Islamic Leaders Summit – A gathering of Eagles
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 (1) 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 seems 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 a handful of Heads of State and 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 then 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, Yemen, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Palestine, etc (3) Pan Africa, comprising Uganda, Chad, Niger, Nigeria, Burkina-Faso, Senegal, etc and (4) Central Asia, comprising Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrghistan (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 Country and sea forces were a vaunted force throughout the then known world. The Sultan of Istanbul would get the hull of his warship made in from timber from Arakan (in Burma) as early as the 15th century. Invariably the message of Islam spread through the world because of this combined force of trade and services 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 gives these 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 government 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 benefiting 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. Similar 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 programmes 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 with correspondents reporting in worldwide. Muslim private entrepreneurs must be encouraged TV and radio to run 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 targeted civilization is Islam. After the fall of communism this was to be expected as the west has always perceived 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 except 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 electronic 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 and 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 4 Aug 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,” unquote. 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 along with 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.
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