Dramatic New Development in Afghanistan Offers Hope for Entire
Region
Paul M. Rodriguez
Insight on the News
05/20/2004
In a dramatic show of support for democratic efforts
by President Hamid Karzai, the highest religious body in Afghanistan
has issued a 13-point declaration of support for free elections,
called for protection of women's rights, and strongly condemned
illegal drug trafficking and terrorist acts, both in Afghanistan
and throughout the Muslim world. The declaration of the Ulema
Council of Afghanistan, which is to Afghanistan what the College
of Cardinals is at the Vatican, also denounced the practice
of forced marriage, including the so-called feud marriages in
which children are married to end family disputes.
"This declaration by the Ulema Council is
an extremely important statement of Islamic principles,"
says Said Tayeb Jawad, Afghanistan's ambassador to the United
States. "This is the highest and most respected group of
religious scholars in the country and sends a powerful message
in support of the reform agenda of the government and its international
partners. It sends a strong signal to terrorists, elements of
the Taliban and other extremists who would thwart democracy
in our country and undermine the reconstruction efforts now
under way there."
Jawad says that along with the newly adopted constitution
and the free and democratic elections scheduled for this summer
to establish a representative government, the Ulema Council
declaration makes clear that Afghanistan is emerging as a model
for Muslim countries, showing how to create a civil society,
assuring personal freedoms and good governance, within the cultural
embrace of traditional values and institutions. "We welcome
the declaration of the Ulema Council," Jawad says. "It
shows the progress and commitment of our government leaders
and the people who want to live free and in a safe environment
without fear of their government or tyrannical leadership."
Muslim scholars and leaders in Washington, Iraq
and Iran tell Insight that until the great strides exhibited
by the Afghan people are appreciated and emulated in other conflict
zones of the region, terrorists will likely continue to operate
there. "If the religious leaders in Iraq were to issue
such a declaration [as adopted by the Afghan Ulema Council]
the road to peace and stability would come much faster there,"
a high-ranking Middle Eastern diplomat agrees.
"The people of Iraq need to have just such
support from their various clerical and religious leaders, but
they are not yet getting it. We need to hear from these clerics
so that the people will have confidence to stand up to the extremists
and terrorists," said a Washington observer involved in
the rebuilding program in Iraq.
The Afghan Ulema Council also called on international
peacekeeping forces to work closely with Afghan authorities
and to afford detainees treatment in accord with Islamic Sharia
(Koranic laws) and Muslim culture, as well as the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights - which the Afghan constitution
has adopted to encode its policy.
"The Ulema Council of Afghanistan denounces
terrorism in any form, under any name and committed in any part
of the world. We consider terrorism contradictory to the principles
of Islam and humanity, and call on the international community
to confront terrorism in all its forms, including state-sponsored,"
says the 13-point declaration.
Ambassador Jawad observes, "These are very
strong words, and this is an extremely important development
not just for Afghans but for all Muslims who want to live in
a free society." Then he says firmly, "This shows
how it can be done."
Paul M. Rodriguez is the managing editor
of Insight.
