By  Mowahid Shah

May 06 , 2005

Campaign of Defamation

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights at Geneva recently adopted a resolution, presented by Pakistan, deploring a “campaign of defamation” against Muslims in the post 9/11 world. The vote was 31-16 with the US, Canada, UK, and the EU voting against the text. The resolution calls upon the UN’s Special Rapporteur to investigate and report on the discrimination faced by Muslims “with regard to access to justice, political participation, respect of cultures, physical assaults and attacks against their places of worship, cultural centers, business and properties.” The delegates also pointed to Hollywood films, which were seen as Islamophobic, and expressed “deep concern” over the “intensification of the campaign of defamation of religions, and the ethnic and religious profiling of Muslim minorities” in the aftermath of 9/11.
A pattern seems to be emerging of nation states using their participation in the ‘war against terrorism’ as an excuse to pursue their own agendas, which often appear to include the denigration of Muslims. Filipinos, for example, are enthusiastically backing the ‘war against terrorism’, perhaps in no small part because of deep bias against Moro Muslims in the south of that country.
The West continues to preach liberal humanism and tolerance in the Muslim world. But it breaches what it preaches.
Western leaders increasingly depict Christianity as under-siege in the Muslim world. In the Muslim world, however, many view the situation in reverse. The growing Muslim community in Europe is being viewed with suspicion and paranoia. British MP and Home Office Minister, Hazel Blears, told a Parliamentary committee that Muslims should recognize the “reality” that they were more likely than others to be stopped and searched by police and be the focus of anti-terror measures. Even in a liberal democracy like Denmark, Queen Margrethe stated that “we are being challenged by Islam these years globally as well as locally…we must take this challenge seriously.” The killing of a Dutch filmmaker by a Muslim, following scurrilous attacks on Islam, has further exacerbated the matter.
The new Pope Benedict XVI recently met with members of the Muslim community, saying he hoped for a “growth of dialogue between Muslims and Christians” and assuring them that the church wanted to continue to build “bridges of friendship” that could foster peace in the world. Calling for “authentic and sincere dialogue” in a world longing for peace, he cautioned that “peace is also a duty to which all peoples must be committed, especially those who profess to belong to religious traditions.” However, in his inaugural address, while Pope Benedict specifically addressed Jews as “brothers and sisters” and called for all Christians to unite, he left out any specific mention of Muslims. Previously, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he headed the department in the Vatican under Pope John Paul II dealing with church doctrine. In that capacity, he opposed Turkey’s inclusion into the European Union, stating that “Turkey has always represented a different continent always in contrast with Europe.” In 1964, Pope Paul VI declared St Benedict to be the patron saint of Europe. The new Pope’s choice of papal name suggests that the Vatican’s posture may become more Euro-centric.
All of the above is fueling a combustible brew. Course-correction is badly needed and has to be two-way for it to be viable and sustainable. A first small confidence-building step would be for Western leaders and policy-making elites to moderate their language about Muslims and the Islamic faith. For its part, the Muslim world needs to rethink its counter-strategy and develop a presence in thinking professions like media, law and academia.

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Clash or Coexistence?

The Radical Behind Reconstruction

POWs & Victors’ Justice

Islam on Campus

Community of Civilizations

Rule of Law or Rule of Men?

Unpredictable Times

The Quiet One

Turkish Model & Principled Resignations

Live and Let Live

Leadership & de Gaulle

Dark Side of Power

2002: The Year of Escalation

Whither US?

Politics, God, Cricket & Sex

The Company of Friends

Missing in Action : The Kofi Case

Accountability & Anger

Casualties of War

A Simple Living

The Nexus & Muslim Nationhood

The Kith and Kin Culture

It Is Spreading

Road to Nowhere

Misrepresenting Muslims

The value of curiosity

Revenge & Riches

The Media on Iraq

The Perils of Sycophancy

Legends of Punjab

Mind & Muscle

Islam & the West: Conflict or Co-Existence?

The Challenge of Disinformation

Britain on the Backfoot


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