IOC must reject harboring of terrorists<\/p>\n
By Anak Agung Banyu Perwita<\/p>\n
ADELAIDE, Australia (JP): Debate is growing following the
\nU.S.'s controversial plan of \"retaliation\" against terrorists.<\/p>\n
Some in the Muslim world say the U.S. must be more cautious
\nand others implying support for the prime suspect, Osama bin
\nLaden, and his suspected protector, Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
What role can the Organization of Islamic Conferences (OIC)
\nplay as the Islamic-based inter-regional organization?<\/p>\n
The OIC evolved from the ideals of \"Pan Islamism\", to promote
\nsolidarity and unity of the Islamic ummah (community). In the
\npost World War II era, decolonization, particularly in Asia and
\nAfrica, provided the setting for an Islamic forum.<\/p>\n
For many of the newly independent countries, Islam provided \"a
\nstrong moral force and source of identity\" vis-a-vis their ex-
\ncolonial masters.<\/p>\n
The OIC now does not aim to restore Islamic unity as the pan
\n-Islamic movement of the 19th century did, nor is it an
\nindication of the desire to re-establish the traditional Islamic
\nsystem of external relations. Instead, it is a desire to
\ncooperate as an Islamic bloc within the community of nations.<\/p>\n
A crucial milestone was when Pakistan took the initiative and
\nconvened the first conference in 1949. Its main goal was to
\nestablish a commonwealth of Muslim nations which envisaged
\nIslamic unity leading to the formation of a third bloc of Muslim
\nstates.<\/p>\n
This conference's goal has never been achieved, particularly
\ndue to changes in the foreign policy of some Arab countries and
\nPakistan when they entered an alliance with the West under the
\nmilitary umbrella of the United States.<\/p>\n
Again, the main objectives of the OIC, established in 1969,
\ncould not be completely achieved due to major differences. Egypt,
\nfor instance, was too preoccupied with its \"pan Arabism\" in its
\nforeign policy, while Saudi Arabia stressed Islamic orientation.<\/p>\n
The number of members increased dramatically in the 1990s, yet
\nits institutionalization as a modern international organization
\nhas not progressed smoothly. Apart from egos and indifference of
\nsome member states, there has been political, economic, social
\nand cultural differences.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, as the scholar John O. Oval wrote, the \"OIC has
\nbecome a global formal network of official linkages among states
\nin which the majority of the population is Muslim\" and is the
\nmost significant institution of global political Islam.<\/p>\n
The formation of the OIC reflected a strong political response
\nfrom the Islamic world to an emotional religious issue. Hence the
\npolitical value of Islamic solidarity among members has shaped
\nthe OIC's development. This can clearly be seen from the
\nobjectives and the principles of its Charter, which states that
\nits priority is the promotion of Islamic solidarity among
\nmembers. Yet, it is quite difficult for all the members to
\ncooperate when they have to face the West.<\/p>\n
In the post-Cold War era, Islam has often been associated with
\nterrorism. The sharp increase in the threat of \"Islamic
\nfundamentalism\" has been one of the important issues that the OIC
\nhas had to solve. Even though this issue was a priority of its
\nseventh summit in Casablanca, Morocco, in December 1994, the OIC
\nseemed to be incapable of dealing with terrorism.<\/p>\n
To improve the tarnished image of Islam, the OIC members
\nshould first increase its internal cohesion and erase the Arab
\nand non-Arab axis which has weakened its internal unity.<\/p>\n
Second, they should agree to review an unprecedented plan to
\nstop the export of violence. The OIC needs to call on members to
\nrefuse finance or support for \"terrorist acts\" and to make sure
\nthat their territory is not used by violent groups to plan or
\ncarry out such acts.<\/p>\n
OIC members should be asked not to host, train, arm, finance
\nor provide facilities for violent groups claiming to represent
\nIslam. The OIC needs to restore and clean up Islam's image and
\nits position in relation to the West and stress that Islam is not
\nthe enemy of the West.<\/p>\n
Only by taking these options can the OIC maintain its
\nrelevance in a rapidly changing map of world politics.<\/p>\n
The writer is a Ph.D candidate at the Asian Studies Department of
\nFlinders University in Adelaide, Australia.<\/p>",
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