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| June 22, 2007 | Friday | Jamadi-us-Sani 06, 1428 |
Enigma of missing voters
Protecting children
True meaning of Jihad
REFUGEES are increasingly unwelcome across the globe. In a bipolar world, those escaping injustice were often received with open arms by the opposing camp. This is no longer the case. Even those escaping the harshest of conflicts are now viewed first and foremost as economic migrants out to snatch jobs from locals and, in the process, alter an area’s demography and its cultural milieu. It is estimated that currently there are some 10 million refugees worldwide and nearly 25 million internally displaced persons who are on the run from war and oppression. Their numbers have been swollen in recent years by ‘climate refugees’, people who can no longer earn a living in places of their birth on account of erratic weather, desertification, salinity and rapid encroachment by the sea. This is a vicious circle in which loss of livelihood results in mass migration, which in turn increases pressure on residual resources and escalates the risk of conflict. Another round of migration then follows.
June 20 was World Refugee Day, a date that should be of singular significance to Pakistan, a country that is no stranger to either foreign refugees or internally displaced persons. Decades after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Pakistan still plays host to over two million refugees who either crossed the Durand Line in desperation or were born here in camps. Many no longer identify with Afghanistan, a country still torn by conflict, and wish to remain here indefinitely instead of returning to a ‘homeland’ where there is no security nor precious few jobs. A number of second-generation Afghan refugees have married locals from the Pakhtun community and Pakistan is the only home they know. It is in this country that they have jobs, businesses and a dependable family network. Children, naturally, are the worst affected by any voluntary or mandatory repatriation to their parents’ country of origin — they will be strangers in a strange new land for a long time to come. Also, until there is peace and security in Afghanistan, the number of refugees who willingly opt to return to their homeland will remain low. In the meantime, Pakistan has to look after its own interests. Refugee camps in areas bordering Afghanistan are often used as sanctuaries by the Taliban and as such pose a serious security risk. They must be dismantled — as is already happening in some areas — and the refugees temporarily housed elsewhere in the country. Efforts must also be made to educate the children so that they can become productive members of society.
Not all of Pakistan’s refugees are foreigners, however. Some two million acres of arable land in Sindh has been lost to sea intrusion over the last two decades. Hundreds of villages have been literally wiped off the map and their residents forced to move in search of a shelter elsewhere. This internal migration is putting immense pressure on the crumbling infrastructure of cities and towns in Sindh. People who were once farmers now work as household servants or cleaners of seafood in fishing areas such as Ibrahim Hyderi in Karachi. The plight of the refugees is unique, for even the most liberal sometimes view their presence with distrust and distaste. Refugees are clearly the unwanted of the world. They have neither stable homes nor livelihoods, and in some cases have even lost their identity.
IT IS not surprising that the controversy over the missing voters from the electoral rolls is intensifying. When the rolls were open for public inspection, it was noted that the number of voters had fallen substantially — 20 million, to be precise. But as various parties and groups take out time to scrutinise the electoral rolls, their findings are quite shocking. For instance, in rural Sindh alone — a stronghold of the People’s Party —the number of voters is claimed to have fallen by six million. The All Pakistan Minorities Alliance has claimed that 20 per cent of minority voters do not figure in the electoral rolls. Another source has alleged that a large number of women have been left out in the NWFP where their participation in the electoral process has traditionally been low. This is most disconcerting in spite of the government’s assurance that the electoral lists are provisional and are being revised. In the first place, the official explanation given for the wide margin of error is not convincing. If the population growth rate is any measure, there should have been 82 million registered voters as compared to the 52 million actually listed. No wonder there has been an outcry and charges of a “conspiracy to disenfranchise” people and “pre-poll rigging”. Secondly, this is not a good beginning for the election process which, even otherwise, is fraught with bitter wrangling and mistrust.
The election commission must take immediate measures in the short time available to it to register as many voters who qualify as possible. Its first aim should be to make the electoral rolls as easily accessible to the public as possible. The demand by the People’s Party to put up the lists on the website is a good idea which should make it possible for anyone to check them for accuracy or for rectification. The commission should also join hands with Nadra to revise and upgrade the lists. It was Nadra that had prepared the 2002 electoral rolls. Why should not its cooperation be enlisted this time too? Most importantly, political parties need also to play an active role in mobilising voters for enrolment.
