It's rich-poor divide, not Islam vs. West: Gayoom

By Iqbal Athas

A product of Cairo's Al Azhar University and later to that city's American University, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, is a much respected Islamic scholar and a keen sportsman. Every year, he captains a cricket team which plays against the Speaker's XI, ahead the ceremonial opening of Parliament or Majlis, easily the biggest fund raising event in the country.

On a visit to Maldives last week, I met President Gayoom at his stately official residence, Muli Aage. In an exclusive interview with The Sunday Times, he answered questions on wide ranging issues. Here is a selection:

Q: The world is focused on international terrorism. The Republic of Maldives itself is not without its own experiences of this phenomenon. How do you see what is unfolding in the world and also in the region?

A:We have consistently condemned all acts of terrorism wherever they have been perpetrated. This is a policy based on principle, and one further strengthened by the memory of our national trauma as victims of international terrorism in 1988. Therefore, we have always supported measures to eradicate terrorism and have acceded to a number of international conventions on the subject.

Moreover, as a small state, we have always been sensitive to the security threats posed by terrorists, mercenaries and organised crime, and that is the reason why we took the matter to the UN in 1989. What we see in the world today clearly demonstrates that terrorism has no place in civilised society. You asked about our region and my answer is that South Asia is no exception. The unity of purpose is evident in our region as well. I believe this is the best time to consider ways to strengthen the existing regional framework against terrorism.

Q: There is a saying that "one man's terrorist is another's freedom fighter." It is true that many Islamic States support the United States backed coalition against Afghanistan, but will there not be the danger of further polarising the Islamic world and the western world over what is happening?

A: As I have said on different occasions, Islam is a noble religion that teaches moderation, compassion and tolerance, and gives no quarter to violence or terrorism. Islam's ideals are universal in character, and not confined to a geographic or cultural region. Only those who preach hatred, intolerance, bigotry and violence would like to reduce the world into two opposing camps. What would divide a globalised world, like the one that we live in today, are enormous wealth on the one hand, and widespread poverty on the other, and not culture or religion.

It is this and the inequality and the injustices suffered by Muslim communities that create a feeling of disappointment and frustration in many Islamic countries. The Organisation of the Islamic Conference has repeatedly denounced terrorism. Therefore, to suggest that Islam permits sympathy with terrorism is devoid of any truth.

Q: The SAARC has not been able to come up with a common voice on the events in and around Afghanistan, which is geographically a South Asian state. Why?

A: Afghanistan is not a member of SAARC. I believe that all SAARC countries have spoken with one voice when they all condemned the terrorist attacks of September 11 on the United States. There is indeed a consensus among SAARC countries on the need to deal with terrorism effectively, which is embodied in the SAARC convention against terrorism.

Q: SAARC itself is in the doldrums because of differences between India and Pakistan, particularly on the issues of cross-border terrorism and Kashmir. The grouping has been unable to even hold a summit. This must be very frustrating for other member states like the Republic of Maldives.

A:It has already been agreed that a summit should be held shortly, possibly early next year. There are several important projects in the pipeline, such as the creation of the South Asian Free Trade Area, and the drawing up of a South Asian Social Charter.

You must remember that SAARC was not created with the expectation of a smooth ride, but in the hope that it could always contribute to improving the lot of the people of South Asia.

Q: The world economy, especially the airlines, travel, trade and tourism have been badly affected in the recent months, both due to recession in the US as well as war in Afghanistan. How does it affect the Maldivian economy?

A:Tourism is the single biggest contributor to our economy. A global recession or any downturn in the tourism industry will have a negative impact on economies that depend on tourism. In fact, there has been a drop in tourist arrivals since the terrorist attacks on the US.

The financial loss to us in the month that followed the September 11 attacks has been estimated at US $ 3 million. A slump in the tourism industry will of course have repercussions for much of the rest of the economy. The Gulf war of 1990-91 affected us similarly. At the present time, we need to pursue more vigorous marketing strategies to assure prospective visitors that the Maldives remains, as always, peaceful, quiet and safe.

Q: What future plans do you have for the development of Maldives? Do you hope to embark on diversification programmes to be away from tourism and fisheries?

A:We have been able to achieve tremendous development over the past two decades and the challenge now is to lift the Maldives into a higher stage of development, as envisaged in the Maldives Vision 2020. After extensive debate throughout the country, various strategies to achieve that 20-year vision have been identified. The groundwork for the achievement of those goals has been worked into the 6th National Development Plan.

The goal is for the Maldives to emerge as a top-ranked nation amongst middle income countries in that time frame. This will require the economy to be more diversified and export-oriented, with greater focus on manufacturing and services that at present. The population consolidation and development programme that we have just started will restructure the internal market in significant ways and also contribute to the acceleration of the development of regional centres of growth.

