Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, May - June 2001, page 84

Muslim-American Activism

 

Muslims Demand War Crimes Tribunal at Ariel Sharon’s War Crimes Photographic Exhibition

Surrounded by a photographic exhibition detailing the new Israeli prime minister’s history of massacres and violence, American Muslim leaders expressed their anger at Ariel Sharon’s warm reception in Washington at a March 19 press conference at the National Press Club. Representatives of American Muslims for Jerusalem (AMJ), the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Muslim American Society (MAS) accused the United States of using double standards as it welcomed Sharon to Washington instead of demanding his trial for war crimes as it did to former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic

“It is a sad day in American history when a war criminal like Ariel Sharon can come to the United States and be treated like dignitaries and heads of state,” AMJ executive director Khalid Turaani told journalists. “We call on this administration to take a closer look at this man’s history of war crimes.”

Dr. Souheil Ghannouchi said that as a young military officer, Sharon led Unit 101, an Israeli elite commando force which carried out brutal raids against Palestinians. The most notorious of these was the Oct. 14, 1953 massacre in the West Bank village of Qibbiya. According to Israeli historian Avi Shlaim, Sharon’s unit blew up 45 homes in the village, killing 69 civilians, two-thirds of them women and children.

When Sharon was defense minister in 1982, he directly ordered the bombardment of residential neighborhoods of Beirut, Sidon and other cities in Lebanon during the Israeli invasion, killing thousands of Lebanese and Palestinian civilians. He also ordered the siege of West Beirut, deliberately depriving civilian residents of food, water, safe passage and access to medical care. He and other Israeli officers and officials were responsible for arming, training and protecting the perpetrators of the massacres of Palestinian and Lebanese refugees in Sabra and Shatila camps in September 1982, including providing protection and illumination so that the butchers could carry out their work more easily.

Nihad Awad also noted that, after being prime minister for less than a month, Sharon had already ordered measures which further violate the Fourth Geneva Convention—including blockades which have reduced the Palestinian civilian population in the occupied territories to extreme poverty, and in some areas near starvation, and resulted in deaths due to deliberate deprivation of access to medical care.

Sharon has appointed to his government at least one minister who openly espouses such crimes against humanity as forcing the entire Palestinian population of the occupied territories and other areas to leave. Dr. Ghannouchi pointed out that the recent violence, in which at least 347 Palestinians, 66 Israelis and 13 Israeli Arabs have been killed, started after Sharon’s September visit to a site revered by Arabs and Jews.

In addition to expressing their anger at Sharon’s reception in Washington, AMJ, CAIR and MAS joined the Muslim Public Affairs Council, the American Muslim Alliance, the Islamic Society of North America, Islamic Circle of North America and Muslim Students’ Association of the United States and Canada in publishing a full page advertisement in the March 19 Washington Times. The ad called on U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to set up a war crimes tribunal for Israel similar to those established to deal with crimes against humanity in the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda.

—Delinda C. Hanley

 

American Delegation Returns from Iraq Fact-Finding Mission

In the midst of a Bush administration debate between moderates calling for “easing sanctions” and hard-liners demanding a “regime change” and tighter sanctions, a delegation of Muslim Americans and Arab Americans traveled to Iraq on March 20, to witness firsthand the effects of the sanctions on the Iraqi people. With a backdrop of appalling photos of Iraqi suffering, the delegation released a report entitled Ten Years of Sanctions Against Iraq: Enough is Enough, at the National Press Club on April 6. Then, sometimes fighting back tears,they shared what they had seen.

For six days, the delegation visited hospitals, schools, universities, orphanages, U.N. offices and civic organizations in Baghdad and Basra. They met with doctors, teachers, students and others who told them the genocidal scope of 10 years of U.N. sanctions, which have killed more than 1.5 million Iraqis and affected 23 million others. As designed, the blockade has devastated Iraq, destroying much of its infrastructure and civilian economy, and setting the country back many decades.

“If the goal of the sanctions was the destruction of a people, they have almost succeeded,” Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) communication director Margaret Zaknoen told the journalists. If the goal was to hurt Saddam Hussain, however, sanctions have failed, for the Iraqi people now are too battered to overthrow Saddam, who is content to build lavish palaces as his people suffer. If sanctions are lifted, the returned delegates said, Iraq can rebuild its agriculture, water and electrical systems, and its people can begin to recover.

“Seeing is believing. Nothing could have prepared me for the sight of a stoic mother with her child wasting away on her lap, dying from a curable disease,” Zaknoen said. “I wish former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright or present Secretary Colin Powell could have seen what we saw. People we met had a certain dignity and steadfastness. Somehow they didn’t hate Americans. They were able to separate the American people from the American government. They told us to tell the American people that they don’t need our charity. They just want the sanctions removed. We are punishing a population with our own weapon of mass destruction.”