WHEN it comes to the state of health, there is never any good news. A new report by the Society for the Protection of Rights of Children is no different. It says that every one minute, a child in Pakistan dies from EPI disease, diarrhoea or acute respiratory diseases. We have known for some time that the infant and maternal mortality rates are very high in the country but according to Sparc, they are the highest in South Asia. This is particularly depressing given that the mortality rate for children under five years had declined over the last few years and now stands at 101 per 1,000 births. But this figure is just one out of other very gloomy figures on children’s mortality and health. Sparc reports that nearly 20 per cent of children are born with low weight. Almost 40 per cent are under the age of five suffer from malnutrition and 13 per cent of them severely underweight. Then there are horrifying figures on the abuse children faced last year at home, school or at work. That an estimated ten million children are working is sad in itself, as is the figure of over six million children not going to school.
This report is an eye-opener and should prompt the government into taking immediate action to protect the welfare of children. Existing laws on the issue need to be effectively implemented. Children should not be dying of diseases that can be easily prevented with access to clean drinking water, and proper sanitary conditions, nutrition and immunisation. The nasty campaign against polio vaccine did a lot of harm in the NWFP which must be tackled without delay. It is the government’s responsibility to ensure that they are at school where they can have a chance at bettering their lives.
ONE of the most burning questions Pakistan faces today is how to stop the suicide-bombers? The other much related concern is how to handle the misconceptions about the term Jihad. The first question could be answered properly only if one can explain the correct meaning of Jihad and then distinguish it from its prevalent extravagant misuse.
The mistreatment of the term Jihad is reflected in the extreme ideologies of those who have been responding violently to those whom they perceive as occupiers or intruders with negative intentions.
The misunderstood versions of the term Jihad are also available around the globe and have been excessively misinterpreted by the western media and their “experts” especially from various “think-tanks.” The domestic and foreign policies of “developed” countries on either side of the Atlantic often radiate fallouts of biased expertise. It might be helpful to note that the Muslims would be in majority on the globe in less than twenty years. Therefore, promotion of understanding and cooperation and sincere efforts to reduce biases would help the cause of “peace” in the “Global Village”.
Before we proceed further, we need to recognise that ideology of hate is not limited to a particular socio-psychology or religion. It is obvious from: (1) the suicide-bomber who killed Rajiv Gandhi, (2) the mass-graves of Bosnian men that were dug in the midst of the “developed” nations and “educated” leaders, where “Nearly 8,000 Muslim men and boys were massacred by Bosnian Serb forces in Srebrenica …, and callously tossed into mass graves in the surrounding area... murdered after the world had vowed that genocide would never taint Europe again” and (3) the physician Baruch Goldstein, who opened gunfire in the Patriarch’s Mosque of Abraham on the worshippers in Ramazan, in 1994. Thus, we can say that the “hate-mentality” is not limited to a particular region or religion, as these are only a few examples of such incidents among many; nevertheless, there is no justification for them whatsoever.
However, it is important to mention that the Qur’an absolutely prohibits injustice or over-retaliation. The retribution cannot exceed more than the initial harm as per the teachings. Patience and forgiveness are preferred choices. To commit atrocities even against a single human being, not to mention the entire population, is completely and absolutely prohibited in Islam.
The importance of a human life could be easily understood by the Islamic instruction which says that to slay only one innocent person would mean as if all the people were killed, and saving an innocent person’s life would mean as if one has saved everyone’s life. (Qur’an 5:32)
“… and let not the hatred of others to you make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to piety: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.” (Qur’an 5: 8) As far as Islam is concerned, it openly declares that: “Let there be no compulsion in religion…” (Qur’an 2: 256)
We also know that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was embodiment of Islam and was sent as Mercy to all the worlds from the Merciful Creator. He was “an exalted standard of character” and in addition to many excellent characteristics and human qualities he promoted a strong sense of integrity, security, harmony and mercy among his followers that reflects the true nature and characteristics of Islamic teachings.
The nature of Islam from its very foundation promotes peace, justice and harmony, serenity, calmness and bliss.
“Certainly We sent our apostles with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance so that humankind may conduct themselves with equity; ...” (Qur’an 57: 25)
Now it seems appropriate at this juncture to briefly explain the term Jihad for the sake of understanding and to put things in its proper context. The word Jihad has quite often been inaccurately employed and interpreted to mean ‘holy war’, a term that never originated in the Qur’an.
