October 17, 2003	Friday	Sha'aban 20, 1424

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PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia, Oct 16: Muslim nations must take steps to erase the smear associating their religion with violence, especially after 9/11, Muslim leaders said on Thursday.

A summit of the Organization of the Islamic Conference heard that such an image must be countered by addressing the root causes of fanaticism and zealotry and by a campaign against the general association of Islam with acts of violence.

Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the Emir of Qatar, opening the summit, noted that Muslim countries had also rejected acts of terrorism. “In this respect, we declare our support of, and backing to all measures taken to put an end to this phenomenon, and our resolve to positively contribute to the international efforts to this end.

“At the same time, we reject dealing with double standards with this phenomenon, or relating it to any specific religion or culture,” he said.

“The more serious challenge ... facing our Muslim peoples is the unjust accusations that Islam and Muslims are being subjected to, and the continuous efforts to link Islam and Muslims with terrorism,” Jordan’s King Abdullah said.

President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan said the OIC “has to tell the world that terrorism does not represent Islam, that terrorism is the enemy of Islam.”

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said there was an urgent need for Muslim countries to explain Islam at home and abroad, as well as combat distortions by some Western institutions.

Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri said terrorist acts “have not only caused loss in human life and property but also have created false perceptions about Islam as a religion of violence and aggression.”

Mozambique President Joaquim Chissano, chairman of the African Union, called for a coordinated effort to combat the menace under the auspices of the United Nations.

OIC Secretary-General Abdelouahed Belkeziz said “smear campaigns and blatant discrimination” against Muslims in some countries had intensified after the September 2001 attacks on New York’s twin towers and the Pentagon in Washington, which were blamed on Al Qaeda.

“More damaging to the reputation of Islam and Muslims is the upsurge in religious extremism, fanaticism and zealotry, which have been recently associated with violence and terrorism,” he said, citing the Bali attacks and other bombings in Riyadh and Casablanca.

PALESTINE ISSUE: The leaders voiced support for beleaguered Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, but Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad said the Palestinians should stop violence.

Dr Mahathir hinted that the Palestinians should drop all violence against the Israelis and negotiate even if the terms were unfair.

“I am aware that all these ideas will not be popular. Those who are angry would want to reject it out of hand. They would even want to silence anyone who makes or supports this line of action,” he said.

He called on Muslims to emulate the Jewish response to oppression in Europe. “We cannot fight them through brawn alone, we must use our brains also.”

Qatar Emir Sheikh Hamad called on the international community to provide protection for the Palestinians and a condemnation of Israel’s decision to expel Mr Arafat.

He said Israel should pull out from the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Syria’s Golan heights and territories claimed by Lebanon, for peace to be achieved.

Arab League chief Amr Mussa supported Dr Mahathir’s comments, adding that Muslim states had already said they wanted peace.

The OIC would ask the European Union, Russia, the UN and the United States to continue working towards peace in the Middle East and implementation of the roadmap, said the draft resolution approved by OIC foreign ministers.

PUTIN: Russian President Vladimir Putin pledged to continue with political reforms in Chechnya during a surprise appearance as a speaker at the opening session.

“I want to assure everyone present in this hall that we will continue to increase our efforts on political stabilization in the republic, involving all political forces and in the interests of all residents of Chechnya,” he said.

The Russian leader won warm applause from the Muslim leaders when he said through an interpreter that terrorism should not be equated to any religion.

Mr Putin said Russia was keen on deepening its ties with the OIC, saying his country’s participation would “add to the rich spectrum” of the OIC and introduce the voice of Russia’s Muslims to the group.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in a message to the conference delivered by an aide, warned that “extremist dogmas are gaining ground, impeding the progress of the entire (Muslim community) and threatening the security of the people all over the world.”—AFP