A source on politics, war, the Middle East, Arabic poetry, and art.
Friday, August 28, 2009
UAE's censors
"First it was Dubai, now it's Abu Dhabi. British academic Christopher Davidson's latest book on the flagship member of the United Arab Emirates, "Abu Dhabi: Oil And Beyond," seems to have met the same fate as his previous book, "Dubai: The Vulnerability Of Success"--namely, bureaucratic limbo as censors keep stalling. Davidson's book is available in much of the rest of the world, but distributors in the U.A.E. contacted him via e-mail in May with an early indication that the powers-that-be were not happy. "The censors reported the book is well-written, but because it discusses the fratricides in the 1920s, it will have to go to the highest authorities for approval," he said, citing the e-mail. The 1920s was a particularly bloody time in Abu Dhabi's history, as three of Sheikh Zayid bin Khalifah's sons took power by killing a brother." (thanks Chris)