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The Islamic Summit at Islamabad is a unique opportunity for leaders of
member countries of the most resurgent religion of this century (and
foreseeably the next as well) to have a meeting of minds as to the
dangers facing the Muslim Ummah because of (1) internal conflict and
(2) the pressures of external civilizations. We face daunting problems
due to the "clash of civilizations" as well as the sectarian and
cultural differences that seem to have divided Muslims into different
worlds.
Since the Summit is taking place barely a month or so after the new
government in Pakistan has taken office, it would indeed be a miracle
of effort if all the logistics are satisfactorily in place. The
security environment is certainly not conducive for at least a handful
of heads of state and/or government. While Pakistan would be privileged
to be their host, in the greater interest of safety and security it
would have been better not to present too tempting a target for
possible terrorist action, if not by various aggrieved parties than by
those who profit materially and psychologically from causing mayhem at
such occasions.
The Muslim world can be divided into geographical blocs of like
identity, viz (1) South East Asia, comprising Indonesia, Malaysia,
Burma, Bangladesh, Maldives, etc (2) Middle East (and Arab), comprising
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain,
Qatar, Oman, Yeman, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Palestine, etc,
(3) Pan-Africa, comprising Uganda, Chad, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria,
Burkina-Faso, Senegal, Mali, etc, and (4) Central Asia, comprising
Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyryghyzistan (with the additional State of
Bosnia-Herzegovina from Europe).
In its earliest days Islam spread from Spain in the west to Mindanao
Island in the east close on the heels of commerce. Only when Muslim
trade initiatives in the form of caravans or commercial sea-going
vessels were interdicted and looted, Islamic land and sea forces were
sent in as punitive measures and for providing protection. Islamic
cavalry as well as sea forces were a vaunted force throughout the then
known world. The Sultan of Istanbul would get the hull of his warship
made in Sandwip Island (in Bangladesh) from timber from Arakan (in
Burma) as early as the 15th century. Invariably the message of Islam
spread through the world because of the combined force of trade and
services and was backed by military power.
Today most of the populous Muslim countries, are struggling. While
western countries are openly protectionist in denying access to their
markets for developing countries, the more prosperous Muslim States
give the more developed countries "Most Favoured Nation" status in both
"Trade and Services" while denying the same status to the less
fortunate Muslim states.
In a travesty of justice, commercial entities from the developed world
obtain contracts, assemble a handful of management people from their
own countries and then bring in middle management and skilled/unskilled
labour expertise, mostly from the less developed Muslim countries. In
effect they skim off the profits while the actual physical work is
performed by the poorer sections of the Muslim Ummah.
Some countries like Saudi Arabia, UAE, etc have followed an enlightened
policy in encouraging a complete package from the poorer countries;
however this is not followed as a comprehensive policy universally. It
is important therefore that the Muslim Ummah gives "Most Favoured
Nation" status for trade and services to each other in preference to
others by allotting extra percentage points to entities from Muslim
countries. To give one example, whenever western countries allocate
govt contracts in other countries they give 5-10 extra percentage
points mandated by law to companies from their countries in the
evaluation of the bids. Why not have a similar system, giving
additional weightage to developing Muslim countries? Similarly part of
the gold and foreign exchange reserves can be kept in affluent Muslim
countries, the less developed Muslim world benefitting from the profit
given as mark-up. There is need to support direct relief to the working
poor as is done by Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, in effect giving support
to people willing to help themselves. Similiar effort can be funded in
less developed countries with support from the more fortunate ones.
We are losing the war on information mainly because the vast resources
of the Muslim world are not pooled and coordinated. This problem cannot
be solved by purchasing a few newspapers and magazines or by putting
into service some TV and radio stations. What is required is a
comprehensive communications plan for the media that employs one
central direction that collects and collates all information and
programs from the member countries electronically before beaming them
via satellite into ground stations in many languages simultaneously
like Arabic, Urdu, Turkic, Swahili, Bengali, Sinhalese, Malay and
English. There should be quality world news on the hour every hour.
Muslim private enterpreneurs must be encouraged to run TV and radio
channels through satellites, it should be encouraged in word by strong
government support and deed by financial support in the form of grant
and low service cost loans from Islamic financial institutions.
In the "Clash of Civilizations" as annunciated by Prof Samuel
Huntington, it is quite clear that the next targetted civilization is
Islam. After the fall of communism this was to be expected as the west
has always perceives Islam to be the natural threat to their
civilization for centuries. The Crusades have never really finished,
their modern sword is technology that is used to create false facts and
subvert culture. There is a lot of emphasis by the west on a
Europe-East Asia relationship, in recognition of the fact that as the
oil in the Middle East will begin to run out in the next two decades or
so, the present relationship will fade in importance as there will be
no further use for the mass land bulk of Asia and Africa as an unwanted
hinterland of conflict.
