Activities of IOS Headquarter & Chapters
Chairman’s Letter to President Bush
The following letter was sent by Dr. Manzoor Alam, Chairman of IOS to President George W. Bush on November 27, 2004. It was delivered at White House on November 30, but no reply was received till February 3, 2005
President George W. Bush
White House, Washington DC
United States of America
Sir,
This is to congratulate you on your winning a second term of office as well as to express a few apprehensions. By virtue of your being the US president you happen to be the most powerful man on earth, a man who is capable of changing the world for the better, or (God forbid ) for worse.
I feel encouraged to write to you because I, as the head of a non-profit organisation based in New Delhi, have come across visiting Americans who give us the impression that your administration likes to interact with Muslims and receive feedback from them on US foreign policy.
In the recent past our institute has hosted interactive sessions with and guest lectures by visiting American scholars. Though we cannot possibly claim to have identical views at this stage, we welcome such interaction because it allows the two sides to ventilate their points of view.
Mr President, in most parts of Asia the US has been traditionally not seen as a colonial power. This has particularly been the case in the Subcontinent and West Asia. Even at the height of colonialism this part of the world did not view America as a colonial oppressor. The land of Lincoln and Jefferson had an entirely different image from that of colonial powers.
Of late this image has begun to change, which is a matter of great concern to us. We have been aware of America’s power, but we have also been aware of America’s generosity of spirit and its aversion to meddling with other people’s lives or coveting other people’s territory. The US has been one giant which generally refrained from using its power like a brute.
America’s power was moderated by compassion, vision and understanding. What we have seen in Afghanistan and Iraq somehow does not fit in with our idea of an America that favours fairplay, international rule of law, and a just global order. What is happening in Fallujah reminds us of My Lai in Vietnam and the Wounded Knee in America’s formative years.
Do we expect a reversal of the familiar pattern? Is America planning to be a colonial power at a time we thought colonialism was a phenomenon of the past? We have reason to feel concerned when we see reports of American excesses at Abu Ghraib, Najaf and Fallujah. How do we reconcile all this with your administration’s reassurances that America does not mean any ill to the Muslim world?
We are encouraged to hear from your administration that an independent Palestinian state would be a reality within four years. Although we have heard such promises earlier also, we would like to believe that this time round your administration is serious about it.
As far as we understand, it is going to be a demilitarised state, with its borders under Israeli control, the Palestinians denied the right to return to their homes, and the Palestinian state territory lacking contiguity. The Muslim world as a whole, the Arabs in general, and most Palestinians in particular, would welcome even such an excuse of a state.
We are told you are a religious-minded person. That gives us some assurance, because we regard ourselves as part of the larger Abrahamic tradition, which we share with you, besides, of course, our common humanity. Keeping that in mind, we hope that you would see to it that the holy Bible’s stance “The meek shall inherit the earth” is not changed to “the weak of the earth shall be disinherited”.
On our part, as a community of believers we are constantly reminded of our special ties to the followers of other Abrahamic faiths – Judaism and Christianity (people of the Book). The holy Quran asks Muslims:
Say: "O people
of the Book! Come
To common terms
As between us and you:
That we worship
None but God"
All that you have to do is be just. The responsibility for justice is part of the power that God has blessed you with.
With great regards and best wishes for a fruitful second term,
Yours sincerely
Sd/
Dr Mohammad Manzoor Alam
Chairman Institute of Objective Studies
Iraqi Elections: Legality and Implications
Dr. Arshi Khan, senior lecturer, at Centre for Federal Studies, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, delivered a lecture on the “Iraqi Elections: Legality and Implications” on February 8, 2005 at the IOS Headquarters. He said that it is amazing to note that majority of the Western leaders, media and other information agencies have appreciated the Iraqi elections as the right move in the direction of democracy and freedom. Many of our academics have also maintained some kind of satisfaction with this election as it was positively reported in leading newspapers of India too. This shows our vulnerability to the West-controlled media sector which seems to be structured in many parts of the world. War is not only fought by the weapons but by the media also. Most of the media-persons are embedded with the US and non-US reporting agencies have to follow the US military instructions on selecting and rejecting the news items. This is happening in Iraq where the military occupiers structure news. At this critical juncture, we need to be extremely cautious in evaluating the situation in Iraq, be it elections or something else.
