What we have in Bangladesh is the following, and it is what we need to stop:
A Matter of Grave Concern !
Background:
There were 36 attacks or attempts against the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community during the BNP coalition Government in between 2003 to 2006. These were carried out regularly under the banner of 'Khatme Nabuwwat' organisation. Two radical Maulvis were leading the movement. 1. Maulvi Mahmudul Hasan Mumtazi and 2. Maulvi Noor Hussain Noorani. They staged many demonstrations through the Madrasa students and tried to influence the upper class policy-makers of that regime.
Fortunately, the Civil Society, Intelligentsia and the Media played a vital role to shun the radical approach to the issue. Maulvi Noorani led many of the agitations and even mentioned the name of Tareq Zia openly as their Ameer/leader and friend on one occasion (on video record). He even mentioned the name of Gen Rumi to impress the Satkhira journalists(on video record as well). However, all these were clearly political tactics and had nothing to do with religion. The educated section of the society shunned all these heinous activities and they became mum. From Jan 2007 to Dec 2008 , during the Interim period no organised movements were launched against Ahmadies. Again from the beginning of this Government till last month we did not see any activity of this radical groups except some sporadic incidents at Brahmanbaria, Ambernagar (Noakhali) and Chantara under Ghatail. After a silence of four and half years suddenly the anti-Ahmadiyya movement has started to stretch the muscles from Gazipur District and the same Maulvi Noorani is again in the driving seat.
The recent event:
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at, Bangladesh sought permission from the Gazipur District authorities to hold their 87th Annual Jalsa(Convention) at Rover Scout Training Centre at Bahadurpur, Gazipur. After a month-long scrutinising and verifying (through police), the Deputy Commissioner Mr. Kamaluddin Taluqdar gave his written permission through his Nazir (NDC). The Convention was accordingly scheduled for three days from the 6th to the 8th of February, 2011. At the last moment, on the 6th February noon, the police came to the Jalsa Compound where thousands of Ahmadies were assembled and announced the cancellation of the earlier permission. As a cause they mentioned that, the local residents of the area lodged a complain against the holding of the Ahmadiyya Jalsa and due to this they are imposing section 144 at Bahadurpur. The police were very harsh in their behaviour during the process. Ahmadies, being law-abiding peace-loving loyal citizens, showed utmost patience and left the premises in utter sorrow and tears. The women and children suffered most, as they had to walk with their belongings a long distance to the main road. The remaining Jalsa attendance was curtailed into half and was held at the National Headquarters in Dhaka peacefully. We were very sorry to face such a behaviour from the administration during the present Government. It was a bolt from the blue for us, as the present Government is pledge-bound to ensure the freedom of religion and belief to all citizens.
The latest development:
To our surprise we have seen in a video footage the Gazipur DC and SP attending and speaking in a anti-Ahmadiyya rally of the radical Mullahs at the same venue just eleven(11) days after our Jalsa! This was held on the 17th Feb at the Rover Scout Centre. The SP speaks in uniform openly that it was a mistake to allow the "Qadiani" (Ahmadiyya) Jalsa at the first place. He congratulates the gathering on organising their programme on his own behalf and on behalf of the administration. The DC speaks very diplomatically about the whole issue. The organiser praises both the honoured guests as defenders of Faith and Religion. In their presence, communal slogans were raised calling, "Qadianider Astana Jalie' dao puriye' dao" repeatedly, meaning, 'burn down and destroy the Qadiani dens'. Neither of these two Government officers speak against such heinous act in their presence!! Not only that terming Ahmadies as "enemies of Islam" the SP called for Jihad against them and said if necessary he will fight against them along with the "Ualamas". The SP praises the present PM being a very devout, pious and practising Muslim. This was a clear political manoeuvring he was trying in front of the Madrasa students/teachers. The main speaker was announced as 'Maulana Nurul Islam Ulipuri' who along with others went on with their usual hate speeches in the Seerat Mahfil. The most notable part was Maulvi Noorani was sitting on the main stage prominently along with few others. In this video, one can clearly see, it is the same old wine in a new bottle.
I sincerely believe, this is the back-door entrance of the radicals into mainstream politics. Pakistan has gone to the drain in a similar process. Being loyal and patriot Bangladeshi citizens, should we keep silent? We have the video clips, if you want or can arrange a gathering of some like minded personalities we can show that.
Regards,
___________________________ - Ahmad Tabshir Choudhury
Tel: (+88) 01713024413 mobile,
| *** ভালবাসা সবার তরে, ঘৃণা নয় কারো 'পরে । LOVE FOR ALL HATRED FOR NONE * * * |
To: alochona@yahoogroups.com
From: emanur@rahman.com
Date: Tue, 8 Mar 2011 08:42:29 +0000
Subject: Re: [ALOCHONA] FW: Pakistanization of Indonesia?
What do we have in Bangladesh? Harmony in diversity? Assurance of security? Or both?
The words that flow are so vacuous.
Emanur Rahman | m. +447734567561 | e. emanur@rahman.com
From: Farida Majid <farida_majid@hotmail.com>
Sender: alochona@yahoogroups.com
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 2011 10:02:23 -0500
ReplyTo: alochona@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [ALOCHONA] FW: Pakistanization of Indonesia?
It is an encouraging sign that Pakistan is being cited by other Asian countries with large Muslim population as
a negative model. The author of this article rightly notes the vital connection between harmony in diversity and assurance of security of a nation.
