By IPS Correspondents
DUBAI, Nov 8 2004 (IPS)

Anyone who can turn a desert into an oasis of wealth, opportunity and development must be a brilliant visionary. And Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founder and president of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), was such a man.

His death on Nov. 2 sent shockwaves across the nation and the region.

”Words are not enough to describe him. He was our father figure, brother, leader, and ruler and turned this country from a desert to a lush green, prosperous federation. We will be lost without him,” said Saeed Al Muhairi, a UAE national.

His words echo the thoughts of millions of mourners worldwide – http://www.sheikh-zayed.info, a tribute website, recorded around 20,000 hits an hour since last Tuesday evening and reached over two million hits in total, and from 70 countries, by the weekend.

Sheikh Zayed was buried last Wednesday in a funeral confined to family members and government delegations.

Born in 1918, Sheikh Zayed became the ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966. Known as the pioneer behind the formation of the UAE Federation, emerging from the seven Trucial States, it was Sheikh Zayed who signed a treaty of friendship between Britain and the UAE, after the former left the region in 1971, and got elected as president.

He devoted all his energy and oil revenues to modernise the country – converting a dry barren land into a gleaming green, chrome and glass marvel. Given that the first mud road was laid only in 1961 under his supervision, it is his remarkable foresight that the UAE is today a force to reckon with on the globe, boasting a very high per capita income and some of the world’s best infrastructure.

It was to his credit that while turning the UAE into a modern state, he never left his traditional Bedouin roots. In his words, ”The present is only an extension of the past. He who does not know his past cannot make the best of his present and future, for it is from the past that we learn…The new generation should have a proper appreciation of the role played by their forefathers.”

Expatriates and nationals gathered together in hundreds to bid farewell to their ruler-benefactor. The wet cheeks as he was laid to rest were standing testimony to the veneration that he commanded.

”The sight of Sheikh Zayed astride his horse with a falcon on his shoulder inspires nationalist feelings in every Arab. He helped us use our oil income to make the UAE a leading player in world politics. Who would have known 40-45 years back that we will be living in such comfort and luxury now?” said Muhammed Al Nuaimi, an elderly national.

Vinod Rathod, a Dubai-based Indian businessman, said, ”The expatriate community shares the deep sense of loss with the nationals. He was a pillar of strength and never discriminated on the basis of race or nationality. We pay tribute to him for the man and leader that he was.”

A true Arab nationalist, Sheikh Zayed worked ceaselessly for Arab unity, staunchly supported the Palestinian cause and was the first Arab ruler to stop oil exports to countries supporting Israel in the 1973 embargo.

Saeb Erekat, Palestinian cabinet minister and peace negotiator, said in a press statement, ”President Yasser Arafat, Palestinian politicians and the entire Palestinian people cannot forget his generosity. Every city and village here remembers him whether through a house, hospital, a mosque or any other project he has built.”

The people of Lebanon share the same sentiments. Sheikh Zayed’s efforts saved the lives of about 250,000 from landmines. A UAE-funded U..N. operation to clear mines left behind by Israeli forces in South Lebanon after their withdrawal in May 2000 is one of the most remarkable projects commissioned under his directives.

Iraq also troubled Sheikh Zayed a great deal. One of his last public statements was to urge Saddam to relinquish power and save Iraqis from a devastating war that was to be launched by the United States in April 2003.

Ahmad Goweili, secretary-general of the Arab Economic Union Council, was quoted in the local media as saying, ”He is among the few leaders who played a big role in closing Arab ranks…His contributions extended to virtually all Arab countries.

They were joined in their commendations by the world media as well. Titled ‘Sheikh Zayed’s impressive legacy’, Pakistan’s ‘Daily Times’ commentary said, ”What sets Sheikh Zayed apart…was his attempt to transform a simple, tribal society into a modern, federally structured entity…By realising the ground realities and working out a strategy in relation to them, he managed, over three decades, to turn the UAE into the biggest hub of commercial activity in the world.”

French daily, ‘Le Figaro’, said, ”Sheikh Zayed was a wise man…Before dying, he appointed Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi as the minister of economy. This is the sign of a most important involvement of the women in the political process in the UAE.”

Sheikh Zayed leaves behind a legacy in the hands of his son, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who is now the president. A statement that Sheikh Khalifa made in 1990 is a telling one and indicates the path that he will follow: ”My father is my teacher. I learn something from him every day, follow his path and absorb from him his values, and the need for patience and prudence in all things.”

He said, ”I will continue with the ‘open door’ policy and with the practice of holding regular consultations with the country’s citizens, so that I may become aware of, and follow up on, their needs and concerns.”

Sheikh Khalifa is no new entrant to such a weighty inheritance – a task that he has set himself for nearly 30 years, since he became Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE in 1969. In 1976, following the unification of the Armed Forces of the seven emirates, Sheikh Khalifa became its deputy supreme commander.

Since the late 1980s, he has been chairman of the Supreme Petroleum Council – a key decision-making body – that he used to ensure that the country diversified its economy away from oil and gas.

A strong supporter of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council, Sheikh Khalifa believes that the success and achievements of this body will reflect the depth of understanding reached among its leaders.

In an editorial, Mohammed Galadari, Editor-in-Chief of Khaleej Times, a leading English daily in the UAE wrote, ”The new president brings with him a new vigour…He is well versed in statecraft…and knows by heart the nation, its people, its developmental schemes and its soul…”

Excerpt: