Maldives VP: Islam, human rights, and democracy can coexist

[News_Editor]

Maldives VP: Islam, human rights, and democracy can coexist

2011-09-27 17:46:42 GMT+7 (ICT)

UNITED NATIONS (BNO NEWS) -- Maldives Vice President Mohamed Waheed on Monday told the United Nations (UN) General Assembly that Islam can coexist with human rights and democracy, as 'proven' by the Arab Spring.

"The democratic uprisings across the Middle East prove that Muslims yearn for democratic rights just as much as non-Muslims," Waheed said, as various Arab countries are undergoing unprecedented political transitions this year.

Waheed also said that the Maldives, a Muslim country which went through its own democratic transition in 2008 by putting an end to a 30-year authoritarian regime, will organize an international conference next year on progressive Islamic jurisprudence and human rights to support the movement.

The Vice President further called for a transformation of the 'false perception' that people must make the choice between devotion to Islam on the one hand and the full enjoyment of human rights on the other.

"We strongly believe in the compatibility of Islam and human rights and seek to do our part to promote understanding and tolerance," Waheed said, adding that "with this conference, we hope to renew the concepts of peace and tolerance, co-existence and inter-faith harmony that exist in Islam."

Since late last year, a revolutionary wave is being carried out in several Arab countries including Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, and Yemen. The events have brought significant political and social change to these regions.

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