Writes Dr. Sibtain Panjwani

Submission at the meeting with members of the British Muslim Community at Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 21/11/2002 with Mike O'Brien MP

Mike O'Brien MP
The Parliament Under Secretary of State
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
London SW 1A 2AH

20/11/02 

Dear Minister,

Many thanks for inviting me to the meeting this Thursday (21/11/2002) with members of the British Muslim community. This is an important initiative established by your predecessors and carried on by you that provide the Muslim representatives the opportunity to raise and clarify range of foreign policy issues. Regrettably, I am unable to attend the meeting due to prior commitment. 

However, I would like to take this opportunity to convey to you the concerns of the community that are as follows:

1.  The prospect of war in Iraq is viewed by overwhelming majority of British Muslims with considerable unease. We believe that following the resolution passed by the United Nation Security Council resolution 1441 and the return of UN weapons inspectors to Iraq after an absence of four years is an achievement for international diplomacy. For six months or more it had seemed that war rather than a resumption of inspections was by far the likelier prospect, with all the risks to human life particularly Iraqi civilians and to regional stability that the use of military force would entail. The United Kingdom government must build upon this diplomacy to avert war as ordinary Iraqis have already deeply suffered over the past decade or so.

The moving reports coming out of Iraq which is confirmed by United Nations stating that the majority of Iraqis continue to survive on a semi starvation diet due to shortages of both food and money. This has resulted in malnutrition amongst young children, which is compounded by epidemics of malaria, cholera, typhoid and other infectious diseases. The worst scenario is in South Iraq and its marshes, in particular, where children are suffering from cancer. Their eyes reveal a desperate plea of helplessness. Cancer is a terrible scourge upon humanity at best of time. In Iraq, it is taking its toll at an alarming rate. All too frequently some or all of these children's needs are denied as a direct result of sanctions imposed by the United Nations that are vigorously supported by the United Kingdom Government.

We acknowledge and appreciate that our government upholds human rights, respecting the worth of individuals and the democratic doctrine of freedom and equality. It is, therefore, all the more proper for United Kingdom to have the people of Iraq in mind in the face of appalling and cruel suffering which goes on unabated upon them for some time now.

We know that there is no easy formula.

At the same time, given the breadth of suffering humanity in Iraq, it is not enough for our government to toll the bell of diplomacy backed with credible threat of force. It can do more. The British government being a permanent member can use its influence at the United Nations to work actively towards orientating a change in direction of the current policy of the United Nations within the international community. But, to remain a party to a policy that threatens war on Iraq under the excuse of a 'material' breach and without UN resolution will inevitably gives rise to an intolerable suffering put upon a section of humanity. This is to carry a burden for which history will surely attach a collective guilt upon all nations. We, as a nation, must recapture our sense of what is right. The time has come for new policy to be conceived and enacted.

The new policy should at least introduce a new criterion of judgement that seeks to

a.) Promote basic necessity of life for an individual in Iraq

b.) Respect the needs of the whole Iraqi society.

2.  Since 11th of September 2001, many commentators have used the current climate of uncertainty and war to promote a narrow and blinkered view of Britishness to call into question the identity of British Muslims as citizens of the UK. Britishness does diverge within and between many groups who make up the diverse culture of Britain and Muslims are no different in drawing their British ness from their own experiences as they begin to reflect seriously about the political space now available to them. The diversity, breadth and conviction of British Muslim views need also to include, as part of their faith, an explicit, imperative problem that needed to be solved: the forgotten Muslims, throughout the world, who suffer also from frequent, savage acts of terrorism.

There is no doubt that the cataclysmic event of 11th of September was a defining moment that requires introspection from for all who inhabit this world. Ordinary British Muslims on that day were as appalled and as shocked as the rest of the citizens of United Kingdom. British Muslims are as resolved in their determination as any other group in the UK to bring the perpetrators to justice. However, there are also concerns of British Muslims that needs to be expressed.

