OIC conference

As a peace-loving Moslem I believe that the ongoing OIC ministerial discussion in Jakarta about Islam and terrorism within the context of erroneous perceptions of Islam is part of Indonesia's contribution to world peace.

It's not untrue that the West has very little information about Islam, and so can be forgiven for its misperceptions. Islam is often considered synonymous with radicalism, extremism, fundamentalism and all other "isms." However, I've a completely different intellectual feeling, looking at both the unreliable media information as well as the poor efforts of Moslem doctors of religion to inform people, especially in the West, of what Islam is all about.

In the context of international peace and security for mankind, what can be done to properly address the situation? Continuing dialogs can help enormously. Since the OIC ministerial conference in Jakarta is for this purpose, it would have been sensible if it had invited observers from different faiths for the sake of mutual respect and understanding. Let other faiths do the same while conducting conferences.

BUHARI ABDU

Jakarta