A vicious media campaign has been orchestrated by some of Qatar’s enemies and so-called sister countries. Seemingly, Qatar’s rise as an international political player is the reason behind this malicious media propaganda. This political rise has been achieved by the relentless efforts of H H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Heir Apparent H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who said that Qatar’s success in winning the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup was a “victory for all Arabs”.
The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani has dismissed allegations that Qatar is arming Islamist militants in northern Mali, saying: “We have been accused of sending arms to Mali. This is completely groundless. We have been sending humanitarian relief through the Red Crescent in Mali. We believe this situation could be sorted out through dialogue, and that the government of Mali is the most capable of solving this matter.”
“We have become quite used to hearing such allegations, parts of which might be coming from sister countries. We know very well what’s behind them. But the most important thing for us is to save the Malian people and bring about peace there. In my estimation, that could be achieved by the Malians themselves and the African Union. This is the opinion of His Highness, the Emir, as well,” the Premier explained during a press conference with his Greek counterpart, Antonis Samaras, in Doha last week.
From the Premier’s reply one can imagine the magnitude of attempts to “demonise Qatar”. Media campaigns have been slandering Qatari investments in France as well as financial aid to Muslim slum dwellers there.
Qatar, an Arab and Muslim nation, does not want to fund or support the war launched by French President Francois Hollande on Mali with the aim of reoccupying the African country, which is rich in uranium, oil and natural gas, under the pretext of fighting terror.
Therefore, the media is trying to show that Qatar is arming the people of northern Mali, who have been seeking independence for decades.
Reports by international human rights groups say Mali’s army has carried out abuses against Arabs and Tuareg, who make up the majority of the Ansar Dine group and the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad.
Asked about these violations, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said he had called on Mali’s government and African countries joining forces against Islamists in northern Mali to warn their troops against “the targeting of civilians”.
Who are the terrorists then? The Arabs and Tuareg, who are being wiped out, or the French, whose aggression has killed Muslim women and children? I strongly believe that Qatar will never be an accomplice to the killing of Muslims, as some other countries are.
How is it that a “green” newspaper is carrying headlines such as, “France freeing Timbuktu”, and “Al Qaeda torches library of historic manuscripts”?
The headlines were meant to show that the French conquerors have come to “save Muslims” from the savage Al Qaeda, which torches libraries. They also want to show that Paris - the City of Light – is leading a campaign of enlightenment in Mali using missiles, while the killing of more than 60,000 Syrians is not enough to make Hollande save Muslims from Bashar Al Assad.
Ironically, an academic from the Arab Gulf, who describes himself as independent, has tried to portray Qatar as a supporter of terrorism, relying on some columns published by an Iranian writer on the website Open Democracy. He is the same writer who had accused Qatar of leading a Sunni campaign against Iran. It is no surprise that France Sport has attacked Qatar’s winning the bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in a blatant blackmail for not joining the aggression in Mali. Hollande’s campaign against Qatar is no surprise to us as our so-called friends refuse to say that Bashar Al Assad, who has massacred thousands, should step down.
