Muhammadiyah seeks an end to new imperialism

Muhammadiyah seeks an end to new imperialism

I Wayan Juniartha, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar

Indonesia's second-largest Muslim organization, Muhammadiyah,
ended its annual meeting here on Sunday, calling on the
international community to put an end to what it sees as a new
form of imperialism.

The organization also urged all nations to further develop an
international dialog, and renounce any hegemonic power whose
actions could lead to the destruction of civilizations.

"Muhammadiyah invites the international community to put an
end to all violence and neo-imperialism which has caused
suffering in places like Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and
Kashmir, and in other Muslim nations and developing countries,"
Muhammadiyah said in its recommendation, issued at the end of a
four-day meeting in Denpasar, Bali.

The recommendation also touched on subjects critical to
Indonesia, such as current widespread corruption, collusion and
nepotism, locally known as KKN, along with religious and ethnic
conflicts.

Muhammadiyah, which claims 30 million members, also stressed
the importance of promoting the rights of women and children.

A peaceful dialog, firm law enforcement, building a democratic
and civil society, and displaying a willingness to sacrifice
one's individual and group interests for the common good, were
among other things offered by the organization as remedies to the
crises plaguing the country.

Briefing the press after the closing ceremony, Muhammadiyah
chairman Ahmad Syafii Maarif stressed that neo-imperialism could
take the form of economic imperialism, or, more dangerously,
cultural imperialism.

Yet, Syafii said that he was aware that the struggle to
eradicate neo-imperialism was a long-term goal. The Muslim people
would have the chance to win this struggle if they had enough
courage to be more self-critical, he said.

"If Muslim people are being terrorized, trampled upon, or
otherwise suffering, we must have the courage to look at our own
weaknesses -- we should not just blame others, but we must also
dare to admit our own failures.

"I believe it will be some time before we can achieve this,
but I hope that we will be able to accelerate this enlightenment
process in the future, Muslim people everywhere can stand up to
other forces of the world as their equals," Syafii said.

One way to do so, according to Syafii, would be by holding a
global international dialog.

Failure to do so in the face of this new imperialism, he
warned, would transform the world into a place void of happiness.

"But I do believe that the initial step toward achieving this
dialog has already begun.

"Presently, U.S. senators are organizing the 50th National
Prayer on Feb. 7.; representatives from some 160 countries are
invited to join the event. I too was invited but, unfortunately,
I cannot attend," he said.

"This event is a sign that the U.S., despite its superpower
status, has already realized that power-based principles and
approaches in dealing with other nations cannot be maintained any
longer," he said.

Separately, Muhammadiyah Vice Chairman Din Syamsudin described
the reasoning behind the recommendation on neo-imperialism.

"The participants were aware of the existence of certain
imbalances in the world of today," he said.

"This imbalance is caused by globalism, which gives rise to
subjective interpretations of world events that favor the
interests of powerful countries," he said.

The U.S. "war on terror," launched unilaterally and without
sufficient agreement from the international community, was just
one manifestation of this new imperialism, Din asserted.

"Indonesia, its government and its people, must stand
tall and fight this new imperialism," he said.

Muhammadiyah's recommendations for the nation

1. All social movements must undertake reform

2. A mobilization of national efforts toward civil society

3. An end to corruption and nepotism

4. The resolution of religious and social conflicts

5. An avoidance of the use of repression and violence in
resolving conflicts

6. An increase of local participation in civic affairs, without
selfishness based on local and regional interests

7. Accommodation of greater public participation, including the
needs and interests of women and children

8. A promotion of collective integration

9. An end to "new imperialism," hegemony, and a promotion of
dialogues between nations