The 189-nation United Nations General Assembly met in a
special session on Friday at Germany's initiative, adopting a resolution
by consensus stating that the assembly was "appalled" by the medieval
and barbaric policy of destroying the Afghan Buddhas and strongly urged
the Taliban to "take immediate action to prevent the further destruction
of...Afghanistan's
cultural heritage".
If the UN General Assembly could meet in a special session, there is even less reason for the Malaysian government and Parliament to remain mute in the international chorus of condemnation of the Taliban cultural vandalism and call for a halt to such cultural genocide.
I agree with Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM) president Ahmad Azam Abdul Rahman's call not to equate Taliban's extremism with Islam as the Taliban's move to destroy giant statues of Buddha was an extremist action which did not reflect the true teachings of Islam.
The Taliban extremism, however, has stained the image of Islam and put Islam and Muslims in the dock and it is important that Islamic leaders, scholars and nations are in the forefront condemning the Taliban medieval barbarism.
The emergency Parliament session should call for the convening of a special meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Conference, the world's largest Islamic body, so that the entire Islamic World can stand united with the non-Islamic World in this UN Year of Inter-Civilisational Dialogue for inter-religious, inter-cultural and inter-civilisational tolerance, understanding and goodwill.
(11/3/2001)