Commander-in-Chief of Dubai Police Lt.-Gen. Dhahi Khalfan Tamim has said that the UAE community needs to promote principles of loyalty and belonging in the hearts of the new generation and citizens considering the recent changes witnessed in the region.

Speaking during a Ramadan majlis held at his residence, Lt-Gen. Dhahi spoke on the subject entitled “The values of loyalty and belonging among children and their role in the promotion of national cohesion”. The police chief pointed out what he called “dual loyalty, or loyalty to third parties which has become greater than loyalty to the homeland.”

He added: “It is unfortunate that a group of sheikhs
were persecuted in their home countries at an earlier time, and they came to us at a time when we thought that they were preachers who will teach religion. Then it soon became apparent that they have other goals, and we were able to detect that they had sneaked into some government institutions and a number of charities in the UAE.”

Lt-Gen. Dhahi also warned about the “brainwashing” of young people. “We need to immunise children, especially in the presence of open space and social networking sites, as these groups have capabilities on persuasion.”

During the majlis, UAE Minister of Education Humaid Obaid Al Qattami, said: “Young people in the Arab world in general are in a state of losing their belonging and loyalty to their homeland and consequently we need to re-build and instill values of loyalty.”

Ahmed Obaid, Director-General of the National Initiative to Strengthen Community Cohesion, said that efforts have been made to promote national cohesion. He said government agencies are taking care of the citizens’ interests and the Ministry of Presidential Affairs has prepared a national document on the relationship between leadership and the people. The paper also includes the promotion of family values and solidarity, the partnership between different sectors, and highlights the positive aspects of the UAE society.

Dr Khalifa Al Suwaidi from the Emirates University regretted that the curriculum taught in UAE schools lacks subjects to deal with this issue. “Family alone cannot affect the minds of young people, so we need to strengthen the role of education in schools, in addition the role of media.”

Dr Mohammed Murad, Director of Dubai Police Decision Making Support Centre, said that the UAE is facing external challenges, which has been planned or programmed according to certain agendas of so-called “world nationality”, and it requires educating new generations to guard against external cultural invasion.

He pointed out that globalisation and social networking sites are affecting children and young people. Dr Murad stressed the importance of strategic plans based on a balanced development in the UAE, so that any citizen does not feel that the social life in his emirate is less than another.

news@khaleejtimes.com