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Democracy in the Muslim World: Obstacles, Difficulties, and Best
methods
World Movement for Democracy, USA
Third Assembly
Durban, South Africa
February 1-4, 2004
The World Movement for Democracy convened on February 1-4, 2004 in Durban,
South Africa, for its Third Assembly on "Building Democracy for
Peace, Development and Human Rights". More than 600 democracy activists,
practitioners, and scholars from more than 100 countries participated
in the assembly (www.wmd.org).
The Center for the Study of Islam & Democracy (Washington DC) and
the
Sisters-in-Islam organization (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia) co-organized a
workshop on "Democracy in the Muslim World: Obstacles, Difficulties,
and Best methods". The panelists were Haytham Manna (from Syria),
Slaheddine Jourchi (from Tunisia) Zainah Anwar (from Malaysia) and Ayesha
Imam (from Nigeria). The panel was moderated by Radwan Masmoudi (from
CSID).
Mr. Masmoudi spoke about the current crisis in the Muslim world despite
all its potential and enormous resources. He indicated that Muslims feel
obligated to choose between Islam and modernity (or Islam and democracy)
because they are faced with outdated and inappropriate interpretations
of Islam that are hundreds of years old and not applicable to the modern
situation. Masmoudi added that the international community and governments
have been too willing to tolerate and acquiesce to undemocratic regimes
in the Arab and Muslim world (in the name of stability) but this is beginning
to change as people realize that real stability can only be achieved through
democratic process.
Mr. Manna mentioned the historic development of the Muslim civilization,
and
earlier civilizations, up to colonialism. He spoke about the difficult
situation that the political elite found in the Arab world after independence,
and indicated that religious reforms (of both Christianity and Islam)
did not succeed in changing the expansionist and empire-building tendencies
in both religions. The only solution is to recognize the rights of the
citizens, regardless of their religion, in order to build modern democratic
states. Manna stressed the importance of engaging in dialogue (both internal
and external) in order to build consensus and harmony.
Ms. Imam spoke about the experience of Muslims in Nigeria, and indicated
that conservative Muslims are first and foremost concerned about protecting
the Muslim identity. This is being done at the expense of Muslim women
rights who were deprived of their right to vote until 1976. Strict adherence
to Shariah and Hudud (punishment) laws have resulted in discrimination
against women and poor individuals. While someone who steals $50 can have
his hand cut, people who embezzle millions of dollars often go unpunished
(because there is no hudud punishment against embezzlement). She concluded
that the Nigeria experience stressed the importance of peaceful coexistence
between Muslims and non-Muslims, and the need to search for a positive
definition of Islam and Shariah that protects and supports freedom and
justice.
Mr. Jourchi spoke about the difficulties of democratic transitions in
the Arab world, and explained that there is no society that is against
democracy
in principle, but there are problems of implementation and practice. The
failure is in the strategies adopted by the democrats, especially since
Arab history does not provide many examples of democratic rule. Arab countries
are not all the same, but each country has its own specificity. The challenges
that remain have to do with how to weaken the hold of governments, and
their control over the political process, without resorting to violence.
Democracy promotion in the Arab world must take place with and without
the co-operation of the regimes, and he called for ending the ideological
wars between national and secularist forces on one hand and Islamic and
Islamist movements on the other. There can be no democracy without the
participation of the Islamists, and also that democracy will be in danger
if Islamists dominate the state and public discourse.
Ms. Anwar stated that Islam is being used as a political ideology by
some groups who want to monopolize Islam. Muslim women, in Malaysia and
other parts of the Muslim world, are now trying to defend their rights
under Islam by putting forward their own interpretation of Islam. Conservative
religious scholars do not have the right to speak in the name of Islam,
which belongs to every Muslim man and woman. Even non-Muslims in Muslim-majority
countries, such as Malaysia, have the right to express theirconcerns about
Islam, and their rights as full citizens and equal partners.
After long discussions and debates about the best methods for promoting
and strengthening democracy in the Muslim countries, most participants
emphasized the following recommendations:
1. The necessity to continue this type of exchange and debate, and call
upon the National Endowment for Democracy, and other democracy foundations,
to support these and similar initiatives and networks.
2. Religious dialogue is also very important, not only between Muslims
of various groups and tendencies, but also with members of other faiths
in order to promote religious harmony, understanding between civilizations,
and peace.
3. Muslims need to develop a modern and tolerant interpretation of Islam,
based on the Islamic principles of Shura (consultation), Adl (justice),
and Hurriya (freedom), as necessary conditions for developing democracy
and peaceful coexistence.
4. Islamic movements and religious leaders must be engaged in a dialogue
about their vision and social project in order to arrive at a consensus
on the type of society and government that Muslims seek and deserve. Exclusion
and oppression will only lead these movements to more violence and radicalism.
5. Secularism should not be forced as the main objective as it is currently
misunderstood as anti-religion. True secularism is in fact a protection
of religion from the State, and of religious freedom from government interference.
Secularism is not a condition for democracy in the Muslim world, but can
be developed through dialogue and common interests.
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