The Corruption of Power & Influence with Ahmed Gatnash - WBD643
The Peter McCormack Show
Peter McCormack
4.7 • 2.8K Ratings
🗓️ 10 April 2023
⏱️ 93 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Ahmed Gatnash is an author, activist and co-founder of the Kawaakibi Foundation. In this interview, we discuss how the hope of the Arab Spring has been ruthlessly suppressed, meaning the middle east is further from democracy than ever. It's a breathtaking story of brave activists fighting Twitter's exploitation, Jamal Khashoggi's murder and the blackmailing of Jeff Bezos.
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The history of the Middle East is a modern tragedy: the cradle of civilisation has been exploited by powerful Western interests that have enabled corrupt and cruel authoritarian rule to dominate the region. Democratic movements have long struggled to gain any traction. However, a wave of optimism spread through the region in 2011 as the Arab Spring saw numerous popular uprisings. The ruthless response indicated that the region's path to freedom will be a long one.
Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. Except in the Middle East. The wave of protests predicated on the pent-up anger at decades of corruption and economic stagnation heralded an era of extreme brutality against citizens throughout the region. The cruel irony is that the Western social media technology that enabled the coordination of demonstrations, has now been effectively harnessed by those seeking to protect the established centres of power.
The cruelty lies in the knowing actions of those directly involved in the violent repression of dissent. It also lies in the wanton ignorance of those living in the West. Those who marginalise a continent of people. Those who prioritise profit over other considerations. Those who talk of freedom but know nothing of those who are staking their lives for freedom in today's world.
This is a tale about brave activists fighting for the rights we in the West take for granted to be provided to their peers in the Middle East. It is a story of an outsized fight where those fighting for democracy are facing entrenched and ruthless authoritarians, self-interested Westerners and a largely indifferent media. It is an interview you need to hear. We all need to check our privilege.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Lack of accountability, lack of representation, oppression, corruption, dysfunctional institutions |
| 0:06.1 | leading to dysfunctional economies where people can't make enough to survive and there's only |
| 0:11.7 | so much you can take of that before you wish you any other. |
| 0:15.0 | Hello there, how are you all? |
| 0:17.0 | Did you have a good Easter? |
| 0:18.0 | Well this has been a weekend full of football and today |
| 0:21.0 | rail Bedford can finally secure the title. We just need one more |
| 0:24.8 | point. So keep your fingers cross for us. Anyway, welcome to the What Bitcoin did podcast, which is brought to you by |
| 0:29.8 | Iris Energy, the largest NASDAQ listed Bitcoin miner using 100% renewable energy. |
| 0:35.6 | I'm your host Peter McCormack and today I have Ahmed Gattensh on the show. |
| 0:39.6 | Now Ahmed is an activist and the co-founder of the Kawakebe Foundation and his story is absolutely wild. |
| 0:46.6 | Now he was working closely with Jamal Koshoggi before he was killed by the Saudis and |
| 0:51.3 | Alex Glazstein got in touch and said he is someone I |
| 0:53.4 | definitely have to get on the show and when Alex recommend someone to me I |
| 0:56.7 | always listen. Now in this show we get into the human rights in the Middle East |
| 1:00.4 | Twitter and the role of free speech, and the Saudi government's |
| 1:03.6 | alleged involvement in the blackmailing of Jeff Bezos. This story is |
| 1:07.4 | absolutely wild. Now if you've got any questions about this or anything else |
| 1:10.1 | you can hit me up, my email address addresses hello at what Bitcoin did dot com. |
| 1:14.0 | How you do you're doing armit? |
| 1:18.0 | I'm good thanks how are you? |
| 1:19.0 | Yeah good nice to meet you |
... |
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