Firstly there is a problem with the word terrorism itself. The words 'terrorist' and 'terrorism' do not have any coherent meaning today. Many of the worst atrocities are carried under the cover of robust counter terrorism where many innocent lives are lost and even today, successive Israel authorities present their control over the occupied territories as battles against international terrorist groups who threaten the west. It is rather strange that some social commentators weigh up the rights and wrongs of subjugated people of the Gaza in particular children throwing stones at Israeli soldiers, while these soldiers are shooting down unarmed civilians with alarming regularity in the name of the struggle against terrorism. And to make matters worse and more complicated is that certain nation states such as Libya, Syria and Iran are regarded as terrorist states, while others who are guilty of violence in front of our eyes are not.

It appears to many British Muslims that the word terrorism has drifted and hijacked for one's own self interest, purpose and image and menacingly the word has become a propaganda word to affix to a religion like Islam and their adherents Muslims. With this undercurrent of anti Islamic feelings creeping in to the debate it is hardly surprising that Islam has drifted into the space once filled by Lenin, Stalin and Mao Tse tung.

Secondly, to a British Muslim and many others, the idea of war with Iraq with the aim of pursuing a regime change and justice for the people of Iraq is difficult to reconcile. We have to ask, is war that will inevitably displace some millions of people within and from Iraq, increasing civilian deaths by maiming their lives, driving them in to the misery of poverty and ultimately, taking away a children's right to life, really achieving justice? And this is at a time when a deep wound of oppression and injustice is perpetrated against Muslim. This does not even come into the equation of justice. Subjugated people of Palestine are killed every day, economic sanction and air strikes have killed one million innocent lives in the past ten years within Iraq, ethnic cleansing in Bosnia which has been allowed to happen for far too long, massacres in Chechnya, not to mention the crusades and colonial experiences that has left a deep scar within the collective Muslim psyche. In this depth of despondency, the world appears to remain almost oblivious as if a Muslim life has little or of no value.

These are bitter experiences of our time. It is self evidently true that human civilization benefits when it adopts praiseworthy traits in their conduct such as truthfulness, honesty, benevolence, self-sacrifice and a sense of fairness. These are enduring values pf progress and attainment. By the same measure, it descends to its worst elements when greed, injustice, oppression, arrogance and stubbornness become the guiding stars of human condition. This then becomes the breeding ground for terrorists and the terrorism of the individual and state, which emerges and displays evil acts of chilling consequences.

It pains and disturbs Muslims greatly that there are intolerant and deviant people within the milieu of Muslim society who have used their own design to inflict serious damage to the very fabric of our society and to the image of Islam and Muslims. As Muslims, we must take responsibility and endeavour to rid this darkness from within us. Today, we are compelled to not only expose their deviances but also express with vigour the authentic Islam within the framework of the Holy Qur'an and the Traditions of the Holy Prophet (SAW). This reassertion must present the heart of the Islamic message beyond all human biases and divisions and emphasise that the unity of mankind is at the very heart of the Islamic message. No cannonball rhetoric will have any impact unless we first raise voice of reason and fairness to make the case for oppressed Muslims.

The need of our time is to stand up and be counted as Muslims, whom the Quran describes as 'people most balanced' who are members of Abrahamic, monotheistic family of religions and let us present Islam as a living faith capable of providing explanation of the meaning for a human life to a world that is seeking direction and orientation. In Britain, we draw strength from the rich mix of cultures that has made us what we are today. Most Muslims in this country feel comfortably Muslim and British. We pray that a day never arrives in the UK when the test of patriotism is whether one belongs to a mosque or not.

I do apologise for this lengthy submission but felt that I should express the feelings of the community members to you with the sincere intention of creating awareness and better understanding. We are grateful, indeed, for the high measure of understanding and support that has been given to us over the years by you and your predecessors.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr. Sibtain Panjwani
Secretary General
The World Federation of KSI Muslim Communities