Standing up for Muslim Rights
For the first time ever Muslim countries collectively took a strong stand in defense of Islam and the rights of its followers around the world. This bold action transpired at the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.
The rare cooperative effort trying to be assertive in an international forum came as a surprise to observers, both Muslims and non-Muslims. It also drew attention of the major European powers, Britain, France and Germany.
The top UN rights body passed a resolution offered by the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) that expressed “deep concern at attempts to identify Islam with terrorism, violence and human rights violation.” Despite opposition from Europe and Canada the resolution succeeded by a vote of 21 to 10.
The document adopted urged “states to take action to prohibit the dissemination of racist and xenophobic ideas” and other material that incite religious hatred. While the resolution was being drafted the American presidential nomination campaign underway exemplified the vicious nature of the anti-Islam rhetoric. In several of his speeches Republican Rudy Giuliani demanded the use of the term “Islamo-fascism” to characterize references to terrorism.
For the uninitiated fascism is an ideology that spawned Nazism and the racist brutality unleashed by Hitler. Right-wing activists, such as the present-day neocons, want to equate that racial nightmare with Islam.
Just a few days after the adoption of the UN document the Dutch right-wing political leader, Geert Wilders, released a film posted on the Internet and shown on television, which maligned the Holy Qur’an by comparing it to Nazism and Hitler. The blond, blue-eyed, Teutonic looking policy-maker, wanted the Qur’an to be torn-up as demonstrated against the sound of tearing pages. That sound probably made some Muslim viewers cringe with horror.
The countries that took the strongest position against the UN resolution were, of course, France, Germany and Britain. These are the classical white nations responsible for creating and applying the doctrine of racism worldwide. Today, these countries harbor significant restive Muslim populations stung by the vulgarity of racism.
Currently, the mantle of racism is in the hands of the American leadership which, backed by Europe, is trying to keep the “natives,” the “other,” the non-whites, in their place. The “racist and xenophobic” ideas abound wherever the whites dominate, with Nazi swastikas galore every time a Muslim facility is vandalized.
The present time strategy of the white powers is to use the notion of the “freedom of speech” as a cudgel to keep the “other” in line. Imagine, the former Nazi state of Germany all of a sudden becoming a great defender of the freedom of speech! In that country, ironically, the leader is Angela Merkel, the Chancellor who grew up in the heyday of Nazism and thrived under fascist communism. No one has openly questioned her background including the free press that supposedly exists in America.
Many Muslims wonder why the wearing of hijab is not seen as a practice of freedom. After all it is a choice made by individuals. However, the three major European countries mentioned earlier want prohibition on the use of that piece of clothing with France having already done so for schoolgirls.
The OIC initiative for the anti-Islam bigotry came through pressures on members such as Pakistan. The 57-member body, the second largest in the UN system, was forced to act. It had to take a stand and be counted even as Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan showed lukewarm support under the gaze of their colonial handlers.
Consistent with a great shift in global power the formerly colonized today exist in a new context. That is why George Bush is busily pushing the expansion of NATO and the deployment of troops in the countries where the “natives” are getting out of hand. Colonialism is being resurrected under a new garb right in the heartland of Islam.
The demonization of Islam has been correctly identified as crusade against Muslims. It has to be met head-on. After years of silence OIC was moved to act and it is a step in the right direction. Three quarters of the world’s people have suffered the indignity of religious and racial bigotry under colonialism. They must not let it continue that marks them as “inferior.”
Whenever Islam is disparaged Muslims should stand up to confront the issue much like in the cases involving the demonizing of the Prophet and the Pope’s labeling Islam as “evil.” Local Muslims, national organizations, international bodies and official councils of the global community should all spring to action.
Abuse of Islam should never be tolerated. The model for that has already been established by CAIR, and emulated successfully by MAS. Various organizations in the Muslim world, such as Jamiat al Islami, Jamat I Ulama I Pakistan, Ikhwanul Muslimeen and others, should also copy the model provided for thoughtful concerted action.
Unfortunately, Muslims are one of the most backward peoples in the world. Among them individual activists rarely take action on their own initiative. Currently, there is not a single Muslim journalist whose writings appear regularly in the Western press. Commentators on television and radio are virtually non-existent and the scarcity of scholars, teachers and researchers is fierce. Even in the technical fields Muslims have barely scratched the surface.
Anti-Muslim bigotry must be pursued relentlessly wherever it occurs. It should be done with the same vigor as those who bitterly harp about Holocaust whenever any perceived injustice occurs to their community. The question for Muslims is: if you don’t stand up for Islam, who will?
