More than 900 genetic disorders have been found among Arabs and their descendants, with high rates also among non-Arab Muslims and some Hindus who commonly marry relatives, a practice known as consanguinity. The genetic disorders from inbreeding create a host of physical ailments such as diabetes, thalassaemia (a blood disorder), muscular dystrophy, kidney disease, breast cancer and Down's syndrome, and may potentially increase psychological ailments such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or mental retardation.
Despite these possible side effects, marrying within the family clan -- most often to a first cousin -- is an acceptable and often preferred social structure in countries ranging from Africa to the Middle East and into West Asia. Such marriages exceed 50 percent of all unions in Pakistan; 40 percent in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Mauritania; 30 percent in Iran, Oman, Qatar, Yemen and certain regions of India; 20 percent in Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Palestine, Tunisia and Turkey; and 10 percent in Lebanon, Morocco and Bangladesh. The practice of consanguinity has existed for thousands of years in that region of the world, and was even at the heart of the founding of the Hebrew people, with some of the twelve tribes of Israel originating from the offspring of Jacob and a cousin.
Inbred family clans can become almost their own breed, with their own genetic features. They can have intense loyalties exceeding their loyalties to a country or any other cause, making it difficult to superimpose a democracy and Western legal structures on a society with clans and tribes at its foundation. Consanguinity keeps wealth in the family, and is especially preferred in countries where people have the least trust of non-relatives. You can surmise then, e.g., that in Pakistan, with its inbreeding exceeding 50 percent, the people have highly connected extended families and distrust any outsiders. Such distrust and family loyalty can foster behaviors that are frowned upon in the West, such as nepotism.
I know what you are thinking: Time to strike up the dueling banjos. Obviously, all this talk of marriage to a cousin makes a typical American say, "Ewwww." (No offense to my cousins, mind you.) It is so repulsive in the United States that about half of all states have laws prohibiting such marriages. Less than 1 percent of American marriages are to a relative, while the rate in Europe is about 1 percent. Historically, however, the practice of marrying a relative was common among royalty in Europe, and was quite the norm in rural areas in the U.S.
Although the Hatfields and McCoys are now a thing of the past here, they remain a very real and entrenched part of society elsewhere. And wherever these clans move, they take their practices with them. European countries with large numbers of Muslim and Arab populations have tried to get these people to stop inbreeding, but to no avail. In fact, the expatriate families have extra incentives to arrange a marriage to a cousin back home, because that can result in a visa to Europe for yet another relative, rather than for a stranger.
So don't expect these family clans to disband just because of some genetic problems, or just because they have migrated to the West. In some communities, the practice of marrying a relative is increasing, not decreasing. Maintaining the social ties of a family clan is a much higher priority than avoiding genetic fallout. The solution they envision instead is to eventually offer genetic testing and advice to potential marriage partners, to ensure that the cousin selected does not have any latent genes that would create a terrible mix in any offspring. What will happen to the poor girl who is discovered with an unwanted recessive gene?
An excerpt from an article in The National of the United Arab Emirates follows:
Despite these possible side effects, marrying within the family clan -- most often to a first cousin -- is an acceptable and often preferred social structure in countries ranging from Africa to the Middle East and into West Asia. Such marriages exceed 50 percent of all unions in Pakistan; 40 percent in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Mauritania; 30 percent in Iran, Oman, Qatar, Yemen and certain regions of India; 20 percent in Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Bahrain, Djibouti, Palestine, Tunisia and Turkey; and 10 percent in Lebanon, Morocco and Bangladesh. The practice of consanguinity has existed for thousands of years in that region of the world, and was even at the heart of the founding of the Hebrew people, with some of the twelve tribes of Israel originating from the offspring of Jacob and a cousin.
Inbred family clans can become almost their own breed, with their own genetic features. They can have intense loyalties exceeding their loyalties to a country or any other cause, making it difficult to superimpose a democracy and Western legal structures on a society with clans and tribes at its foundation. Consanguinity keeps wealth in the family, and is especially preferred in countries where people have the least trust of non-relatives. You can surmise then, e.g., that in Pakistan, with its inbreeding exceeding 50 percent, the people have highly connected extended families and distrust any outsiders. Such distrust and family loyalty can foster behaviors that are frowned upon in the West, such as nepotism.
I know what you are thinking: Time to strike up the dueling banjos. Obviously, all this talk of marriage to a cousin makes a typical American say, "Ewwww." (No offense to my cousins, mind you.) It is so repulsive in the United States that about half of all states have laws prohibiting such marriages. Less than 1 percent of American marriages are to a relative, while the rate in Europe is about 1 percent. Historically, however, the practice of marrying a relative was common among royalty in Europe, and was quite the norm in rural areas in the U.S.
Although the Hatfields and McCoys are now a thing of the past here, they remain a very real and entrenched part of society elsewhere. And wherever these clans move, they take their practices with them. European countries with large numbers of Muslim and Arab populations have tried to get these people to stop inbreeding, but to no avail. In fact, the expatriate families have extra incentives to arrange a marriage to a cousin back home, because that can result in a visa to Europe for yet another relative, rather than for a stranger.
So don't expect these family clans to disband just because of some genetic problems, or just because they have migrated to the West. In some communities, the practice of marrying a relative is increasing, not decreasing. Maintaining the social ties of a family clan is a much higher priority than avoiding genetic fallout. The solution they envision instead is to eventually offer genetic testing and advice to potential marriage partners, to ensure that the cousin selected does not have any latent genes that would create a terrible mix in any offspring. What will happen to the poor girl who is discovered with an unwanted recessive gene?
An excerpt from an article in The National of the United Arab Emirates follows:
Arabs suffer from one of the highest rates of genetic disease in the world, according to a research institute.
Some 906 genetic disorders have been identified in Arabs and their descendants, reports the Centre for Arab Genomic Studies (CAGS)...It warns that the problem will require research and collaboration among medical communities...These figures are thought likely to rise, too, as researchers discover new disorders in the Arab world and record them in a database being developed by the CAGS.
The centre, funded by the Sheikh Hamdan Award for Medical Sciences, has completed studies of Bahrain, Oman and the UAE.
It plans to compile extensive data on genetic disorders in every Arab country to help pave the way for treatment and prevention-based policies in the region...Several common diseases in the UAE, Oman and Bahrain have reached epidemic levels -- more than 100 cases per 100,000.
They include thalassaemia (a blood disorder), diabetes, breast cancer and Down's syndrome. Less common disorders in the Emirates include muscular dystrophy and kidney disease.
About 63 percent of the genetic conditions in Arab populations are due mostly to marriage between close relatives such as first cousins, clinically known as consanguinity.
Such marriages, deeply ingrained in Arab culture, are on the rise in the UAE, where the rate is the fifth-highest in the Arab world.
In Dubai, 40 percent of marriages are between relatives...
The good news is that more than half the genetic disorders in Arab populations are the result of a defect in only one gene, which means it would be relatively easy to screen for such a gene and to prevent or treat the disorder.
However...there [are] no national projects aimed at controlling genetic disorders in most Arab countries... preventive measures include screening potential spouses for defective recessive genes.
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