The German the Arab world to explain – hardly a is probably as qualified as the award-winning German-Arab Journalist Jaafar Abdul Karim. DW spoke with him about his new book and more.
DW: On Tuesday, her book “Strangers or friends: What do you think of the young Arab Community, feels and moves”. How did the idea for this book? What you want to convey to the readers with the book?
Jaafar Abdul Karim: The idea, as I am with my Arabic-speaking Talk Show Shabab talk, and as a Reporter in many Arab countries – in Iraq and Iraqi-Kurdistan, Sudan, Mauritania, Lebanon, Morocco, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan and on various topics have also met great interest in Germany reported. And since I’m in Germany, too, a lot about the Arab Community reports, because I these people are also gain access and insight I want to to the people that encounter here now a lot of interest and people know who it is. What is the culture you have, what Background you have.
In the book I wanted to summarize what people are interested in today – takes the reader on a journey of discovery through the Arab world.
I reports, for example, a young women’s rights activist from Jordan and homosexuals fighting for their rights, but also about how Arab migrants and refugees in Germany – what are the challenges for you in everyday life, if you want to be part of German society.
DW: The book is primarily made up of many personal stories from people you met in the Arab countries and Germany. What story has moved you the most personally?
As I have taken in Sudan of a woman, the victim of female genital mutilation has become – this has made me angry. Something was done to him, against their will, including you will suffer your whole life long. And there are still people that find the right.
What impressed me: a young woman I met in Jordan with other women martial arts so they can defend themselves against sexual harassment or if they are threatened. Such stories give me always hope.
For me, it is a Central theme, that one has the right to be who they want to be. That no one has the right to determine how someone else should live.
Jaafar Abdul-Karim’s consignment Shabab talk sent also a consequence from the ruins of Mosul in Iraq
DW: you live in Germany, reports very much to the Arab world and on events in the Arab world. How to stay in touch with what is happening on site? How do you keep the sense of what people are moving there?
The fact that I am always on-the-spot. I’m with Shabab Talk almost once a month in an Arab country. I think it’s important to be at eye level with the people on the place where you live, where you feel, where your life takes place – to talk about the people, but directly with them. That was me in the book is important – to talk to people.
DW: In your book you report on the meetings in the Arab world and in Germany. The book is aimed at an English-speaking audience. I had the feeling that the book is part of casting a much more critical view on the Arab countries and their culture than Germany. The danger that right-wing populist and extremist forces to rise, is there not?
I don’t think I’ve consciously tried to draw in my book, no comparisons can be made between different countries or reviews not to say the country is better, which is worse. The book is called, Yes, “What do you think of the young Arab Community, feels and moves”. It is not compared, but the particular reality and the reality of life reflected.
DW: As you reported for a German target audience about the problems within the Arab Community, without the stigma of the Arab world, and of people with Arab roots?
I work with them day in and day out. To me it is important to say clearly that there are the Arab countries, and that there is not the Arabs, but very different stories and opinions.
When I think about women’s reports, which must by Tradition and the Religion of the man, then I am criticized by conservative Muslims.
And if I report on racism against Arab immigrants, then I get the most hate messages from right-wing populists.
It is important to me that I’m not affect. I want to make the journalism I believe in – that is, to be fair, to be, in fact, to research well, and to give a voice to people who have no voice. And as I must expect to have from all sides and also threats.
We must not stop to write critically about the Arab Community, because it might be able to take advantage of the right-wing populists. We have to critical of all the reports.
The Journalist and presenter Jaafar Adbul Karim reached with his socio-critical Talk-Show Shabab talk, an audience of millions in the Arab world. He also works as a columnist for the “mirror” and “time”. 21. August appears in his book, “Strangers or friends?”.