Part 1 of 2: Germany within Europe's dialog with Islamic world

Gunther Mulack, Jakarta

Germany and the Islamic world have traditionally good relations, from which both have richly benefited. Germany had scientific and economic interests and sent traders, explorers,archeologists and scientists but not soldiers. We never were a colonial power in the Muslim world. German Orientalists have greatly contributed to the history of Islam, Arab language research and philology, literature, science, archeology and many other academic fields. This is history, but we are still very active in most of these fields.

The task facing us now, in this globalized world of the 21st century, is to explore how we can go forward together, how we can harness our efforts so as to tackle effectively the challenges that lie ahead. We must ask what can be done to expand our relations and seek solutions to its problems. The answer is obvious: We need to intensify not only our dialog but also effective cooperation on all levels including civil society.

We must definitely do more to fight islamophobia and try to spread correct knowledge about eachother and the faith and culture of Islam.

The events of Sept. 11, 2001 and the continuing acts of terrorism sent shock waves reverberating around the whole world. The ongoing violence in Iraq with all its negative repercussions will make the task not easier but even more important.

The many terroristic attacks, often in the name of Islam or jihad against Westerners after Sept. 11 have deeply shocked people in Europe and created a new threat perception. Islam is once again being seen by many people as a threat to the West or more precisely Western societies and their values. In the Islamic World American policies are being seen as a revival of the crusade and imperialism. The violence in Palestine and in Iraq are being felt as an attack on the Muslim Ummah.

People everywhere, including the overwhelming majority of Muslims, were revolted by the callous waste of so many lives. Those tragic events were a grim reminder that terrorism and extremist violence are a very real threat, to which we must respond with all appropriate means and the utmost determination. The fight against international terrorism -- as represented by al-Qaeda and other movements -- is far from over and likely indeed to continue for many years.

It was for us German that the terrorists responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks had planned them while living in our country as apparently normal students. Many people are now asking, as Bernard Lewis has put it, what went wrong? We are still looking for the answers, we are still trying to grasp the underlying reasons for such developments. The search for the root causes which led to such extremist violence is continuing -- among specialists as well as in the general public.

In December 2004 in Berlin for the first time a German Muslim Academy was inaugurated which should be an excellent platform for serious debates and discussions. It is now almost three years since the establishment in the German Foreign Office, of a Task Force for the Dialogue with the Islamic World. The key priority for all of us is to develop dialog and cooperation with the Islamic world and to learn more about the root causes for frustration, radicalism, violence and ultimately terrorism. The gap of understanding is growing and mutual trust is diminishing.

We have to do more to bridge the growing gap between the West and the Islamic world. We have to analyze the root causes of the growing hatred, violence and animosity between civilizations across the world. Why is it that radical fundamentalist or Islamist groups are finding ever more adherents especially among the frustrated youth of the Islamic world? Why is it that the values of the Western world have become tarnished in the eyes of many Muslims?

It goes without saying that fundamentalism is a phenomenon not specific to the Islamic world. Historically it has it's roots in American protestantism where it is still flourishing,and it is not fundamentalism we are objecting but only its radical or extremists political escalation.

And also we have to see that the radicalization of politics has been caused by the monopolistic control of the political process and the suppression of any opposition in most Muslim countries, at least in the Arab world. Social injustice and weak economic performance, high corruption also play a negative role. But also the influence of a perceived injustice in international relations against Muslims is a further negative factor.

There is no doubt that in the Islamic world especially people are deeply troubled by the ongoing violence in the Palestinian territories, in Iraq and in Afghanistan. The many civilian casualties of the war in Afghanistan against the Taliban and al- Qaeda as well as the ongoing daily killings in Iraq have caused a further rift between the West and the Islamic world. Both sides feel threatened and victimized. The impact of pictures send to all homes around the world through satellite television is tremendous.

In the media negative images abound. The point is not whether the impressions created by the coverage of CNN or Arab satellite TV channels are correct, but that these impressions shape the outlook and perceptions of millions -- even hundreds of millions -- of Muslims around the world. For many Muslims, perhaps for a majority in fact, the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and U.S. occupation of Iraq are seen as proof that there is indeed a "clash of civilizations" between Islam and the West. That is something, however, which from the European point of view must be avoided. Yes, we are facing a clash of politics. But not yet of civilizations.

The impression that the West applies double standards has deeply embittered and disappointed many Arabs as well as Muslims around the world. They ask whether human rights, for example, are something only people in the West are entitled to; they ask whether the West invokes human rights merely as a means to put pressure on other nations, not to better people's lives.

The events in Iraq, the horrible pictures from Abu Ghraib prison have deeply undermined trust which is, however, essential for successful dialog. Without trust there can be no sincere dialog.

Our response and active reaction must be to create trust by listening more carefully to our partners taking their points serious and intensifying the contacts among civilizations at all levels. And we have to call existing problems by their names. We do not want to impose our view of the world and our philosophy on our partners.

The writer is the Commissioner of the German Government for the Dialogue with the Islamic World.