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American Muslims call for peaceful efforts to end the conflict in Afghanistan
ahmer
10/27/01 at 16:28:10
I am just wondering.. Why didn't ISNA sign this? American Muslims call for peaceful efforts to end the conflict in Afghanistan 10/27/2001 - