Muslim Organisations In Southeast Asia

[churchill]

Bangkok Thailand: More than 30 Muslim NGO activists and representatives from Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines and Cambodia today gathered in the capital of Thailand to discuss the impact and implications of three conflict-torn regions in Southeast Asia and called for ASEAN and ASEAN member governments to undertake new and renewed efforts to tackle the conflicts.

The two-day gathering entitled Peoples Call for Justice and Peace, organised by the Council of Muslim Organizations of Thailand and the Nusantara Initiatives for Justice and Peace (NADI) and held at the Islamic Centre, Bangkok, focused on the military campaigns, their impact, and the human rights situation of:

The Rohingyas in Arakan, Myanmar

The Muslims of Yala, Narathiwat, Patani and Satun, and

The Bangsamoro of Mindanao, Philippines.

In all of these three conflict zones, millions have been killed, displaced and made refugees either in their own countries or other countries in which they have sought asylum, and/or made to suffer a host of human rights violations for several decades. Generations of Rohingyas, Moros and South Thai Malays are growing up in an environment of violence, deprivation and tragedy.

With the launch of the 'War on Terror', these conflicts have been presented and received as part and parcel of the efforts against terrorism and hardline Islamism. As many speakers in the conference noted, however, the decades-long history and contemporary dynamics of all three conflict areas stem from particular, local grievances that have concrete, social, economic, political and civic dimensions and manifestations.

The three conflicts, involving the issue of the right of self-determination to indigenous communities, have been going on for many years without any resolution and produced serious violation of human rights, socio-economic underdevelopment; waste of valuable and limited resources on trying to find a military solution to the conflict; dislocation, poverty and hardship for millions of people, Penang-based Citizens International's executive director Mohideen Abdul Kader said in his presentation.

Mohideen also pointed out that unless the conflicts are tackled and redressed effectively and justly, the worsening and spread of their impacts could spill over national borders.

They have also created tension between neighboring states which could seriously affect the evolution of the proposed ASEAN Community... The member states, where the conflicts exist, must be made to realise that there can be no peace, security and development without resolving the just claims of those whose right to self-determination has been denied for decades, Mohideen noted.

Along these lines, the non-interference principle adopted by ASEAN states is long overdue for a overhaul in favour of more effective and relevant policy options while still respecting ASEAN members' national sovereignty, said Mohideen.

For these and other reasons, the groups called for ASEAN governments to engage with the governments of Myanmar, Thailand and Philippines in putting the point across that the security and situation within their strife-stricken jurisdictions impacts upon the security and situation of the region as a whole.

We must civilianise the situation, not militarise as has currently been opted, foremost human rights education and legal expert Dr Vitit Mantraporn said in his remarks, in which he spoke at length also on human rights in the context of security concerns in South Thailand.

The conference issued 'The Bangkok Declaration', which they will submit to the governments of Thailand and other ASEAN member states, that calls on them for them to eschew military options for the resolution of conflict in favour of peaceful and holistic strategies of dispute settlement, socio-economic development and political empowerment.

The other demands issued by the conference that the groups directed to the governments of ASEAN include:

to guarantee the people's legitimate rights to justice and peace, to live in dignity, to the fulfillment of basic needs and to the equitable distribution of national resources;

promote engagement and consultation between States and their peoples and the need to live up to our collective responsibilities for the resolution of conflicts and disputes;

intensify regional and international cooperation for the promotion, sharing and implementation of policies and best practices to ensure fairness and justice and for the safeguarding of the interests, livelihood, and general wellbeing of the people;

resolve immediately the plight of the Rohingyas, the South Thailand unrest and the Bangsamoro struggle through mutual consultation and collective effort between all ASEAN governments based on the justice and legitimate rights of the people;

work with the UN, the international community and civil society groups in protecting, assisting and according the rights of all peoples displaced from their homes by conflict or persecution to justice and fair treatment as expected by the States' own citizens and on principles of universal humanitarian grounds until such times as these same States can guarantee such displaced persons safe return to their homelands and dignified lives therein.

ratify the 1951 Convention Related to the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness and the 1990 International Convention for the Protection of the Right of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families;

form nation-wide truth and reconciliation commission in the countries of Myanmar, Thailand and Philippines to rebuild justice and trust among all communities and institutions by addressing and tackling past human rights violation, reviewing all national security cases.

http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/news/news.php?article=16958

[cmdream]

" with the launch of the "War on Terror" I beg to differ, what about " The Jihad on America" launch years before ?