Farida Majid
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 2011 13:43:47 +0530
Subject: Pakistanization of Indonesia?
Opinion Pakistanization of Indonesia?http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2011/03/07/pakistanization-indonesia.html Moh Yasir Alimi, Canberra | Mon, 03/07/2011 11:13 AM | Opinion
The anti-Ahmadiyah decrees in Pandeglang West Java and most recently in East Java have incited fears among many hearts that the country is heading towards "Pakistanization".
Pakistan is "a laboratory of abuse in the name of religion" and Pakistan's path of intense religious violence began with an anti-Ahmadiyah ordinance.
In 1984, president Zia ul Haq adopted Ordinance XX to criminalize the activities of Ahmadiyah followers. Pakistan used to argue that banning Ahmadiyah or declaring Ahmadiyah as non-Muslims would eliminate violence against Ahmadiyah and would stabilize the country.
The argument, now commonly used by Islamic hardliners and certain state officials in Indonesia, is nonsense, however.
The reality in Pakistan demonstrates this. A country built upon egalitarian values, Pakistan is now a place devastated by religious vigilantes, a place suffocated by the rancid smell of blood, a place where Ahmadiyah, Islamic sects and religious minorities are persecuted, a place where bombings take place every day, weakening the power of the nation to build.
In its current state, Pakistan is a failed state. The Human Rights Watch records that after the Ordinance XX declaration of Ahmadiyah followers as non-Muslims in 1984, the persecution of Ahmadiyah has significantly increased.
Like in Pakistan, the decrees in West Java and East Java will criminalize the religious activities of Ahmadiyah and will embolden religious extremists to further persecute Ahmadiyah followers. The ordinances look like a license to kill. As ideas never die, violence continues.
The experience of Pakistan demonstrated that such a cruel regulation bolstered religious vigilantism and weakened the state's commitment to the constitution, the fundamental values upon which the nation was built.
The result is frightening. A country built upon egalitarian values, like Pakistan, can shift into a place of religious violence. Ali Jinnah, the founding father, was an ardent democrat, and he founded Pakistan on consensual and pluralistic grounds and belief that general supremacy would prevail rather than that of Islam per se. What is left of those ideals?
Pakistan's experience showed that following the issuance of the regulation the violence against Ahmadiyah would pattern in many forms: murder before the police, mosque attacks, expulsions of Ahmadis from many state universities, more widespread violence, exclusion of Ahmadis from votes, arson attacks on their homes, businesses and mosques, desecration of their graves and more.
Ordinance XX in fact does not only criminalize "the religious activities" of Ahmadiyah, but also "the everyday life" of Ahmadiyah followers.
Then, the effects will go beyond the Ahmadiyah followers; the vigilante will reach other Islamic groups and government officials that they think are different or not in line with their agendas.
For example, a governor with moderate voice, Salman Taseer, was killed early this year because he criticized the blasphemy law which he regarded as a "black rule" inconsistent with the national constitution of Pakistan.
We fear that Indonesia can fall in the same situation. Indonesia is a nation with diversity, which is also reflected in the diversity of its Islamic religious practices.
There are many religious practices considered as bid'ah (innovation), widely practiced by Indonesian Muslims. After Ahmadiyah, it is only a matter of time before these homeland religious practices will be persecuted.
What are the other possible consequences? As the state fails to protect its citizens, many groups in society will create their own paramilitary armies to protect themselves. We can predict the consequence of such a situation.
Therefore, not only are the ordinances in West Java and East Java a blatant violation of international human rights law, the Constitution, the dreams of our founding fathers, but they will threaten our national security and the existence of the nation.
In the long run, the decree will surely strengthen religious vigilantes and weaken the power of the state. There will be more religious and political insecurity.
The decree is also against the fundamental principles of Islam (adh-dhoruriyyatul khomsah): hifdhu ad-din (to protect the freedom of faith), hifd an-nafs (to protect life), hifdh al-aql (to protect the freedom of expression), hifd an-nasb (to protect the sustainability of human being) and hifd al-mal (to protect the rights of property).
For religious and security reason, the central government, particularly the Home Ministry, should evaluate the regional ordinances to stop the march of "Pakistanization".
Diversity remains the most valuable property the state leaders at any level could have. The central government should ensure that state apparatuses at many levels do not violate the National Constitution, and should embody diversity consciousness. It is the vein of modern Indonesia and the reason of our existence.
Indonesia has its own cultural characteristics and should not follow the dangerous path of Pakistan. History tells that a country built upon egalitarian vision can become a hotbed of religious violence when diversity consciousness is not nurtured, and when its officials lose sight of its founding fathers' ideals.
The United Nations Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities has called on the Commission on Human Rights to pressure the Government of Pakistan to repeal Ordinance XX. It is ironic that Indonesia adopts such a regulation.
Like the case in Pakistan, religious clerics are also involved in the mobilization of anti-Ahmadiyah laws. To those clerics, I invite them to renew our faith in God, the Merciful (rahman) and the Compassionate (rahim). The clerics need to embody these two attributes of God, or else they will be spiritually impoverished.
The deepest moral crises take place when religious leaders do not embody rahman rahim in themselves or when they begin to see other people merely from their outer dress, not from their inner humanity. When these two characteristics are absent, the blessings of God will leave us.
The writer is a lecturer at Semarang State University (UNNES), a former coordinator of Majelis Kataman Quran Canberra Australia.
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