TT Muslims must speak out

THE EDITOR: We notice that over the last few months several Islamic countries have been subjected to what they are describing as “terrorist” attacks. The latest in this is the two attempts made on the life of the President of Pakistan General Musharraf on December 25, being the second attempt in just eleven days.

Previous to this there were attacks in Saudi Arabia and Turkey. All these attacks are being linked to Islamic extremism and fundamentalism. There is the clear suggestion that this type of action is an aberration of Islam, as declared by General Musharraf himself. This of course is being hypocritical and fails to go to the root of the issue of Islamic terrorism and fundamentalism. When these very same people attack India or wage war in Kashmir they are viewed as liberation fighters. Pakistan leader General Ul Haq carried this ideology into the army and it is well known that the Taliban is an outgrowth of Pakistan. In fact it was an extension of Pakistan into Afghanistan. Is not Saudi Arabia the purest of Islamic states?

When is one supposed to draw the line to say this version is pure Islam and the other is not? The extremism being visited on Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other Islamic states seems to be the logical outgrowth of Islam in these states. Therefore, any understanding of the wave of extremism must be found within its own ideological system, and within their own societies. The attack on India and the United States must be viewed as a continuation of what the founder of Islam began in Arabia. In our own society one observes the growth of this fundamentalism. Is it not disturbing that there is a growing frequency in reports about criminal activities and links to Islam? Clearly there is the need for Muslim organisations to openly speak out on this and to make it clear that this tendency in Islam is not what they stand for, and that they condemn these violent acts in the name of Islam.

KHASTRA SINGH
Couva