The word Jihad actually springs from the root letters j-h-d and from this come a number of closely related words that in reality mean to strive, to labour, to endeavour or to struggle. Muslims are supposed to strive in the path of God for the sake of their own improvement. There are various ways in Islam that one strives.
The foremost and the greater Jihad is called Jihad bin Nafs –- the striving against one’s own rebellious side of self. Self improvement is the natural outcome of Jihad bin Nafs. Thus, this notion of Jihad actually keeps human beings in equilibrium, in conformity with their original and true human nature and keeps them in a complementary relationship with their surroundings. “Go forth light and heavy, and strive hard in Allah’s way with your property and your persons; this is better for you, if you know.” (Qur’an 9:41)
“The great Jihad is that for the conquest of self.” observed Prophet Muhammad. Striving to spread knowledge for the benefit of those who need it, is called Jihad bil ‘Ilm (Jihad with Knowledge) – yet another kind of Jihad. “The Ink of scholars is superior near God than the blood of Martyr”. It is the intellectual tradition, the ideas of social emancipation, and the modern thoughts on human rights that actually owe their inception to Islam.
Jihad bis Saif is the last resort in line of defence, to defend the lives and faith of Muslims. When it comes to war that cannot be avoided even after utilising various means of peaceful negotiations, then this Jihad is adopted not as aggression, or a war of superiority or dominion, but as a defensive measure and resistance and a reply to aggression.
When people are confronted with hardly any choice but to stand against oppression, and suffocating miseries then Islam does not leave pretentious blank spots in the name of superficial, contradictory, and artificial religiosity in important social or global matters (such as warfare and conflicts).
Here the guidance restricts the Muslims to defence and defensive measures in order to exist and survive and guides them to attain peace and harmony. Even here the spirit includes the defence of humanity and human rights.
“…And do not exceed the limits, surely Allah does not love those who exceed limits.” (Qur’an 2:192)
“And if they incline to peace, then incline to it and trust in Allah …” (Qur’an 8:61)
God does not forbid that you do good and make justice for those who do not fight you in the religion or drive you out from your homes. Indeed, God loves those who do justice … (Qur’an 60:8-9)
In addition, Muslims are also asked to be vigilant as there are historical examples in the Qur’an where leadership determined the fate of its followers. If on the other hand, one witnesses anything contrary to the teachings of Islam in a Muslim society then historically speaking, either it is being limited by a confining socio-economic and political custom or a trauma or a deliberate external factor is at work. It could also indicate a combination of these factors.
“And do not incline to those who are unjust,” (Qur’an 11:113) “…and do not follow the footsteps of the evil...” (Qur’an 2:169)“… and do not follow the low desires of those who do not know.” (Qur’an 45:18)
Now, the recent alarming increase in the frequency of suicide-bombings shows that an anti-human mentality has been persistently at work. This frame of mind (that was originally manufactured with the aid of some “developed” and “developing” countries) has so far demolished a significant number of the innocent population. As those who incite or carry out suicide bombings have reacted irrationally to those whom they perceive guilty.
The ironic aspect of this whole phenomenon is that these indoctrinated people who indulge into acts of destructions such as suicide bombings perceive that they are fighting the “enemies”, while they are uprooting their own “roots.” They apparently don’t comprehend that the unfortunate situations they create so vehemently go against the teachings of the Qur’an and the last Prophet.
“The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear Allah, that ye may receive Mercy.” (Qur’an 49:10)
“And We will most certainly try you with somewhat of fear and hunger and loss of property and lives and fruits; and give good news to the patient.” (Qur’an 2:155)
“Allah will not be merciful to those who are not merciful to mankind.” “The true Muslim is one whose tongue and hand other Muslims do not fear” “A mischief maker will not enter paradise.” said Prophet Muhammad.
Now, there does exist a possibility to bring to an end to this emerging trend of suicide bombings and more so to stop the alienated and socio-economically deprived group of people who tie the “belt” for their last walk on earth.
The solutions presented and implemented so far have not worked. So there must be something missing. The question is what is it?
The only way out is to train them to win the “greater struggle” of life. In the light of the above and similar sacred instructions that are at the heart of the Islamic teachings we need to train them for a “Greater Jihad” that is, educate them to become better quality human beings.
De-Muslimising would never work; eventually it would backfire. Those who suggest such a solution are out of touch with reality and portray superficiality and biases in their approach.