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ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER 15 February 2014 15 Rabial II 1435 - Volume 18 Number 5976 Price: QR2 ON SATURDAY Syria set to miss key deadline AMSTERDAM: Syria has relin- quished only 11 percent of its chemical weapons in three shipments and is on track to miss a midyear deadline to completely destroy the toxic stockpile, sources said yesterday. Syria should already have handed over the 1,300 tonnes of toxic chemicals declared to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the body overseeing the process with the United Nations under a Russian- American deal. The total shipped so far is a bit more than 140 tonnes. That includes only about five percent of the most toxic priority chemicals. See also page 9 Protesters, police clash in Bahrain DUBAI: Bahraini protesters mark- ing the third anniversary of an Arab Spring-inspired uprising clashed with security forces yesterday in the capital Manama and outlying villages, witnesses said. Hundreds of men and women took to the streets in parts of the capital and in Shia villages that have been at the fore- front of the campaign among the Gulf state’s Shia majority for a constitutional monarchy in the Sunni-ruled Gulf king- dom. They were met with tear gas and birdshot, the witnesses said, adding that several demonstrators were wounded. See also page 9 Italian Prime Minister Letta resigns ROME: Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta resigned yesterday, paving the way for 39-year-old centre-left leader Matteo Renzi to become Italy’s young- est-ever prime minister. PEOPLE’S MEDIA Letta submitted his resignation to President Giorgio Napolitano after his own Democratic Party overwhelmingly backed a motion by its new leader Renzi calling for a new government. THE ISSUE Napolitano will hold two days of con- sultations leading to the appointment of a successor. The 39-year-old Renzi, whose In a region where freedom of now people have started talking politics and increasing. People can use different ways to PD is the biggest party in parliament, expression remains a dream issues concerning their daily lives more openly. express their opinion under different names, could be named premier as soon as this and the traditional media suffers Analysts point to several recent incidents in from different parts of the world. More restric- weekend. the Gulf countries where people successfully tions can lead to more misuse,” says Faisal See also page 10 from severe restrictions, social used social networking sites, especially Twitter, Al Marzouqi, a prominent Qatari writer and networking sites are fast emerging to mobilise public opinion on important issues. columnist. Nepal reduces as alternative forums for people to A campaign in Saudi Arabia demanding a sal- In his view, instead of trying to regulate ary hike for employees drew more than 17 mil- social media, the government should use this Everest fees express their views and concerns. lion tweets, according to some reports. Groups media to engage with people and address their of citizens in Qatar recently waged success- concerns. KATHMANDU: Nepal will cut climb- he Arab Spring revolutions that effec- ful campaigns through social networking sites “Government bodies should intervene imme- ing fees for Mount Everest to lure more tively used social media to mobilise seeking government action against unreason- diately through their social media accounts to Design: Abraham Augusthy Pic: Qassim Rahmatullah mountaineers to the world’s highest mass protests against oppressive able hikes in commodity prices and drawing scotch rumours circulating through this media. peak, already overcrowded during the Tregimes have accelerated this trend. public attention to several social and educa- Delayed government response would give more March to May peak climbing season. The number of social media enthusiasts in the tional issues. chance for rumours to spread, and once they Nepal now charges $25,000 per climber Arab world, including the Gulf countries, has Serious concerns have been raised in the spread widely, it will become difficult to correct as a licence fee, or royalty. But a group increased manifold after these revolutions. region about misuse of social media, leading them,” says a Bahraini social media enthusiast. of seven people can secure a permit for An increasing number of people in this region to efforts by some governments to control and According to Abdul Aziz Al Mahmoud, $70,000, a practice that encourages climb- now view social media not as a source of enter- monitor it. Most Gulf countries have either laid Qatari novelist and columnist, there is a wrong ers to form big groups. tainment but as a forum for serious and critical down laws to regulate online media or are in the perception that people are always in conflict A Tourism Ministry official said each discussion of socio-political issues. It has been process of doing so. Preventing cybercrime is a with their governments. climber will be charged $11,000 from next pointed out that the interests and aspirations major objective of these regulations, but they “They are trying to raise issues concerning year to end the practice. The new rate will ofPAGE people in the Gulf, 6especially the youth, have are also seen by many as efforts to restrict the their daily lives. The solution is to address them apply for the peak season on the Southeast seen dramatic changes over the past few dec- freedoms enjoyed by citizens in cyberspace. properly,” says Al Mahmoud. Ridge. Permits for other routes and for the ades. Earlier, popular discourses were more “It is not easy to control social media, espe- See also page 2 rest of the year, when the mountain is vir- focused on cultural and religious issues, but cially when the number of users is continuously THE PENINSULA tually deserted, will cost as little as $2,500. AGENCIES www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 FEBRUARY 15, 2014 ON SATURDAY 02 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com Home A forum for bold views . Qataris are increasingly using the social media to freely and courageously express their opinions on local and international issues. BY RAYNALD C RIVERA confidence in traditional news by most people to raise issues and Materazzi. Faisal Al Marzouqi, of communication with different media on couples’ lives, she sources, and that’s why they give express opinions,” said a Qatari prominent Qatari writer and government bodies, people will stressed, is that it keeps each of ike in some other Arab comments after reading the news journalist. active Twitter user, believes social not resort to social media,” he them busy instead of giving time countries, in Qatar through social media. In Qatar, no issue has been left media has been very influential said. to each other, which frequently social media, especially and effective in Qatar and other He cited the case of Malaysia causes mistrust and sometimes LTwitter, has become the Arab countries. and South Korea, where govern- leads to divorce. most important platform for the “This means social media has ment entities have social media In addition, social media affects local community to convey news, exceeded the traditional media, accounts, so people can communi- people’s habit of reading books express its views and voice its political organisations, political cate with top government officials and newspapers, she said. concerns on issues that concern parties and civil organisations and express their opinion and Dr Moza Al Malki, psychiatric it — be they social, educational, because just one tweet can affect the government considers their consultant, said social media’s political or any other. Gone are economic and political activity opinion. positive and negative aspects the days when the traditional Some officials think that social and invite immediate reactions Al Marzouqi was of the same depend on the person using it. media — both print and elec- media users are in conflict with on issues,” he said. view, saying, “if there is a means Regarding social media’s effect tronic — had to be relied on to The social media works fast, that facilitates communication on couples’ relationships, she said get news and views. The public is the government.... If there are Marzouqi added, “something between officials and society when TV and mobile phone first fully aware that the traditional enough means of communication which could not be done by tradi- members, people may not need appeared, people blamed them for media have severe limitations tional media or political organsa- to use the social media widely.” their problems, and the same is and cannot cross red lines while with different government bodies, tions. Therefore, the social media He said it would not be easy happening with social media. reporting on events. This is where people will not resort to social has changed perceptions about to control social media with laws “The problem is not modern social media — where there are media. — Abdulaziz Al Mahmoud the media and is affecting the because people would resort to technology but rather the user’s no boundaries, no censorship and decision-making process because using codes and different names, behaviour. Keeping away from which is more popular than tradi- of its huge influence.” and this could lead to misuse of these devices is not the solution tional media — comes in. Sometimes people from dif- social media. because people have to use The popularity of social media ferent Arab countries take sides However, a few believe social them, but they have to use them among Qataris can be gauged on Twitter and engage in heated media plays a negative role positively.” from two facts: First, the huge arguments. For example, after Dr in family affairs and harms At a recent conference, Ibrahim increase in the number of its Yusuf Al Qaradawi’s critical state- relationships.

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