[Orac]

" with the launch of the "War on Terror" I beg to differ, what about " The Jihad on America" launch years before ?

I wasn't aware that any of the specific groups mentioned were involved in a 'Jihad on America' - maybe you could enlighten me???

[Meridian007]

" with the launch of the "War on Terror" I beg to differ, what about " The Jihad on America" launch years before ?

You should read the article before going off in a fury of nationalist/racist hate.

With the launch of the 'War on Terror', these conflicts have been presented and received as part and parcel of the efforts against terrorism and hardline Islamism.

It's talking about how these human rights issues have been brought to light by the actions of extremism in the Islamic community (terrorism). These are the kind of things that might be able to fix this conflict. If we (the non-muslim world) focus on helping the moderate populations of Muslims, they realize that all the rest of us aren't out to kill them because of their religion. Both sides can be tolerant of each other's religion, but when all people in a religion are looked down upon, forgotten, and left to die, I can see how they'd have reason to hate us. It's a vicious circle that has to be stopped somewhere.

[cmdream]

The Muslims in Thailand are Jihad

The Muslims in Mindinao, PI are Jihad

The Muslims in Burma must have done something to piss off the government there.

Jihad is not only directed at America, it is a war on Infidels worldwide. China, Somalia, Afghanistan etc.

These people that are gathering to complain about human rights should be addressing their complaints to their

jihad Mullahs. To solve a problem you must first understand the root cause. The solution is in their backyard.

[Meridian007]

Okay, I'm not Muslim (I'm quite happily Buddhist, thank you), but this is part of the problem that Orac asked you about. Not all sects of Islam are crazy, infidel-killing soldiers. Check out information on Sunni versus Shia especially.

As well, Jihad does not always mean war. In its purist sense, it means a personal struggle to embody the spiritual precepts outlined in the Quran. It can then extend to missionary work, but the violent part has only been taken on by a small minority of Muslims who read the Quran too narrowly and literally. This fundamentalism gets the most news because of media sensationalism, but it does not typify all Muslims.

If you are Christian, should I assume that you believe and act like Benny Hinn? Hopefully not, because he is a Fundamentalist Christian with no more of a grasp on reality than Bin Laden.

If we could stop stereotyping everyone for a minute, maybe things wouldn't be so dire!

****Edit because I forgot some stuff!****

As to the problem of blame, most of these people are just poor villagers who have no say in the lives of the political and religious leaders. Their only power is grassroots action, which I'm not surprised has been minimal (but not non-existent) in light of the treatment they get from the rest of the world. The only support they get in the world is usually from the fundamentalist nutjobs that want to turn them into frontline soldiers.

If these aid meetings work, and help can be given from east and west, maybe we'd see a difference (and more support against the form of Jihad you're talking about) since most Muslims do not agree with the actions of the extremist minority.

Edited October 16, 2009 by Meridian007

[norwayeagle]

The Muslims in Thailand are Jihad

The Muslims in Mindinao, PI are Jihad

The Muslims in Burma must have done something to piss off the government there.

Jihad is not only directed at America, it is a war on Infidels worldwide. China, Somalia, Afghanistan etc.

These people that are gathering to complain about human rights should be addressing their complaints to their

jihad Mullahs. To solve a problem you must first understand the root cause. The solution is in their backyard.

The Muslims in Thailand are Jihad.That's not correct.Or wherever there are Muslims in the world.Actually a true Muslim is a Good human being.

[animatic]

The Muslims in Thailand are Jihad

The Muslims in Mindinao, PI are Jihad

The Muslims in Burma must have done something to piss off the government there.

Jihad is not only directed at America, it is a war on Infidels worldwide. China, Somalia, Afghanistan etc.

