Muslim must reflect, win the PR war

Muhammad Zamir, The Daily Star/Asia News Network, Dhaka

Instead of becoming safer, the world appears to be deteriorating into a more complex stage where terror is assuming different masks. The recent arrests in Pakistan of a top cardiologist, a renowned orthopedic surgeon and some university graduates on charges of being hardened terrorists should make all sane people pause. The whole thing is very sad.

I believe the time has come for both the United Nations and the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to jointly consider ways and means to prepare a common strategy which would enable 1.3 billion Muslims in the world to focus not only within themselves but also question why misperceptions about Muslims and Islam are gaining the upper hand in many parts of the world.

In these sensitive times many are disregarding the fact that a great majority of the world Muslim population supports human development, the Millennium Development Goals, a widening of democracy and human rights.

What is gaining attention are such events as the killing of innocent civilians in Madrid and the grisly beheading of isolated individuals in Iraq. Islam, the fastest growing religion in the world, is not only becoming controversial but Muslims are being viewed as potential terrorists. We are losing the public relations exercise.

At this juncture, we need to communicate the moderate nature of the religion and the human face of Islam to the rest of the world. To do this, we need to draw attention to the fact that two-thirds of Muslims live in the Asia-Pacific region and that three countries with the largest Muslim populations -- Indonesia, Pakistan and Bangladesh -- are in Asia.

The European Union and the United Nations have been taking regional initiatives to remove mistrust and foster understanding. However, they have been focusing only around the Mediterranean rim and the adjoining areas. A wider response is required and the United Nations and the OIC, under the stewardship of its new secretary general, should make that their common objective.

We need to understand and convey to the rest of the world the positive and moderate elements in the Holy Quran and in Islam. Throughout the Quran there are numerous references to the need of believers to help others and fulfill mutual obligations.

It is therefore clear that the necessary foundation exists for the next step: The important role of the United Nations and the OIC to project the correct image of Islam and Muslims. It will not be easy. The media, particularly the Western media, is greatly persuaded by agendas, facts and figures put together by sources who are not always friends of Muslim countries. This has already led to a war, in contravention of international law, fought on the basis of assumptions which have now fallen by the wayside.

It was explained recently by the Malaysian prime minister in Washington, in his capacity as Chairman of the OIC Summit, that OIC members agree extremism and the evil of terrorism constitute a menace for the international community, its security and well- being. However, at the same time, it was also suitably explained that there has to be recognition by the Western powers that the widening of power asymmetries, increasing world poverty, economic deprivation and suppression of freedom movements are giving rise to terrorism.

Also, there is need for reflection, introspection and action both in the Islamic and in the non-Islamic world to bridge the prevailing misunderstandings.