Iraqi elections are completely illegal under international law and the law of the Iraqi government which existed till 7 April 2003. This government was recognised by majority of the UN members. Elections in Iraq can be termed unlawful and absolutely illegal on the basis of institutional and procedural facts. The US could have used non-military means to change the regime in Iraq that too with the consent of the majority. The US in fact tried for this for over 12 years but failed. Because, the issue in Iraq till the US attack was the liberation of Iraq from the economic sanctions. The regime change and political reforms were not the Iraqi priorities. The end of sanctions could have brought the Iraqis back to their standard life. But the methods of criminality and barbarism were adopted by the US to inflict irreparable damages, humiliations and killings to unseat Saddam Hussein violating the UN Charter. Under the European Convention, Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other conventions, foreign interference of any kind is prohibited in the self determination of domestic affairs. The US military attacks which are continuing even today clearly show the mounting violation of international law, said the learned speaker.
The illegal procedures adopted by the US to remove the regime has caused massive violation of human rights of the Iraqis. The presence of the US army and their military operations continue to violate all the norms which could have processed democracy in Iraq. The illegal invasion was maintained by creating institutions and laws made by the illegal persons who have been denying the fundamental rights of the Iraqi people since March 2003. The illegal force created by unlawful Coalition Provision Authority which is now converted into the American Embassy in the Presidential palace of Baghdad. This CPA designed two institutions—Interim Constitution and the Iraqi Governing Council which are in total agreement to follow the rules and commands of the invaders. The Iraqi elections were held under the laws, ordinance and political guidance of those institutions and forces which have no legitimacy among the majority of the Iraqis.
Besides the illegal structures, we can find more anti-democratic and illegal situations under which the elections were held. The Interim Constitution has barred the Baathist Iraqis to contest elections. So where is the freedom of franchise? Under the new law of the double citizenship, many foreigners showing Iraqi origin polled in 14 countries managed by the invaders. Who will look into irregularities? Names of 7000 candidates were kept secret. Not more than five percent of contesting candidates are known to Iraqis. Some candidates have foreign passports. Many polling booths’ locations were kept secret. Iraq, except the Kurdish area, is under national emergency. Curfews were imposed on the day of elections and before. There was a total traffic ban on the movement of private cars including the airspace. US army distributed election pamphlets to Iraqis in Basra. Iraqi soldiers appear in black face mask. Anti-occupation Iraqis consisting of Sunni, Shii and others boycotted the elections. Iraqis queue for days to get gasoline. Can election be held in this situation? Does it appear that the election or democracy was the issue in Iraq? Would election bring pro-Iraqi or pro-American forces in power? Occupation has created a cycle of illegal rings around the neck of Iraqis.
Implications of this kind of elections are very dangerous not only for the Iraqis but also for the entire region. In democracy, representatives decide priority areas in the interests of the people. This will not happen in Iraq. The transitional national assembly would serve the interests of the occupiers in conformity with many anti-Iraqi provisions of the interim constitution. The CPA and the Iraqi Governing Council have already taken many crucial decisions in economic sector which negate the economic sovereignty of the Iraqis. The elected assembly would be conformist to the US design. It will also produce a permanent constitution by the end of this year, if possible, which will be in compliance with the occupiers. Otherwise the interim constitution would continue to prevail, remarked Dr. Khan.
Implications would include political and economic subjugation of the Iraqis under the pro-occupation forces in the country. There will be more ethnic tensions in the north of Iraq which will also affect Turkey. Arabs would be further divided on sectarian basis in the central and souther Iraq. The neighbouring countries like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait would face a dangerous combination of terrorism, insecurity and good governance. Syria and Iraq would either surrender voluntarily to the US commands or would face their warnings and Zionist conspiracy in different forms like sanctions, terrorism, WMD, etc. Iraq is now open to the Zionsit spies and Zionist war criminals who would do many acts of new crimes to weaken the border states. Instability and insecurity would prevail in Iraq which would be the biggest and trust-worthy base of the US and Zionist intelligence. The Palestinians who are already weakened by the Israeli occupation and innumerable attacks, would be pressurised by their leaders and others to accept Israeli designs. Moreover, Iraqi elections would be a kind of American symbol of democracy and freedom which would be followed in other countries. A democracy which would enforce the American-Zionist designs backed by military powers and media. Perhaps, this would create multiple layers of divisions among the people and between them and their governments, said Dr. Khan.
KOLKATA CHAPTER
Sham-e-Muzakarah
In a Sham-e-Mazakara programme held at Kolkata chapter of the IOS, Dr, M.K.A. Siddiqui presented a paper entitled ‘Socio-Economic and Educational conditions of Muslim Artisans and Craftsmen in Kolkata.’ He said that constituting as it does a large bulk of the community‘s population, it is the victim of neglect by the administration. The sad plight of this section of the community explains its educational backwardness. Speaking of this class of people in the country in general he said that data on Socio-economic and educational conditions of the Muslims in quantified form, on nation-wide scale are not available, except for the literacy rates, which show them in poor light particularly in the northern states of Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, having larger concentration of Muslim population, the literacy rates are conspicuously lower than both the state and the national average.