Altaf Husain from Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) International, said that Iraq is on the brink of social as well as physical destruction. Sanctions have destroyed the lives and educations of an entire generation of youth, he said. “They only want the right to self-determination,” Husain added. “Let them handle their dictator. They are so busy just trying to survive that they can’t deal with Saddam Hussain.”

American Muslim Council’s communications director Neveen Salem described driving from the airport into Baghdad. The city looked like a U.S. city, a viable metropolis. “And then we smelled the pervasive odor of sewage,” Salem said. “Parents told us they try to do what they can to survive, for their children.”

She broke down and wept. “The Western media have not showed us even one percent of what is really happening in Iraq. There are people too weak to get out of bed each day. The pharmacies are empty or used for storage of papers. We have a moral obligation to respond to this suffering and help the people of Iraq. You can’t punish 23 million people for the crimes of one man.”

By the end of the press conference, many journalists were wiping their eyes. “As a Muslim, I am ashamed,” one journalist responded.

“This isn’t a Muslim issue,” he was quickly assured. “It is a humanitarian disaster. Americans should stand up for a person of any religion who is dying as a result of our policies.”

When asked if Secretary of State Colin Powell’s plan to adjust the sanctions regime would ease the Iraqi people’s hardships, moderator Shaker Syed replied, “Smart sanctions, like smart bombs, act stupidly.”

He added, “The Department of State almost takes pride in listing the 70 countries that are not safe for Americans to travel to. Isn’t the State Department supposed to bring up friendship? We are losing friends all over the world due to the Iraq issue.”

LIFE for Relief and Development sponsored the delegation, which included representatives of the following organizations: American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, American Muslim Council, American Muslims for Global Peace and Justice, Muslim American Society, Muslim Public Affairs Council, Muslim Students Association of the U.S. and Canada, and Muslim Students Association-West.

—Delinda C. Hanley

 

First Iowa Muslims Convention

Participants in the First Iowa Muslims Convention, held March 30 to April 1 in the Memorial Union of the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, came from as far away as England, New Jersey, California, Kentucky and, of course, Iowa and surrounding states,

Amid a variety of participatory workshops that ranged from Islamic martial arts to informal conversations among Muslims and non-Muslims, distinguished speakers informed and challenged the more than 500 in attendance. Congressman Jim Leach; radio producer and organizer of the International Union of Muslim Women Aminah Assilmi; head of the Institute of Islamic Information and Education Amir Ali; and Dr. Rasha Al-Disuqi, a writer and devotee of empowerment of Muslim women in American society, addressed the convention on Saturday. University of Kansas professor and author of books on Islam in America Jeffrey Lang, and chairman and imam of the Islamic Center of the Quad Cities Imad Benjelloun added their voices to an evening panel discussion. Distinguished Arab scholar Abdessalam Yassine gave the keynote address via satellite from Morocco.

Student leaders from 10 Muslim Student Associations (MSA) in Iowa colleges and universities organized the event.

The idea sprang from University of Iowa student Asma Haidri and Iowa State University student Raza Ul-Mustafa when they met as MSA representatives at an Islamic Society of North America meeting. Asma and Raza had both been thinking of organizing a convention. It made sense to work together and to bring other students into the process. Students from Drake University and the University of Northern Iowa promptly added their expertise to the roject. Justice and Spirituality Publishing provided partial funding and encouragement, and students from Clarke College, Des Moines University, Grinnell, Luther College, Maharishi University and the University of Dubuque helped make the project a reality.

½niversity of Iowa student Yelena Perkhounkova, founder of Iowans for Peace with Iraq, presented speaker Congressman Jim Leach with a petition asking that he support a bill in favor of lifting sanctions that harm the Iraqi people. Iowa State University students circulated packets of information and sample letters to government representatives. The specific issue addressed in the material was the United States’ March 28 veto of a Security Council resolution to send U.N. observers to protect Palestinians against Israeli human rights violations. Conference participants such as Iowa State student Mohammad Khalifeh, speaker Rasha Al-Disuqi and participant Shams Ghoneim encouraged all participants to follow Congressman Jim Leach’s advice to participate in the democratic process and to make their voices heard in the best of American traditions.

Sunday, the conference ended appropriately at the Mother Mosque of North America in Cedar Rapids. Imam Taha Tawil welcomed guests to lunch at the mosque and shared his perspectives about Islam in Iowa. The Mother Mosque is the first continuous Muslim house of worship to be established in North America. The mosque itself, completed in 1934, was constructed by members of Muslim families who first came to Iowa in 1892.