Unfortunately we are as much at fault for failing to correct the
media-influenced perception of the western masses about Islam as they
are in propagating false notions. We have never bothered to explain the
moderate nature of our religion to outsiders, with the result that
invariably the very vocal fanatic minority is always on display by both
the electionic and print media as representative of the character of
Islam. A central fund must be organized by the more affluent Muslim
countries that will employ a corps of intellectuals that will explain
to audiences constantly in the west as well as the east the basic
moderate nature of our religion as is applied to everyday life.
Far from being a threat to anyone, it is we who are really under
threat. That we are not in conflict with any civilization must be
expressed in clear terms far and wide throughout the world. The media
images of terrorism being an Islamic product must be dispelled by
intellectual discourse in an organized manner. Terrorism is a western
invention, in its most brutal form it is the prerogative of Christian
zealots in past centuries; today the same is more or less true. This
message must be disseminated through logic and reason to whichever
audience the message is being articulated.
While it would be too much to expect Muslim nations to come to each
other's help whenever the sovereignty of a nation is transgressed, at
the very least we should be ready to give moral and material support to
our brethren. On August 4, '90, in a News Analysis in The Nation
entitled "Iraq move danger to world peace", this writer had the
privilege to write, "As a situation this should not be acceptable to
Pakistan. We must not be averse to actively supporting the independence
and integrity of Saudi Arabia and UAE. There is also the matter of
gratitude for their constant expression of solidarity whenever we are
in trouble. Our swift and total support is necessary to shore up their
confidence".
The expression of unity in the military field can be solidified by
earmarking a "Rapid Deployment Force" comprised of troops drawn from a
number of countries, to be available to Muslim countries at short
notice, both for internal and external threat. The HQs element of this
force alongwith a skeleton operational staff should be a permanent
fixture. There is some move for a common production of armaments and
defence-related equipment spread in various countries. The economy of
scale should make it cost-effective, the indigenous manufacture within
the Muslim countries making it economically viable. Pakistan already
provides training facilities to many countries as well as logistics
support, so does Turkey, Bangladesh, Malaysia and a number of other
Muslim countries.
There are many subjects under the sun that require attention,
education, health, transportation, social security, etc. On the pattern
of the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC)
should have a permanent Session of an Islamic General Assembly and have
subsidiary organisations on the UN pattern, learning from the mistakes
made by the UN in enlarging an already bloated bureaucracy without
commensurate results down the line. While the OIC does do many things,
the perception of effectiveness is unfortunately not there. We must be
pragmatic in our approach, ensuring that all initiatives pay their way
in correct implementation and sound result.
It was important for Pakistan to hold the Summit at the start of our
Golden Jubilee celebrations as a country. The government has had the
courage to go through with this exercise even in adverse circumstances.
It shows that nothing is impossible, given the will and motivation. One
hopes this message of determination will be heard loud and clear at
this gathering of leaders of the Muslim Ummah.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
The Dawn TALIBAN REPRESENTATIVES AT OIC
ISLAMABAD March 21: An eight-man Taliban delegation headed by Mullah
Mohammad Rabbani, chairman of the interim ruling council of Taliban,
arrived here from Kabul on Friday to participate in the OIC Summit
being held here on Sunday.
The Taliban delegation intends to attend the summit as a full member
although the Taliban delegation was invited by Pakistan to the summit
as observer. The OIC seat of Afghanistan was declared vacant following
a resolution passed at the OIC foreign ministers meeting in Jakarta.
The delegation also includes Taliban interim Foreign Minister Mullah
Mohammad Ghaus. Iran and some Central Asian republics opposed to
Taliban had demanded that the OIC should keep the Afghan seat vacant
because of conflicting claims from other Afghan parties. The United
Nations has retained the former Kabul regime nominee and Taliban
accreditation has not been accepted as yet.
------------------------------------
ISLAMABAD, March 21: The foreign ministers of the Organisation of
Islamic Conference will meet here on Saturday to finalise the agenda of
the special summit scheduled for Sunday.
The OIC summit, with a pledge to tackle issues confronting the Ummah,
will take up the threats to peace in Kashmir, Afghanistan and Middle
East. The one-day summit will be attended by some 24 heads of Muslim
nations. Pakistan expects some 1,500 foreign guests to attend the grand
assembly which would be inaugurated by President Farooq Ahmed Leghari.
The foreign delegates started arriving on Friday, as the federal
capital braced itself for the event which is being observed to mark the
country's 50th anniversary of independence.