Q: There appears to be closer interaction between Sri Lanka's private sector and that of the Republic of Maldives. Similarly, private enterprise in the Middle East too maintains close relations with those in Maldives. Why is there no similar interaction at a Government-to Government level, particularly in commerce and industry?

A:There has always been a strong interaction at a Government-to-Government level between Sri Lanka and the Maldives. It is, in fact, Government-to-Government initiatives and co-operation that have opened numerous avenues for private sector co-operation between the two countries. Private Sector interaction has ebbed and flowed with the business cycle, but co-operation and contact at the Government-to-Government level, including in the commerce and industry sectors, have been strong throughout. The same is true with the Middle East, where only last year I visited UAE and Oman and held successful discussions on the promotion of trade and investment. Countries of the Middle East remain vitally important development partners of the Maldives as well, contributing particularly to the development of infrastructure.

Q: Over the years, you have transformed the Republic of Maldives into an economically strong country. There is political stability and a better quality of life for Maldivian citizens. What is the secret of your success? Could you define the most singular and significant achievements?

A: I think the people of the Maldives can take great pride in what they have been able to achieve in recent years. If there is a secret to success, then it undeniably is the single-minded dedication of the people to the cause of development and progress. The role of the Government has been one of facilitating, setting up the infrastructure and creating and maintaining the right climate and conditions for development. Undoubtedly, political stability in the country is the key to economic success. I think our most significant achievement is the improvements in the quality of life enjoyed by the people. It is our success in this area that gives the highest ranking in South Asia in UNDP's human development index.

Q: You have been in the front line of the campaign against Global Warming, particularly in view of the threats posed to the Republic of Maldives. How much of success has there been and what further measures does Government propose?

A:I think the Maldives has succeeded in alerting the world to the dangers that it faces from global warming and sea-level rise. The Kyoto Protocol provides a framework for action to slow down the rate of global warming. The most important thing at present is to give operational effect to the provisions of that agreement. However, the targets of emission reduction have been down-sized in order to rescue the protocol. Therefore, to save the earth from the dangers of global warming and sea level rise, it would be necessary to return to the targets that were agreed originally, and even go beyond them, in terms of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. 

All is fair in love, war and elections

No, not the charisma of Chandrika Kumaratunga which is fading like the mop of grey hair she sported at the last election but the ever reliable Velupillai Prabhakaran. The President's campaign has one resounding theme: according to the front page of the Daily News she has said that if the United National Party (or Front or whatever) wins, the President will be Prabhakaran. The same newspaper on page 14 quotes Anura Bandaranaike saying that if the UNF wins, the Prime Minister will be Prabhakaran. At least, the siblings disagree on something.

Okay, that's fine: the PA is bankrupt for slogans and they are making the best of what they have got. All is fair in love, war and general elections, so who can blame them? 

But what is the UNF doing about all this? Already, we can hear perfectly sensible people being caught up in self-doubt in the wake of the propaganda blitz and saying "UNP eka dinnoth kotinta rata deyi" A sense of déjà vu? Remember 1999? When Ranil Wickremesinghe in one of his rare attempts to crack a joke and appear humorous said somewhere in Polonnaruwa that if he wins he'd hand over the North and East to Prabhakaran for ten years(or was it two?). Lo and behold, that speech was broadcast ad nauseum over the state media and no amount of denials could undo the damage. 

Of course, Prabha sealed the issue with a botched suicide attack and the rest is history. One would have expected the UNP to learn from all this. They could, for instance, spell out clearly what they hope to do with the Tigers instead of uttering the hackneyed slogan, "we are for a negotiated settlement" which only confirms the most naïve of suspicions. Politics is a dirty game now and no one would blame the UNP even if it says they would fight the Tigers militarily and then try to negotiate later. After all, a major part of politics is explaining to the people why you couldn't keep your promises-just ask Chandrika Kumaratunge; she does it so well. But no, the greens are already counting the number of seats they would win to form the government. A hundred and twenty says Wi. Ja. Moo Lokubandara, maybe more, nothing less. And the others are busy distributing portfolios and other plums of office among their hangers on. Already one suicide bomber has made Prabha's intentions clear at Narahenpita. 

Surely, he is not the last suicide bomber in the Tiger ranks. And a couple of incidents like that and that would be the beginning of another six long years in the opposition for the UNP. So folks, the contest isn't over yet. In fact, it has only begun. The UNP may think it has won just because S. B. Dissanayake is with them this time around. But then, who needs S. B. Dissanayake when the PA has Velupillai Prabhakaran to do the needful? 

Howard wins Australian elections

"I cannot express to you the sense of honour and privilege I feel once again being elected as prime minister of the greatest country in the world," Howard told Liberal Party supporters in a Sydney hotel. Howard said Australia faced some new and unexpected challenges." All of us are deeply conscious of the changes that have come over the world and therefore over our own nation since the terrible events in the United States of the 11th of September," he said."

