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By Samira Ali Gutoc
Chevening fellow, Oxford Center for Islamic Studies, 2002
Founding member, Young Moro Professionals Network Inc.
Terrorism expert Rohan Gunaratna warns of fresh attacks by the Abu Sayyaf and entry of new Jemaah Islamiya (JI) operatives in our porous borders. I wonder if this would justify security authorities' interest to forward the Anti-Terror Bill. While security alerts are reupped, I am dismayed by the often simplified media treatment of the so-called war on terror as the war of We versus They, without any reporting on the context of what brought about terrorism. 9-11 and London bombings called 7-7 were the wake-up call to study more. What was the hatred about or was it the exception to the rule? What could the West, with its large Muslim immigrant populations, do?
A nuanced understanding of Islam in Southeast Asia was the topic of a forum in Singapore among British diplomats and academics across the region. Seeking to reach out to Muslim communities through an “Engaging the Islamic World” theme, the United Kingdom's Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) acknowledges the need for dialogue and multi-stakeholder partnership, especially from the Muslim world.
Islam in Southeast Asia came about through commercial and cultural contact. Islam here is characterized as promoting openness, tolerance, respect and a shared social life. Extremist influences were merely by-products of internal and external factors – ideology, relative deprivation, education which created a religious, urbanized and wealthy middle class, group-think and (perceived) persecution and injustice. Fundamentalism is a product of imported Bedouin mentality (from the Middle East), its adherents made more emotional rather than analytical, imposing their views on others, notes Singapore-based Kumar Ramakrishna of the Institute of Defence and Strategic Studies.
The radical interpretation of Islam which promotes terrorism and not Islam itself is dangerous. One of the reasons for misinterpretation of religious text such as saying Jihad is the shortcut to being a Muslim, is the lack of religious scholarship. Sydney Jones of International Crisis Group (ICG) identifies Saudi Arabia's Madinah University as one institution which produces fundamentalists. Some of those imprisoned hard-liners have translated their thoughts in uploadable literature, which advocate the overthrowing of secular governments. To my knowledge, Madinah university's alumni, who teach in Marawi City, have mainstreamed themselves in madaris (Islamic schools) and campuses. Many are apolitical and more of spiritual advocates.
To equate fundamentalism to terrorism is wrong. Violent Islam is marginal, said Johan Mueleman of the Oxford Center for Islamic Studies. While the Al-Qaeda structure is wide-spread in terms of ideological impact, the JI is decapitated because of the arrests of its leaders. In my study of the Abu Sayyaf, I find that terror groups have local interests to advance and are primarily homegrown, than consciously part of an international network. The Tabligi movement for instance is reported to be infiltrated by terrorist elements. But the Tabligh by its nature is very apolitical and focused on spiritual growth.
But just like their counterparts in the United Kingdom, Muslim communities in the region have been rather silent in condemning terrorism. While most do not support extremism, there is no active condemnation, probably because Muslims perceive double standards by the West in handling Afghanistan, Palestine and Iraq.
The good news is, there is a growing sense of civic participation from the Muslims themselves, who feel a need to explain Islam itself. Interfaith dialogue is promoted at an international and local level. Roadshows in the United Kingdom gather thousands in an audience who are willing to listen to young scholars talk about Islam.
Recommendations proposed to “Engage the Islamic World” in the short-term and long-term in the Singapore forum include:
- identifying future leaders and role models among Muslims
- support policies that support resolution of conflict
- systematic coordination of work ie Australia, UK
- sharing of information ie EU, academic network
- engagement at senior level, intergovernmental
- Shariah law implementation
- Feature successes in the Islamic world
- Young people’s involvement
I also feel the need to engage mainstream media such as MTV, CNN and BBC so that stereotypes and misconceptions that serve to divide peoples is debunked. Ain't it time to have veiled anchors and disc jockeys?
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