Published: July 19 2011 17:55 | Last updated: July 19 2011 17:55
Qataris, not known for public displays of discontent, have launched what they described as their first ever civil society campaign – against their country’s main telecom provider. Using social media such as Twitter and facebook, several hundred users vented their frustration at the country’s main telecom provider, Qtel, calling for better coverage and cheaper prices. Under the hashtag #qtelfail, they urged customers to switch off their mobiles for one hour on July 7.
”Qataris have a reputation for being complacent,” says Abdullah al-Athbah, a Qatari columnist who participated in the campaign. “With everything going around us in the region, people feel they can be part of pushing for a change in the attitude of service providers, customers‘ rights, a strong regulator and a quality service for the price they pay.’’ Many users, fearing retribution, were reluctant to publicly condemn the company or worried about being mistaken for challenging the regime, the campaign organisers said. ”Young people were saying we are going to get locked up if we talk about it,’’ says Raed al-Emadi, 32, a social entrepreneur. ”But this is the country associated with the Arab revolts and al-Jazeera, the company cannot stop us from demanding better service because it bears Qatar’s name. We are happy with the political setup, we are not happy with the service.’’ The campaign, which activists claim was a success, reflects a growing sense of power among educated Qataris and, with the world’s highest per capita income at $90,149 per year, entitlement to infrastructure that matches their country’s wealth. But it also provides an insight into how politicised ordinary people have become after seven months of watching live Arab revolts, particularly on the Qatari-owned al-Jazeera. The politically-charged language used to describe the telecom company’s early reaction to the campaign mimicked that used by Arab activists against their outgoing regimes. The organisers complained that the state-owned company acted like a ”corrupt regime”, sending ”online thugs” who accused the organisers of defaming Qatar and being agents for ”foreign entities,” referring to Qtel’s competitor, Vodafone. The initial reaction of Qtel, whose representatives called the editor of Al Arab newspaper, where Mr al-Athbah works, to question the motives behind the criticism, is typical of Arab dictators who do not understand the “economic revolts” brewing in the Gulf, campaign organisers said. Qtel eventually met with the organisers to discuss their complaints. ”This campaign has been beneficial for Qtel, since it has encouraged an open, transparent debate both externally and internally about how we can get closer to our customers, and how we can serve them better,” a spokesman for the Qtel said in an email. The campaign organisers understand that the boycott is not likely to dent the profit of the company, which has 17 operations worldwide. But they wanted to ”poke” the giant. ”We wanted to change the mindset of these companies,” said Mr el-Emadi. ”They are not used to criticism. They say `be grateful, look what Somalia looks like’. That is not acceptable, we compare ourselves to the US.’’ The campaign could have wider implications. In recent years Qatar’s ruler, sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa has promoted education, economic reform and hosted in Doha, the capital, televised debate on thorny regional issues. Qatar‘s support of Arab revolts and ownership of al-Jazeera, partially credited for speeding up the fall of the Tunisian and Egyptian presidents, boosts Qatar’s image abroad, but also highlights an irony at home: with no elected parliament, civil society or free press, the country itself is slow to embrace democracy. Qataris complain that al-Jazeera rarely if ever discusses local issues. While last week the channel gave hour-long coverage to a Saudicampaign to boycott a dairy company, they rebuffed requests from Qataris to shed light on their own campaign, Mr al-Athbah said. Still, demands for political reforms are muted and confined to online forums or private meetings and as most of the society is not politically active. But the country’s self-promotion could eventually backfire. ”If the government portrays itself as a pioneer, then it had better act like one,” Mr El-Emadi said, still referring to infrastructure. ”After the boycott the youth were cheering because they felt empowered.”
Qataris vent frustration on telecoms group
By Abeer Allam
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/54888140-b209-11e0-a06c-00144feabdc0.html#ixzz1SZe8ALww
Published: July 19 2011 17:55 | Last updated: July 19 2011 17:55
Qataris, not known for public displays of discontent, have launched what they described as their first ever civil society campaign – against their country’s main telecom provider.
Using social media such as Twitter and facebook, several hundred users vented their frustration at the country’s main telecom provider, Qtel, calling for better coverage and cheaper prices. Under the hashtag #qtelfail, they urged customers to switch off their mobiles for one hour on July 7.
”Qataris have a reputation for being complacent,” says Abdullah al-Athbah, a Qatari columnist who participated in the campaign. “With everything going around us in the region, people feel they can be part of pushing for a change in the attitude of service providers, customers‘ rights, a strong regulator and a quality service for the price they pay.’’
Many users, fearing retribution, were reluctant to publicly condemn the company or worried about being mistaken for challenging the regime, the campaign organisers said.
”Young people were saying we are going to get locked up if we talk about it,’’ says Raed al-Emadi, 32, a social entrepreneur. ”But this is the country associated with the Arab revolts and al-Jazeera, the company cannot stop us from demanding better service because it bears Qatar’s name. We are happy with the political setup, we are not happy with the service.’’
The campaign, which activists claim was a success, reflects a growing sense of power among educated Qataris and, with the world’s highest per capita income at $90,149 per year, entitlement to infrastructure that matches their country’s wealth.
But it also provides an insight into how politicised ordinary people have become after seven months of watching live Arab revolts, particularly on the Qatari-owned al-Jazeera.
The politically-charged language used to describe the telecom company’s early reaction to the campaign mimicked that used by Arab activists against their outgoing regimes.
The organisers complained that the state-owned company acted like a ”corrupt regime”, sending ”online thugs” who accused the organisers of defaming Qatar and being agents for ”foreign entities,” referring to Qtel’s competitor, Vodafone.
The initial reaction of Qtel, whose representatives called the editor of Al Arab newspaper, where Mr al-Athbah works, to question the motives behind the criticism, is typical of Arab dictators who do not understand the “economic revolts” brewing in the Gulf, campaign organisers said.
Qtel eventually met with the organisers to discuss their complaints. ”This campaign has been beneficial for Qtel, since it has encouraged an open, transparent debate both externally and internally about how we can get closer to our customers, and how we can serve them better,” a spokesman for the Qtel said in an email.
The campaign organisers understand that the boycott is not likely to dent the profit of the company, which has 17 operations worldwide. But they wanted to ”poke” the giant.
”We wanted to change the mindset of these companies,” said Mr el-Emadi. ”They are not used to criticism. They say `be grateful, look what Somalia looks like’. That is not acceptable, we compare ourselves to the US.’’
The campaign could have wider implications. In recent years Qatar’s ruler, sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa has promoted education, economic reform and hosted in Doha, the capital, televised debate on thorny regional issues.
Qatar‘s support of Arab revolts and ownership of al-Jazeera, partially credited for speeding up the fall of the Tunisian and Egyptian presidents, boosts Qatar’s image abroad, but also highlights an irony at home: with no elected parliament, civil society or free press, the country itself is slow to embrace democracy.
Qataris complain that al-Jazeera rarely if ever discusses local issues. While last week the channel gave hour-long coverage to a Saudicampaign to boycott a dairy company, they rebuffed requests from Qataris to shed light on their own campaign, Mr al-Athbah said.
Still, demands for political reforms are muted and confined to online forums or private meetings and as most of the society is not politically active. But the country’s self-promotion could eventually backfire.
”If the government portrays itself as a pioneer, then it had better act like one,” Mr El-Emadi said, still referring to infrastructure. ”After the boycott the youth were cheering because they felt empowered.”