It requires of all of us of goodwill and of faith in freedom and a belief in the great principles upon which this nation has been built that we come together, we bind together in unity." Howard's moment of triumph was disturbed when a demonstrator dressed as Superman and protesting against his hardline stance on asylum seekers was bundled away by security guards.

Taliban towns fall, Bush says time for action

A spokesman for former communist General Abdul Rashid Dostum said more territory was set to fall to opposition forces, following their first major victory since the U.S.-led military campaign began 35 days ago. And early today, on another front, a U.S. B-52 aircraft carpet-bombed Taliban positions north of Kabul, a Reuters television cameraman said.

With the noose tightening around the Taliban forces in northern Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden, their "guest" and object of the military campaign, made the startling claim that he had nuclear weapons, Pakistan's Dawn newspaper reported.

Later today in New York, President George W. Bush, made his first appearance before the U.N. General Assembly, asking the world body for action in the U.S.-led war on terrorism, instead of sympathy for the September 11 attacks that killed an estimated 4,600 people.

"The time for sympathy has now passed. The time for action has now arrived," Bush told 48 presidents and prime ministers and 114 foreign ministers at the opening of the annual gathering in New York.

He said the threat of terrorism was global, and warned that those behind the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States would use weapons of mass destruction as soon as they were able. Bush has blamed the al Qaeda network of Islamic militant Osama bin Laden for the attacks.

"All the world faces the most horrifying prospect of all. These same terrorists are searching for weapons of mass destruction, the tools to turn their hatred into holocausts," he said.

"They can be expected to use chemical, biological and nuclear weapons the moment they are capable of doing so," he said. "This threat cannot be ignored, this threat cannot be appeased. ... Civilization itself is threatened."

He spoke with animation, wagging his finger repeatedly and punctuating his remarks with a clenched fist.

"Every nation in our coalition has duties," Bush said. He said countries helping to fight terrorism must go beyond steps already sought by the United Nations, such as cracking down on terrorist financing and sharing intelligence.

"These obligations are urgent and they are binding on every nation with a place in this chamber," he said.

The coalition must combat terrorism whatever its form, he said. "There is no such thing as a good terrorist. No national aspiration nor remembered wrong can ever justify the deliberate murder of the innocent."

The president said the United States is seeking to minimize the loss of innocent lives in Afghanistan as it bombs the country to destroy its Taliban leadership, which is accused of harboring bin Laden. Bush said the Taliban and al Qaeda were "indistinguishable."

"The Afghan people do not deserve their present rulers," he said. "I make this promise to all the victims of that regime. The Taliban's days of harboring terrorists and dealing in heroin and brutalizing women are drawing to a close. "And when that regime is gone the people of Afghanistan will say with the rest of the world, 'good riddance.'"

In Islamabad, Dostum's spokesman told Reuters in an interview that Northern Alliance forces are advancing toward the Uzbek border and hope to open the frontier later on Saturday.

"Now it is more important after the capture of Mazar-i-Sharif city to move toward the border, to open the border," spokesman Sibghatullah Zaki said.

Bin Laden speaks of nuclear weapons

Q: After American bombing of Afghanistan on October 7, you told the Al-Jazeera TV that the September 11 attacks had been carried out by some Mulsims. How did you know they were Muslims?

BL: The Americans themselves released a list of suspects of the September 11 attacks saying that the persons named were involved in the attacks. They were all Muslims, of whom 15 belonged to Saudi Arabia, two were from the United Arab Emirates and one from Egypt. According to the information I have, they were also passengers. Fateha (funeral) was held for them in their homes. But America said they were hijackers.

Q: In your statement of October 7, you expressed satisfaction over the September 11 attacks, although a large number of innocent people perished in them, hundreds among them were Muslims. Can you justify the killing of innocent men in the light of Islamic teachings?

BL: This is a major point in jurisprudence. In my view, if an enemy occupies a Muslim territory and uses common people as a human shield, then it is permitted to attack that enemy. For instance, if bandits barge into a home and hold a child hostage, then the child's father can attack the bandits and in that attack even the child may get hurt.

America and its allies are massacring us in Palestine, Chechnya, Kashmir and Iraq. The Muslims have the right to attack America in reprisal. The Islamic Sharia (law) says Muslims should not live in the land of the infidel for long. The September 11 attacks were not targeted at women and children. The real targets were America's icons of military and economic power.

The Holy Prophet (peace be upon him) was against killing women and children. When he saw a dead woman during a war he asked why was she killed? If a child is above 13 and wields a weapon against Muslims, then it is permitted to kill him.

