In the aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks, there has been a marked increase in visible – and less visible – security precautions throughout Europe. That’s not surprising. Indeed, it is justified by the evidence that further terrorist attacks are being planned.
Over the weekend, some friends from Britain and I attended a local wedding in Al Ain. They’ve been to the UAE several times for work, but had never attended such a traditional celebration. They were amazed by its informality and by the fact that the evidence of security precautions here was much harder to spot. The event was attended by hundreds of people and was held in the open air, with open access. Anyone wishing to attend just had to arrive at the entrance gates – in reality, a gap between the large square of large armchairs set out in the late afternoon sun – and stroll inside. Did one have to show an invitation? Certainly not.
Among the guests were some of the most senior government figures in Abu Dhabi who, upon arrival, were rapidly surrounded by many other guests, eager to greet them and to shake their hands. It was a friendly, comfortable and relaxed melee – pretty much a conventional sight at such events in the UAE.
Had the event been held in the United Kingdom, France, Germany or the United States, the atmosphere would, I suspect, have been very different. Perhaps it would be a ticket-only entrance, and probably the need to pass through a metal detector or to submit to a security pat-down.
Uniformed and armed policemen, and probably gentlemen with bulges under their suit-jackets or with earpieces for their secure radio communications, would almost certainly have been present. If the event was held outside, snipers on the nearby rooftops would certainly have been a strong possibility.
I certainly wouldn’t expect to be able to stroll around chatting without running up against a security cordon of some kind.
In Al Ain, there was no visible sign of any of such precautions. My friends and I noticed only one uniform – worn by a somewhat bemused fellow from a commercial security company who seemed to have little clue about what was taking place.
I am confident that there were indeed a few people with watchful eyes among the crowds wandering around, watching or participating in the traditional dancing or just chatting with friends, but their presence was certainly unobtrusive.
Talking to a member of the bridegroom’s family later in the evening, my friends commented on what they had seen. The response he gave was no surprise to me – but his point certainly struck home with them.
It’s the way we do things here, he said. It reflects the trust between the country’s leaders and the people, and demonstrates that the ordinary people of the UAE are satisfied with the leadership.
Sociologists, I guess, have a term for this kind of thing – a sort of social contract between rulers and ruled, perhaps.
Some foreign critics of the UAE have begun to describe this country as being a dictatorship, as though it wasn’t possible for people to come close to senior officials without feeling nervous. Really?
Where else could ordinary citizens – and expatriates – be able to mingle in such a relaxed and informal manner with those who guide the country without even a single uniformed policeman? I would have thought that a good indication about whether or not a country is oppressive is whether there is a pervasive undercurrent of fear, both among the ruled and the rulers. There’s little sign of that here.
One of my friends lives in Northern Ireland and recalls the days when armed soldiers in full camouflage could be found creeping along his hedgerows at night.
For him, and for my other friends, the casual and informal accessibility of the UAE’s leadership will be a memory that, I suspect, will stay with them for a long time.
Peter Hellyer is a consultant specialising in the UAE’s history and culture