Politicians and journalists should stop issuing charged statements

By Muhammad Wasim Chaudhry

Baroness Warsi is Senior Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office & the UK’s first Minister for Faith. Perhaps it is her first and the last chance of becoming a minister as she has gone beyond limits criticising the so-called deplorable conditions regarding religious harmony and peace. She is getting sentimental and losing control on her tongue. Baroness Warsi’s statements are unworthy of her office and portfolio she is enjoying. She is unthinkingly pushing the world further into chaos and disorder.

The very headline which quotes her statement: ‘Extremists are driving Christians out of their homelands. We must act.’ Is full of the traditionally derailed rhetoric UK government has for some time per suing. Fighting for a just cause is something really worth-fighting; but propaganda for fighting for political gains, economic gains has have remained British policy as did Tony Blair regarding attack first on Iraq then on Libya were but preaching ‘we must act, based on personal point of view the most derogatory act.

Baroness Warsi has not forgotten using a specifically repeated term in the scenario of ‘war against terror’ for the particular segment of the world population, world’s second largest religious community called the Muslims as ‘the Extremists’. World over in the name of war against terror has been launched by the US and UK in co-alliance under the umbrella of the UN, against the Muslims for many decades. Whether it is in Kashmir, Afghanistan, or Iraq, Bosnia Herzegovina, Palestine, Libya or Burma the Muslim are being killed. Many a problems lie pending on the table of UN and no bold decision is ever taken to stop the Muslim genocide. But as soon as case of Christian victimization was heard in Indonesia, immediately UN was activated and resolutions were passed and Christians were protected.

When a priest himself in US desecrated the Quran, the Christian world protected him; when the cursed cartoonists in Sweden and Norway tried to caricature the Holy Prophet Muhammad (May Allah’s peace and blessing be upon him)the cursed cartoonists were supported by the Christian world; when a Muslim Dr. Afia Siddiqui helped his brothers in religion against the American forces, she was made worst example of torture on a female; whenever a cursed renegade like Salman Rushdi (Iran)or Tehmina (Bangladesh)talked against Islam he was protected by the Christian world.

Muslim tradition of ‘veil-wearing’ is criticized vocally and restrictions like that of prohibitions of wearing a veil like in France or screening the Muslims are imposed as in US. After large scale genocide in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Palestine and Libya the Muslim states like Iran and Syria are being threatened. Muslims are being martyred in day light in bomb blasts in many countries for being sympathetic towards the non-Muslims. Muslims have become the worst victim of terror, violence and victimization throughout the world yet they are labelled as the Extremists’ and terrorists. The world without Muslims would not have been a liveable place.

Even now the Muslims don’t cry: ‘we must act’. Islam is truly the religion of peace. In the absence of Islamic principles A number of Islamic countries are supporting the UN in peace missions as well as military operations yet their role is never appreciated the world would have seen the worst type of cannibalism and torture. The roots of Islamic teachings are far deeper in the Islamic societies and the majority of the Muslims reflect those teachings of peace, justice, religious harmony, tolerance, sacrifice and perseverance. Their love and respect for the Prophets of all religions and particularly that of the Prophet of Islam are part of their faith. By trespassing those limits of ethics and morality and faith means stepping out of the Islam. The world criticism and animosity cannot let them skip their fundamental principles for fear of losing their faith, their only wealth they wish to possess. Their faith makes them large hearted otherwise just see how strong can the Muslims be--- Dr Afia did not seek pardon, Saddam didn’t appealed for life.

Societies must be built on the foundations of equality, justice, mutual tolerance. This type of coexistence is the only key to peace if the world ever needs it. Baroness Warsi has not perhaps seen Pakistan for quite some time except in the media. Racial discrimination in the UK against the Muslims by some communities is more severe than religious discrimination in Pakistan. People belonging to all religions coexist there. Even the Qadianis, who have been declared constitutionally as the non-Muslims are never targeted until unless they are found involved in some anti-social unlawful or criminal activities. There are hundreds of thousand Christian schools n localities in various provinces of Pakistan where Muslim and non-Muslim teachers co-work with mostly Muslim students. Hindus, Sikhs, Parses and Buddhists etc. are never looked down upon neither are they deprived of their businesses or properties. It is only because having secrecy leaks or harbouring ill-will against any other person is also an un-Islamic activity. Muslim countries are far better societies to live in rather than so-called civilized rich societies of the west. In Islamic countries life of the smaller communities/ minorities is almost ideal-type. They remain part n parcel of national life and enjoy full religious freedom because Islamic code of conduct rejects going against minorities.

If Baroness Warsi had witnessed killings of Muslims by the Croatians, of Palestinians by the Jews of Israel, of Kashmiris by the Indian paramilitary forces, or Iraqis by the Americans she would have had a more reasonable stance. In each case millions of Muslims have lost their lives.

Only for the purpose of strengthening her own argument she admits that Hazara shias of Pakistan, Bha’is of Iraq, Rohingya Muslims in Burama have been singled out and hounded out. She is talking of smaller communities rather sectarian incidents of riots from here and there when it turns out to be the case of the Muslims. In these cases the sum total of affected people is not over a thousand. Christianity is the largest religious world community about whom Baroness is talking of extinction. The Muslims have been wiped out completely from by the Christians from Spain. Never ever in history a Muslim monarch or a ruler sought extinction of a religious community. Do the Christian have a good history?

There can be so many causes of migration and change of habitation. There can be political, economic, family, war-fear, unfriendly and hostile surroundings, national and internally changing scenario etc. If the Christians in many countries are going to UK, America or in the western countries they may not necessarily be terrorised; they may be going there because of better opportunities offered over there. The other communities are also per suing for the same thing. Afghanistanis and the Parkton are also shifting and migrating from their native places to find a safe haven in various cities of Pakistan and other countries. They are not all fighters. Christians are accepted early for jobs and immigration than the Muslims. Fear of War and talks of war on Syria for so long may be the cause of shift of Syrian Christians. Local conditions might have been aggravated due to American threats and Christian riots.

Baroness Wasti has constantly harped on one theme: ‘Life of Christians is in danger’. Sombre and serious Politicians must talk of something better for the world. World needs peaceful,tolerant people to reduce misery. The very phrase ‘we must act’ is reactionary; reactions create disturbance and disturbance turmoil. Turmoil ends up peace and efforts for peace. Politicians should stop issuing charged statements like ‘we must act’. Somewhere else I found a typically charged statement ‘Christian flee Syria village that speak the language of the Jesus’. The statement gives special reference as if the speakers of the language of Jesus are penalised for being Christians to invoke the aid of the other Christian world. It is the common in the language of public reactionary elements. If the leaders and opinion makers do so then who will teach and harness them.