Angry
With Muslims?
by Anees
Jillani
Since my last article
on the Tsunami tragedy and the response of the international community
I have received a number of letters, some angry ones and others that
encourage me.
One Taufiqul Huque found my views about the extent of
the Muslim support to the Tsunami victims `offensive'. He suggested that I
consult Professor Juan Cole of the
University
of
Michigan
, a person more qualified than I could ever be to comment on Arab affairs.
He quotes from his website that by the time of the article
Saudi Arabia
had already pledged $10 million,
Qatar
, $25 million,
Kuwait
, $2.1 million,
Algeria
, $2 million,
Libya
, $2 million, the UAE, $2 million and
Turkey
, $1.25 million. He adds that if you want to compare the donations, you
can't do it in terms of absolute numbers. You have to look at the
population of the country and at its per capita income. The announced
Saudi contribution of $10 million is probably about $0.66 cents a citizen
on a per capita basis. The second US offer of $35 million was about 12
cents per person. Since US per capita income is approximately 4.5 times
that of
Saudi Arabia
, the Saudi contribution should be seen as about $3 per citizen on a
US
scale, with regard to the real per capita burden. The US Government is now
pledging about $1.19 cents per person ($350 million). The
Qatar
offer of $25 million is about $250 per citizen. The
Kuwait
offer of $2 million is $2 per citizen or $1.00 per person if guest workers
are counted. Either way, it is comparable to the
US
offer on a per capita basis.
As for my claim that Bosnian women were being raped
while Muslim countries did nothing, Mr Huque says it was the West that did
not do anything, but countries such as Pakistan, Turkey, Iran and Malaysia
were sending a steady stream of arms and ammunition. The West only
responded when it realized that there was a real threat of increasing
Islamic influence. It was at that juncture that they moved in - not to
save the Bosnians, but to keep
Bosnia
in the Western orbit. So, no, the West did not help the Bosnians in their
hour of need - the Muslims of the world did.
Then there was one from Amber Gil who asked me if I
was angry with the Muslims for not helping the Tsunami victims?
Ms Gil is of the view that the West has hurt the Muslims in the
past, used various psychological techniques to retard them, have invaded
their countries, snatched their resources, and used sophisticated tactics
to make Muslim countries fight with each other while they moved in
creating bases everywhere. The West controls all the money of the Muslim
World. Whatever have been their faults, the fact remains that they are
poor and cannot look after themselves, thanks to their enemies, what to
talk about others.
Ms Gil thinks that let the West look after the
Tsunami-stricken areas. They owe it to them, and bloody well should donate
a good sum. Their people go there in hordes to have their holidays. It is
easy to blame ourselves for not making progress. It is the Americans who
used to support and fund our religious parties with the hope that the
Muslims will dwell in mysticism, and will stay backward. But it is poetic
justice that terrorism has erupted from the same religion. In other words,
it backfired on them. And now they realize that it was not after all such
a brilliant idea, and thus are working with our government now to reform
our education system.
Ms Karin W. Stenger thought
that what I had put forward is so true and more people should ask the same
questions. Most of the poor Tsunami victims were Muslims. Most of the dear
little children were Muslims. Why do we not see the pouring out of large
finances from the Muslim communities in response to the international
grief? Many of the wealthiest men in this world live in the
Middle East
through oil that they inherited on behalf of the rest of humanity and not
for their own personal gain nor to use as a weapon against people who will
not submit to their draconian religion. One of the five pillars of faith
of Islam is Zakat, almsigiving. All Muslims are legally required to give
one-fortieth of their income for the destitute as well as freewill
offerings can be exercised. So why are we not seeing this happening? Won't
Allah be angry with them and ban them from paradise? Rather, they hand
over their almsgiving to the likes of bin Laden and Zarqawi who kill
Muslims while murdering infidels, the very people that are pouring money
and effort into helping their brothers in the
Far East
. The Middle East is so quick to call
America
the great satan. They pour scorn on the ways of the 'western world'. Yet
they do not mind receiving from them in times likes these disasters. And
we do not mind giving because we are driven by the love for humanity!
Mr M. Barrett, who is not Middle Eastern or a Muslim,
says his numerous Middle Eastern friends often raise issues that I have
mentioned in the article. They have often questioned why the Red Cross has
to often use the title Red Crescent in order to administer aid in Muslim
countries. Why is there not a Muslim organization that "hits the
ground" running when there is a need in the Muslim countries? Why are
so many Muslim people greatly interested in the Israeli-Palestinian issue
when there was little if any concern for Muslim Kurds, or any Muslim group
disputing with another Muslim group? When the Palestinians moved into
Egypt
and into
Jordan
and were later expelled, there was little concern from neighboring Muslim
countries for the evicted Palestinians by another Muslim country. As an
"outsider" or "spectator", it appears the Muslim
community has sympathy for Palestinians only when
Israel
is the opponent. When Jews were evicted from Muslim countries after the
re-formation of the State of Israel,
Israel
"adsorbed" those homeless Jews into the new State of Israel. Why
after so many years after the surrounding Arab countries (NOT
Israel
) encouraged the Palestinians to leave their homes, why have not those
Muslim Palestinians been "absorbed" into neighboring Muslim
countries. As a "spectator", it appears the Palestinians are
nothing more than a tool to be manipulated and used to fight and destroy
Israel
and the Jews? While Middle
Eastern Muslim territory outnumber Israel by more than 600%, Israel still
sends aid to countries around the world at times of "need". It
seems (at least to some spectators) that the Muslim community is not moved
by human needs, justice, equality, freedom, democracy or compassion.
Mr Ather Mohiuddin made me aware that there is no
"Ummah" at present. Most rulers are corrupt to the core and are
slaves of the West. Unfortunately as per one authentic hadith, they are
put into power by the equally corrupt masses.
And then there was Mr Ali Sina who thanked me for the
article and for trying to sensitize the ummah to be more humane. Another
refreshing mail, my first ever from
Srinagar
: The editor of Kashmir Observer, Mr Sajjad Haider, thanked me for writing
on this sensitive issue. Mr Haider thinks that write- ups on such topics
are necessary to clear the misconceptions we live with. Ms Johanna
Lodewijks just wanted me to mention that
China
had also donated 44.5 million euros.
And, finally, Dr Eileen Austin, who was touched by
the article! She said that we must respond to this tragedy, because while
you see us as Westerners, we see ourselves as children and grandchildren
of the earth. “You are our mothers and fathers,...cousins, distant
brothers and sisters. You just don't know it. “Dr Austin’s
grandparents were driven from the
Middle East
during the First World War. Her grandmother survived barely as she fled
with her son to the
US
. Her older daughter had been taken to a harem. Her parents and brother
slaughtered by soldiers. She says, “That is why we help, we know what it
is to be naked, hungry and friendless. Something to think about...”
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