—Betsy Mayfield

 

Muslim Community Conditionally for Faith-Based Initiative

The American Muslim Council held a March 12 forum/workshop at Georgetown University to discuss the pros and cons of President George W. Bush’s Faith Based Initiative. Supporters of the initiative, Rev. Mark Scott (White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives), Dr. James Skillen (Center for Public Justice), and Forest Montgomery (National Association of Evangelicals) presented their views. Melissa Rogers (Religious Liberty Council of the Baptist Joint Committee on Public Affairs), Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy (the Interfaith Alliance) and Elliot Minchberg (People for the American Way) presented the opposing viewpoint.

In order to gauge the Muslim community’s opinion regarding the president’s initiative, the American Muslim Council conducted a survey. The polling of 912 men and women ended on March 27. According to the survey, presented to reporters on April 11, three-quarters of the community showed support for the initiative, agreeing with it in principle but remaining concerned over details surrounding its implementation.

A larger number, 83 percent, stated that they would support using public funding for faith-based organizations to perform social service work if the government does not interfere in the character and mission of those religious organizations. In addition, the community exhibited concern over First Amendment issues—what criteria would be used to determine who would qualify for government funding?—as well as the diversity of those in the decision-making and the selection processes for determining eligibility.

At least 76 percent felt strongly that the faith-based community would be effective in helping the government address local problems such as homelessness, job-training for welfare recipients, and drug addiction treatment and prevention. Nearly 53 percent did not believe that government agencies and officials can treat Muslim organizations or Muslim groups fairly when judging and reviewing applications for funding. To view the full survey, go to AMC’s Web site at <www.amconline.org> and click on “Faith–Based Survey Results”

—Neveen Salem

 

Islamic Rights and Responsibility Conference

The Islamic Education Center in Potomac, MD, a suburb of Washington, DC, hosted the Islamic Conference on Human Rights and Responsibility on March 17, as a fund-raising effort for the Muslim Community School and the Peace and Justice Foundation. Imam Siraj Wahhaj was the keynote speaker, and panel discussions included released prisoners held on secret evidence: Dr. Anwar Haddam, Nasser Ahmad, and Dr. Ali Karim. Children from the Muslim Community School sang songs and read poetry and essays.

—Delinda C. Hanley

 

Secret Evidence Survivor Addresses Al Minaret Institute

On April 1, Al Minaret Institute, an Islamic think tank based in Maryland, hosted its annual fund-raising banquet. Dr. Imad-Deen Ahmad, the institute’s director, welcomed the guests. Keynote speaker Dr. Anwar Haddam endured the longest period of incarceration as a result of secret evidence, and his name now symbolizes the fight to abolish this abuse of the U.S. legal system. His four-year incarceration in a federal prison was based on “evidence” he was never allowed to view or challenge. To prevent his release the prosecution for years appealed all verdicts to the contrary. On Dec. 7, however, an immigration judge ordered Dr. Haddam’s release after the prosecution failed to present any solid evidence to substantiate its allegations against him.

Aly Abuzaakouk, executive director of the American Muslim Council, introduced Dr. Haddam as the champion of the ongoing struggle to eradicate the draconian measure of imprisoning individuals based on suspicion. Abuzaakouk stated that secret evidence remains an unconstitutional practice that has targeted for the most part members of the Muslim and Arab communities.

Dr. Haddam reiterated that secret evidence is part of a campaign of defamation against Islam and American Muslims. Its primary aim, he explained, is to terrorize the Muslim community and prevent its members from practicing constitutionally protected liberties and freedoms that include the right to worship and associate. Further, he explained, secret evidence perpetuates already existing stereotypes and inaccurate attitudes about Islam and its adherents. Responsibility for reversing the practice, he asserted, should be spearheaded by the Muslim community, with the help of concerned American citizens.

Equally threatening to constitutional tenets, he warned, is the practice of racial profiling, which targets certain minorities at airports and on highways, subjecting them to harassment and unequal treatment under the guise of protecting the larger community’s security. Dr. Haddam argued that these practices originate from ignorance and lack of proactive activism.

American Muslims should not be forced to give up their identity to be accepted into the larger American society, he asserted. Instead of making certain religious communities targets of harassment, Dr. Haddam said, the U.S. government should encourage faith-based activism, which would bring back to America a direly needed moral leadership.

He urged Muslim leaders to take an active role in emphasizing to other religious communities their commonly shared beliefs and values and in making the fight against secret evidence a universal one. Dr. Haddam stated that Muslim Americans should demand equal treatment under the law, the right to freely practice their religion, and the right to associate. He urged audience members to support the current bill in Congress calling for the repeal of secret evidence.

—Asma Yousef

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