He said that data on occupational pursuits of the Muslims, based on the observation of limited areas, such as Kolkata, would present a pattern that shows the decisive bulk of the community members as self-employed craftsmen, artisans and occasionally in small business. A disproportionately higher concentration of Muslims in the unorganized sector of economy and relatively independent occupations is on account of their comparative absence from employment under government and in modern business and industry. The pattern of economic pursuits of the Muslims generally varies from that of the members of the majority community at least in urban centres.
Slums or the bustees in the outer rim of the Central Business District (CBD), the areas of abode and work places of the craftsmen, are the areas of feverish activities where craftsmen are engaged in their respective crafts to cater to the needs of the wider market.
Those engaged in business generally, though not in all cases, have a traditional background of trade and commerce, most of whom are drawn from distant parts of the country, such as Gujarat, Delhi, Tamilnadu, Kerala, Karnataka etc.
Some ethnic groups or beradaries have had a pioneering role in initiating and establishing certain crafts and occupations but have lost the ground to others and stand dislodged from the same; some other groups which had monopoly over the specific craft, have been marginalized or even wiped out; a few crafts and occupation are successfully held, but remain under pressure. Technical development in certain fields have made some groups irrelevant.
Despite such factors as the relative impoverishment of the hard working craftsmen who are exploited by middlemen and an obvious disjunction between literary activities and nature of occupational pursuits, an urge for improving their lot through education is tremendous. But facilities for educating their children is deplorably limited, and to the great dismay of the community, is subjected to gross official neglect. Existing schools are too few in number in which only a small number of eligible candidates are admitted while a very large number get disappointed and frustrated. Only 24 recognised schools cater to the needs of the Muslims constituting over a sixth of the total population of the city while the total number of schools in the city is over 600.
Dr. Siddiqui suggested that a greater role of the reflective section of the community in the improvement of education is unavoidably necessary and an all out drive for persuading the relevant sections of the society for massive and planned investment on building institutions can not be ignored in the situation that prevails. This task is of tremendous importance.
The improvement of the economic lot of the craftsmen lying at the root of many of the evils, including impoverishment, establishment of marketing centres for the sale of the products on more reasonable terms; periodic holding of fairs to promote sale etc. introduction of a system that allows them greater control over procurement and supply of raw materials used in their crafts; establishment of centralized and regional agencies to have a closer look at the various problems that exist and emerge, including the problem of modernization of the crafts, for the benefit of the craftmen, without causing displacement, are some of the suggestions put forth.
In a discussion that followed most of the participants regretted the lack of concern about the problem. It was suggested that a close look at the specific problems of each one of the crafts should be looked into and action programme be appropriately devised. Mr. Azher Imam, Mr. Shahid Ahmed Khan, Dr. Tahsin Ahmed, Moulana Abu Saleh Rizwanul Karim and Mr. M.G. Kamaluddin were among those who took part in the discussion. Dr. Siddiqui summed up the discussion and thanked the participants.
Condolences
Earlier a condolence resolution was move by Mr. Ghulam Mohammad at the sad deaths of Moulana Md. Sabir, Imam of the Nakhoda mosque, Kolkata, Dr. Maqbool Ahmed, Justice Khawja Md. Yusuf and Prof. Ezaz Afzal, eminent personalities of the city.
In a moving tribute to Hazrat Moulana Sabir Mr. Ghulam Mohammad said that he was an example of high Islamic scholarship and symbolized sectarian unity in the community. Despite his ill health he maintained the dignity of the office he held.
About late Justice Khawja Md. Yusuf he said that he was not only an eminent jurist but was always ready to render service to the community and the people. He had given the proof of his ability not only as a chairman of the West Bengal Minority Commission but also the main spirit behind the Iran Society and several other social organizations. Some of his judgments in the High Court will always be remembered.
Paying tribute to Prof. Ezaz Afzal Mr. Ghulam Mohammad said that he was not only a renowned poet but also had a towering personality. He has carved out for himself a permanent place in Urdu poetry and will always be remembered for his couplets that adored Urdu journals and newspapers.
Speaking about Dr. Maqbool Ahmed Mr. Mansoor Ahmed Mallick said that he was not only a renowned surgeon but a great fighter for the cause of the Millat also. His sad demise in the U.S.A. was a great shock for the people of Kolkata.
In the end the audience offered Doae-Maghferat for the departed souls.