Doha has refused to budge from its stand while refusing to accept the quartet’s demands, including the closing of Al Jazeera TV, shutting down a Turkish military base and downsizing its relations with Iran.
This battle of ghutras, a traditional Arab headdress, is more of a clash of ego, supremacy, regional rivalry and competing interests. Everyone is losing in this biggest diplomatic crisis facing the region since the Gulf War of 1990-91.
Classified by the United Nations as a country of very high human development, Qatar is the 2nd most happiest country in the MENA region and the 32nd in the world as per the World Happiness Report 2018 out of 156 listed countries. On the other hand, Qatar’s health system has been ranked 13th best in the world and 1st in the Middle East by the 2017 Legatum Prosperity Index. The annual index measures and ranks the health of people living in 149 countries. Though tiny Qatar, one of the world’s richest countries by per capita income and having the world’s 3rd largest natural gas reserves, has so far managed to survive and subdue the challenges arising out of the year-long siege, the Arab turmoil has impacted its stability and growth. And even has left a question mark on its hosting of the FIFA Football World Cup in 2022.
It’s not that only Qatar has been hit by the ongoing crisis. The blockading countries have equally suffered in terms of business, trade and tourism. Millions of people, both citizens and expatriate residents, from across the Gulf, Middle East and beyond, are affected by the ego-clash. Thousands of the Arab citizens, who have family members spread across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC – the regional group for cooperation and coordination) states, have been unable to move freely. Cordiality took backstage even in the Holy Month of Ramadan with annual Hajj and Eid festivity, which involve huge influx of people and trade, getting affected.
Besides the local people and businesses in all the concerned countries, the ultimate sufferers are the huge expatriate population from around the world; Majority of them are workers and laborers who are there to earn for their living. From white-collar administrative workers to the blue-collar manual laborers, pink-collar support and even the service-oriented workers – all have suffered in this regional tussle. Expatriates are unable to directly visit the most sought after UAE for tourism or trade on their GCC residency cards.
Since the Gulf region is known for hosting millions of workers, mainly from the disturbed Arab and African nations like Yemen, Syria, Sudan, and developing countries like India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and so on, the embargo has obstructed free-flow of the people from the respective regions, be it for employment, trade, health, education and tourism. Low petroleum price has led to business slowdown, so is job prospects. Termination from service, delayed salaries, non-payment of gratuity – it’s all happening more now, less number of cases in general till the boycott occurred.
When humans suffered, what to talk of animals. Saudi Arabia expelled thousands of camels and sheeps of Qatar. Food items and milk for which Qatar was majorly dependent on KSA and UAE, were stopped to be sent to Doha, creating scarcity, chaos and price-rise for days. Cost of living increased, with fear of taxation looming large on residents in a so far almost tax-free economies like Qatar.
The soft war is fought not only politically and economically, but also through media and cyber world, with GCC is for all practical purpose dead. The matter got complicated due to external interference and irresponsible statements from leaders like US President Trump. There were also disturbing media reports of Saudi Arabia planning to make Qatar an island by digging a canal to divide the only land border between them and transforming it into a military zone and nuclear waste site. The crisis has led to arms-race with Saudi, Qatar and UAE placing orders for weapons, fighter jets and missiles defence system. And threating the rival party of consequences. War-mongering has led to the fear of 1990 occupation of Kuwait by Iraq leading to the Gulf War and demise of Saddam Hussein.
Qatar has strategic interest in being with Iran as it shares the world’s largest Northern gas field with them. At the same time, it can’t afford to continue to have tense relations with its immediate neighbours. Accordingly, it has approached almost all the keys entities like the UN, EU, and leading powers USA and Russia for help to end its Gulf isolation.
India has very high stake in West Asia with over 8 million of its diaspora population living there, who send back about USD 40 billion remittance every year, besides wide interest in terrorism and extremism, defence, security, maritime, energy and trade, but has little direct role to play. It has already appealed to them for early and peaceful resolution of the unfortunate conflict mutually.
The USA, which has about 10,000 troops at Al Udeid airbase on the outskirt of Doha, its largest in the Middle East, has a major role in the region for securing energy, selling weapons, curbing religious extremism and terrorism to name a few. It can never forget and forgive Al Qaeda ISIS terror groups, who are hell-bent on destroying peace and progress of humankind. Now, all hope lies with the US-Gulf summit meeting in September 2018 at the initiative of Washington. After flip-flopping, President Trump has called for peace summit where the concerned leaders are expected to join him to resolve their dispute.
The countries involved have their own myriad of problems, internally. Instead of focusing on the resolution of the crisis, they are overstretched and overstressed, in turn weakening from within and outside. Only solution is through talks, mutual understanding, trust and forward looking approach. They should sit and talk to each other face-to-face in their own interest and betterment. Left to themselves, they can and will resolve their differences, but for the ‘great game’ being played in the region.
Dr. 
Ajitabh, PhD, is a senior analyst on international affairs. He carries 1st hand empirical knowledge of the Arab Gulf region with over a decade long working experience. His interests range from academics to research and consultancy.
