Geopolitical Analysis

The Asian phenomenon, by K.N. Pandita

Active Islamic radicalism coupled with terror is now more than two decades old. It emerged as a forceful reaction to the Soviet incursion into Afghanistan in 1979. Ever since those fateful days it has changed its skin. It boomeranged on those who provided it logistics, obviously for political ends.

Victimized nations have condemned it as brutality against humanity. Islamists have called it a legitimate struggle for freedom from oppression and loot of their natural resources and re-establishment of Islamic identity. Both hold on tenaciously to their respective stances. In the process, violence consumes innocent and precious lives.

Muslims have a grudge against the Europeans. They feel that the Europeans supported Israel grab their land in the Middle East. They also say the US and its western allies have been controlling their hydrocarbon reserves and oil transportation routes to their detriment.

A sort of animus has developed between the Muslims and the Western powers. Yet despite this, hundreds of thousands of Muslims have migrated to and settled down in the US and in European countries. Most of them have made a good living there as they are hard workers.

Should this conflict go on endlessly? Should it continue to cause distress to innocent people in different parts of the world? We don’t think it should be like that.

Islam has ardent followers in almost all countries of the world. So has the Christianity. Their influence on people is enormous. So are their responsibilities.

A mechanism is needed that would assure the Muslim world of its independence and identity as a great actor on human platform. The west should stop using Muslims as pawns for political ends. The climate of suspicion that has been artificially generated around the Muslim community should be reversed and an atmosphere of trust and mutual confidence needs to be restored.

It is important that the western powers develop a cooperative and collaborative mechanism in which the vast Muslim

world becomes equal partner and actor. Transfer of technology leading to economic progress and incremental life style in the Muslim world should be offered without strings. Trade and commerce with the Muslim world should receive impetus.

Industrialization of the Muslim world should be a permanent program of developed countries. And at the same time, the western powers should try to reduce their interference in the internal affairs of Muslim countries.

It is not the business of outsiders to advice the Muslim countries what type of political arrangements they must adopt or adhere to. The Muslim world will not need to accept either policeman-ship or the role of big brother. Treatment at equal levels is the key to winning their goodwill. The policy of divide and rule has to be wound up for all times.

At the same time the Muslim countries also need to adapt themselves to the changed times. Israel is a reality and has to be accepted. Having said that it follows that a mechanism has to be evolved that ensures friendly relations with Israel. Recent statements of the Iranian President about his intentions of destroying Israel are unacceptable. No sane elements will either accept it or allow it.

The Muslims need to remember that violence carried out in whatever way cannot win the battle for them. It is the dialogue that can win the day. The Muslim must learn to be united and not to let interested parties exploit them for their political aggrandizement.

An important conclusion of current political stalemate is that oil being the life line for the humanity, the Muslim states with oil booty should be prepared to share it with others as universal property. However they will retain their limited proprietary rights. But to think that they will choke the world is totally unacceptable. Oil is a common property like air and water. It must be remembered that an alternative source of energy is what the developed world is seriously and desperately looking for.

The Muslims toy with the idea that they being the believers in Allah will succeed in showing down other faiths, especially Judaism, Christianity or Hinduism. They must give up such absurd ideas and be realists. All faiths, small or big, have to co-exist on this globe. A liberal attitude needs to be adopted towards all other religions. That is not going to do any harm to the prestige of Islam rather would enhance it manifold.

And finally Muslims need to understand that notwithstanding the perfection of their social system and religious code, the world community has made many positive experiments with social changes in an age of scientific and technological advancement. The Muslims need to accept and adapt themselves to what is positive and constructive in these experiments and not to stick to an ostrich – like behavior.

It would be in fitness of things if religious and political leadership of all faiths and religions make a common pledge to observe the norms of peaceful coexistence without prejudice to their respective ideologies and patterns of life. The earth would be a better place to live on if they have the realization of the importance of their role.
New Delhi, Feb 17, 2007 – The End.