These people that are gathering to complain about human rights should be addressing their complaints to their

jihad Mullahs. To solve a problem you must first understand the root cause. The solution is in their backyard.

A distinctly SMALL percentage of Muslem sects are jihadist against the west.

But to lump all muslems into that tiny grouping of extremists is directly playing

into the extremists hands, by letting them say;

' the infidels treat you ALL like this,

join us and we will give you a better deal

in your land, AFTER we run off the infidels.'

This is the basic point being made.

The Myanmar junta has basically made war on MOST groups

claiming any identity that they control themselves,

and they are vicious about putting them down.

That junta puts the tongs to Christians, Buddhists,

Muslems and Taoists with equal fervor.

The latent racism inculcated from the 'nation building' of the Thai schooling paradigm

also plays into this bad end. 'We are Thai, if you are not with us you are outsiders,

and not as good as 'Real Thais.'' This top down, cradle to grave mindset,

drives the Thailand version of this repression. Thai muslems will look down on Burmese,

even as they themselves are looked down on, because they are schooled that way.

I won't comment on the Philippines version,

other than it likely pulls from some of the same mindsets of generations.

It behooves ASEAN to really address this problem.

It has little or nothing to do with the American War on Terror,

except as a potential target for those anti west extremists.

As we have seen in Bali and Indonesia.

The vast majority if muslems are live and let live, if they get the same in return.

[Thai at Heart]

Until they put down their guns, they shouldn't be listened to.

[SoiGirlHunter]

>>>small minority of Muslims who read the Quran too narrowly and literal

whats written in the Quran and the Hadiths looks very clear to me

[Meridian007]

Until they put down their guns, they shouldn't be listened to.

I think the people these groups want to help don't have guns. Heck, they don't have food or healthy lives either! They should die because they are the same general religion as some terrorists (whose views they don't share)? Wow, nice showing of humanity here...

whats written in the Quran and the Hadiths looks very clear to me

So is the Bible if you look at it that way...

Edited October 16, 2009 by Meridian007

[Bolo]

Let me ask this question. If the Asean organization makes an effort to ease the tension on these groups is it creating more tension from the radicals? Does it cross the fine line of accept the Jihad as it is or does it increase it by becoming more involved? Just a thought but would also seem the more attention you give to the extremist the more they will react to gain more attention. I'm certainly for none of this going on for safety of all but just some thoughts on it.

[Thai at Heart]

Until they put down their guns, they shouldn't be listened to.

I think the people these groups want to help don't have guns. Heck, they don't have food or healthy lives either! They should die because they are the same general religion as some terrorists (whose views they don't share)? Wow, nice showing of humanity here...

whats written in the Quran and the Hadiths looks very clear to me

So is the Bible if you look at it that way...

In all of these three conflict zones, millions have been killed, displaced and made refugees either in their own countries or other countries in which they have sought asylum, and/or made to suffer a host of human rights violations for several decades. Generations of Rohingyas, Moros and South Thai Malays are growing up in an environment of violence, deprivation and tragedy.

I won't include the Rohingya's in this statement because Burma/Myanmar is absolutely despotic. In response to my quoted statement, peace and prosperity will probably (99% chance) only be achieved in the South of Thailand if they put down their guns. No one is exterminating or expatriating or wanting to cause outward suffering to the vast majority of moslems in the South of Thailand.

I do not believe that the Thai government will never accept autonomy for the Southern provinces. They are not dealing with Tony Blair here. This is a system that will not back down in face of a gun, but might accept a negotiated understanding.

Interesting that this is only an Asean issue. I would love to see them pipe up in Beijing in support of the Uighurs in Xinjiang who have had to endure infinitely worse treatment in China that anything the Thai's have served up in the South.

Little shy to go to lecture Beijing are they?

[SoiGirlHunter]

>>>>So is the Bible if you look at it that way

Which Prophet was more peaceful -Jesus or Mohamed?

[Thai at Heart]

>>>>So is the Bible if you look at it that way

Which Prophet was more peaceful -Jesus or Mohamed?

Last time I looked we were in a vastly Buddhist country that doesn't impose any impediment on anyone practising any faith.

Relevance please, because I definitely am not looking to be converted.