By: Sid Ahamd Ghozali, Former Prime Minister of Algeria
Looking at the Middle East region and Islamic countries, we see that the people in these countries suffer from a number of social, political and economic problems. If we watch conscientiously, we must look for a solution to all these problems. There is no doubt that international, Islamic and Arab organizations such as United Nations, Islamic conference and Arab societies are aware of these problems and seek solutions. We also witness that some Arab countries pay special attention to eradicate illiteracy, poverty and hunger.
Al-Shargh al-Awsat
June 26, 2007
Article by Sid Ahamd Ghozali, Former Prime Minister of Algeria
The Crisis is Enormous but what is the Solution?
There is an unrelated problem which entered our countries long-ago but is becoming bigger since 3 decades ago and now is changing to catastrophic magnitude. This issue is the religious fundamentalism that is visible in the ruling elite of some Arab and Islamic countries and beginning to hatch its eggs in other places.
Religious fundamentalism does not mean believing in religious base and foundation. It means abusing religion by those who through expansionism like to extend their political power.
Looking at Iraq, we notice the depth of the catastrophe that our Iraqi brothers are dealing with. If we look at Yemen we see tens of thousands of people emigrating from their lands as a result of fighting between Housi rebels and Yemeni army. A look at Lebanon shows the shaky situation of this beloved country of all Arabs. We don’t need to look far to realize the Palestinian problem which has been in the hearts and minds of all Muslims in the world. Because of this phenomenon, the children of Palestine are now killing each other.
On other hand I along with other Algerian nationals could profoundly reflect on what went on in our country. The home of one million martyrs and the deep wounds that remain in our homeland. It is still continuing on like lively fire under the ashes. This story goes on. From Morocco that is just being exposed to this disease to Afghanistan, Mid-Asia and Indonesia.
Here, we encounter with a fundamental issue. Is this the destiny of our people? Where did this phenomenon come from? Is there a solution for it?
Let me humbly answer these three questions. I was adamant about democracy and pluralism and power sharing in my country, Algeria, but this dangerous phenomenon blocked our progress.
First of, I truly believe that people in Arab and Muslim countries deserve to be like everyone else in advancing and developing their civilization and knowledge. These are people who introduced the world to science and philosophy resulting in an end to middle ages. We also have enough economic, humane, mineral and natural resources to assist us in entering the world of science and technology.
Secondly, I think this phenomenon which is surrounding us, was always hidden in our cultural interpretation of religion but it was not a danger to freedom and democracy until the end of seventh century. Until then it had been contained and controlled. Usually it was embraced by a small political party or even one powerful individual. But as soon as this phenomenon took power in Iran it morphed into a very real danger for Arabs, Muslims and the international community.
The regime that came out of the Iranian people’s revolution against the Shah and the forced westernization abused all the freed energies towards the goal of exporting Islamic revolution to Arab and Islamic countries. Clearly because of obvious geographic, cultural, historic and religious reasons, Iraq became the first candidate.
That is how this disease started from the new revolutionary Iran. Despite the fact that this country was the birth place of civilization, science and progressive ideas as a result of the achievements of historic figures such as Mosadegh or progressive movements such as Mojahedin-e Khalq. In spite of this the mullahs of Qum seminaries abused their revolutionary clout coming from religious legitimacy, to control power. They did everything in their power to suppress the intellectuals and progressive forces and personalities. They executed tens of thousands of architects of the people’s revolution.
Third, the solution must also originate from Iran. Why? Because all the scientific studies point to the fact that Iran is the only Islamic country whose people have moved beyond Islamic fundamentalism era. Why? –Because Islamic fundamentalism in its most violent form has been in power for about 30 years and because this people have got a taste of it before any other country. –And because Iranian people have extensively suffered from the darkest form of religious abuse. -Because the man who returned to Iran to oversee all the aspects of Iranian people’s private and public lives considered himself as the representative of the hidden Imam and an ayatollah. He had lived for 8 decades where you assume he must have left behind his power mongering motives. Since the Iranian people have examined this phenomenon at its highest level, they will never accept another religious dictatorship. You could sense the rejection of this phenomenon by the Iranian people in their recent uprisings all over the country as well as the polls conducted by the regime itself which show less than 5 percent of the population supports them. We could also realize this from the existence and perseverance of resistance against this regime.
It means that the Iranian people have a chance to free themselves from this experience to become the leading nation in the Muslim world to end this phenomenon.
I can look at this reality from another point of view. I truly believe that the problems of Arab and Muslim countries will get resolved with the establishment of democracy in those countries. The only way these countries will have democracy is through their own indigenous and democratic forces.
Currently, there is only one country in the Muslim world that has a deep-rooted democratic force and that is Iran whose democratic movement is signified in Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK).
If democratic movements in the Arab world are interested to spread this ideology within their own societies, they must support the Iranian Resistance.
There is no doubt that the Iranian Resistance is the target of the countries that benefit from the survival of the Iranian regime. For example, the European countries have placed this organization in the terrorist list to satisfy the Iranian regime. The Iranian Resistance filed a complaint with the EU Court of First Order. After 5 years of examinations and inquiries, the court ruled for Mojahedin and against the European Union and annulled the placing of Mojahedin in the list. The ruling said that as far as Mojahedin are concerned they should not have been placed in the list to begin with.
Despite the fact that the court annulled the decision, EU still rejects the ruling and has kept Mojahedin in the list.
The Iranian Resistance along with 1000 EU Parliamentarians denounced the decision of the EU countries. First and foremost, it is a clear rejection of the laws and the judicial system that the European Union is founded on. Second, this is against the official stand of the EU with regards to the Iranian regime and its disrespect for international conventions. Europeans on the one hand oppose the Iranian regime’s pursuit of nuclear weapons, human rights violations and export of terrorism and on the other hand weaken the only opposition that is standing up to this regime. As we know, this resistance also warned the world about Iran’s nuclear program.
My point is that the Iranian Resistance movement needs assistance and support because they do not have any support other than from their own deprived people, principled international personalities and supporters of peace and democracy in the world. We have to ask the Europeans if they are not interested in supporting this movement, at least they must avoid weakening it.
I believe that intellectuals, free thinkers and democrats in Arab countries must show solidarity with Iranian Resistance because today they all need this unique icon.