The American people should remember that they pay taxes to their government, they elect their president, their government manufactures arms and gives them to Israel and Israel uses them to massacre Palestinians. The American Congress endorses all government measures and this proves that the entire America is responsible for the atrocities perpetrated against Muslims. The entire America because they elect Congress. I ask the American people to force their government to give up the anti-Muslim policies. The American people had risen against their government's war in Vietnam. They must do the same today. The American people should stop the massacre of Muslims by their government.

Q: Can it be said that you are against the American government, not the American people?

BL: Yes! We are carrying on the mission of our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The mission is to spread the word of God, not to indulge in massacring people. We ourselves are the target of killings, destruction and atrocities. We are only defending ourselves. This is defensive Jihad (holy war). We want to defend our people and our land. That is why I say that if we don't get security, the Americans, too, would not get security. This is a simple formula that even an American child can understand. This is the formula of live and let live.

Q: The head of Egypt's Jamia Al-Azhar has issued a fatwa (edict) against you saying that the views and beliefs of Osama bin Laden have nothing to do with Islam. What do you have to say about that?

BL: The fatwa of any official Aalim (religious figure) has no value for me. History is full of such Ulema (clerics) who justify Riba (economic interest), who justify the occupation of Palestine by the Jews, who justify the presence of American troops around Harmain Sharifain (holy places in Saudi Arabia). These people support the infidels for their personal gain. The true Ulema support the Jihad against America. Tell me if Indian forces invaded Pakistan what would you do? The Israeli forces occupy our land and the American troops are on our territory. We have no other option but to launch Jihad.

Q: Some Western media claim that you are trying to acquire chemical and nuclear weapons. How much truth is there in these reports?

BL: I heard the speech of American President Bush yesterday (November 7). He was scaring the European countries that Osama wanted to attack with weapons of mass destruction. I wish to declare that if America used chemical or nuclear weapons against us then we may retort with chemical and nuclear weapons. We have the weapons as a deterrent.

Q: Where did you get these weapons from?

BL: Go to the next question.

Q: Demonstrations are being held in many European countries against American attacks on Afghanistan. Thousands of protestors were non-Muslims. What is your opinion about these non-Muslim protestors?

BL: There are many innocent and good-hearted people in the West. American media instigates them against Muslims.

However, some good-hearted people are protesting against American attacks because human nature abhors injustice. The Muslims were massacred under the UN patronage in Bosnia. I am aware that some officers of the State Department had resigned in protest. Many years ago the US ambassador in Egypt had resigned in protest against the policies of President Jimmy Carter. Nice and civilized are everywhere. The Jewish lobby has taken America and the West hostage.

Q: Some people say that war is no solution to any issue. Do you think that some political formula could be found to stop the present war?

BL: You should put this question to those who have started this war. We are only defending ourselves.

Q: If America got out of Saudi Arabia and the Al-Aqsa mosque was liberated, would you then present yourself for trial in some Muslim country?

BL: Only Afghanistan is an Islamic country. Pakistan follows the English law. I don't consider Saudi Arabia an Islamic country. If the Americans have charges against me we too have a charge sheet against them.

Q: Pakistan government decided to cooperate with America after September 11, which you don't consider right. What do you think Pakistan should have done but to cooperate with America?

BL: The government of Pakistan should have the wishes of the people in view. It should not have surrendered to the unjustified demands of America. America does not have solid proof against us. It just has some surmises. It is unjust to start bombing on the basis of those surmises.

Q: Had America decided to attack Pakistan with the help of India and Israel what would have we done?

BL: What has America achieved by attacking Afghanistan? We will not leave the Pakistani people and the Pakistani territory at anybody's mercy. We will defend Pakistan. But we have been disappointed by General Pervez Musharraf. He says that the majority is with him. I say the majority is against him. Bush has used the word crusade. This is a crusade declared by Bush. It is no wisdom to barter off blood of Afghan brethren to improve Pakistan's economy. He will be punished by the Pakistani people and Allah.

Right now a great war of Islamic history is being fought in Afghanistan. All the big powers are united against Muslims. It is 'sawab' (a good religious deed) to participate in this war.

Q: A French newspaper has claimed that you had a kidney problem and had secretly gone to Dubai for treatment last year. Is that correct?

BL: My kidneys are all right. I did not go to Dubai last year. One British newspaper has published an imaginary interview with Islamabad with one of my sons who lives in Saudi Arabia. All this is false.

Q: Is it correct that a daughter of Mullah Omar is your wife or your daughter is Mullah Omar's wife?

BL: (Laughs) All my wives are Arabs and all my daughters are married to Arab mujahiden. I have a spiritual relationship with Mullah Omar. He is a great and brave Muslim of this age. He does not fear anyone but Allah. He is not under any personal relationship or obligation to me. He is only discharging his religious duty. I, too, have not chosen this life out of any personal consideration.