The OIC secretary general, Dr Izuddin Leraki flew into Islamabad to
attend the OIC summit this afternoon. At the airport, he was received
by the foreign minister, Gohar Ayub Khan and leader of the house in
Senate and secretary general, Motamar al-Alam al-Islami, Raja Muhammad
Zafarul Haq.
The Iranian foreign minister, Dr Ali Akbar Velayati, who reached here
today, was received at the airport by the foreign minister Gohar Ayub
Khan. The foreign ministers of Mauritania, Sera Leone and Niger also
flew into federal capital this morning.
The delegations of Turkish Republic of Cyprus and interim chairman of
Council of Ministers of Afghanistan, Mullah Muhammad Rabbani was
received by federal minister for housing and works, Asghar Ali Shah at
the airport.
The conference would have a one-point agenda, "Challenges of the 21st
century confronting the Muslim world." A declaration based on the views
expressed by the leaders might be issued at the conclusion of the
first-ever extraordinary session of the OIC.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, also chairman of the extraordinary summit,
will lead the Pakistani delegation. President Leghari will receive the
heads of state while Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will greet the heads
of government. Before proceeding to participate in the summit, the
delegates will watch Pakistan Day parade. After the inaugural session,
Prime Minister Mohammad Nawaz Sharif will host a lunch in honour of the
visiting delegates. There will be a working session in the afternoon,
at which the heads of the delegates would give statements, in which the
leaders may raise the issues confronting the Ummah.
-------------------------------
KASHMIR AT OIC
LAHORE, March 21: The agenda of the special OIC summit being held in
Islamabad on Sunday (March 23) was decided by Pakistan and the Kashmir
issue was deliberately not included as this would have undermined the
importance of the regular OIC summit to be held in Iran by the end of
the current year.
This was stated by Sardar Assef Ahmad Ali, former foreign minister of
Pakistan, who had proposed the summit and supervised preparatory work
for it till the ouster of the PDF government on Nov. 5 last year. He
was talking to Dawn here on Friday.
He said with the Kashmir dispute on the agenda of the special OIC
summit, Iran would have been annoyed and embarrassed, a situation
Islamabad did not want to create. Still, he believed, the participants
would discuss all burning issues facing the Ummah - particularly the
ones mentioned in the Casablanca declaration - including Kashmir, Al
Quds, and peace in Bosnia.
Answering a question about the talks Pakistan planned to hold with
India, the former foreign minister said he had been consistently
advising Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to beware of the Indian trap. He
said Pakistan should not hold talks with India at any level unless
Kashmir issue was also on the agenda. So far, he said, no responsible
Indian leader had given any indication that the Kashmir dispute would
come under discussion. In this situation, he warned, the proposed talks
were bound to fail and India would blame Pakistan for it. The Indian
authorities would try to portray Pakistan at the international level as
a 'obstinate and unreasonable,' he warned.
He said India wanted Pakistan to come to the negotiating table without
any agenda and to discuss peripheral issues instead. It wanted to evade
Kashmir issue, the real cause of tension between the two contiguous
countries. He said India was not serious about the solution of the
Kashmir problem and it was for this reason that it did not even touch
the core issue in all six non-papers it had sent to Pakistan during the
PDF rule. He said the two non-papers sent by him to India did address
the Kashmir dispute and the way it could be resolved.
Mr Ali said he had rejected the Indian non-papers with the observation
that New Delhi should send new non-papers which should show how the
Kashmir dispute could be solved.
The former foreign minister said the Western countries were forcing
Pakistan to hold talks with India even if New Delhi was not willing to
discuss the Kashmir issue. But, he said, it was for Pakistan to decide
whether it had any agenda of its own or would follow the dictates of
the West. "If we have any agenda of our own, we should pursue it at all
costs".
About reports that Pakistan and India could withdraw their troops from
the Siachen Glacier, the former foreign minister said by doing so
Pakistan would be letting India off the hook. India would deploy the
troops withdrawn from Siachen in Srinagar to crush the freedom movement
of the Kashmiri people. "A solution of the Siachen problem is not a
solution of the Indo-Pakistan disputes, and since Siachen falls in
Kashmir, India should address the Kashmir issue".
Sardar Assef Ahmad Ali said once the Kashmir issue was resolved, the
differences on Siachen and the Wullar barrage would also stand
resolved. Recalling that 60,000 Kashmiri men, women and children who
had laid down their lives to get freedom from India, the former foreign
minister said in case Pakistan compromised on these sacrifices, "Allah
will never forgive us".
Answering a question, Mr Ali said he was in favour of promoting trade
between Pakistan and India. He pointed out that under the WTO (World
Trade Organization) charter, Pakistan could not refuse to have trade
relations with New Delhi. He advised the two countries to make their
trade serve the interests of their peoples.
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