Terrorist activities by a group do not justify Western, European countries’ policies of discriminating against Muslims
LAHORE: This is with reference to the article, “The mirage of terrorism” by Dr Asad Zaman, published on December 14. Taking the columnist’s viewpoint further, I would like to say that human life in all religions preserves its value in the eyes of God, beyond any discriminating vision. Since all human lives possess a soul and are created as per God’s will and enjoy the same divine calling and destiny, basic equality of all must receive increasingly greater recognition. In reality, however, what we see is that some human lives, by virtue of their nationality, are treated superior whilst others are treated as inferior, whereas all human lives ought to be considered equal in their dignity. Such discrimination is a cardinal sin. Discriminatory attitudes and consequent harassment is observed mainly on the basis of race, colour and religion. This discrimination is not only disturbing, but rather deplorable. In regions where such discrimination is persistent, we, as responsible citizens of society, have the obligation to take positive steps to eradicate this form of injustice. The social harm caused by terrorist attacks is now screaming out for social relief.
Terrorist activities by a select group do not justify Western and European countries’ policies of discriminating against Muslims. The acts of a group of terrorists come under no religion — as no religion justifies the killing of innocent civilians. The West needs to comprehend facts and do more than declare a massive war to challenge negative stereotypes and prejudices against Islam. The developed world boasts of its motto of freedom of faith and expression, claiming to be the flag-bearer of these values, thereby compromising its stance as flawed and hypocritical. The West can be all-powerful, but it should only be respected when it learns to get along with the world around it. With its present-day double standards towards human rights, nobody would rightly care how strong and mighty it is. Violations of human rights by the US and allied forces and the unlawful occupation of Iraq point to the double standards and ineffectiveness of the UN, whose failure to effect a realisation of human rights by these states, underscores the need for a critical study of human rights in the West. Human rights abuses at individual and state levels at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Qila Jangi, Afghanistan, and in US detention centres in the Indian Ocean, the Island of Diego Garcia, al-Jafer prison in Jordan and Charleston, South Carolina present glaring instances of the UN’s failure in implementing its charter and conventions. The basic issue we need to consider, perhaps, is not which human rights are recognised but why, in the presence of one or another charter, covenant, convention or declaration, such outrageous violations of human rights keep taking place.
Salma Tahir
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2015.
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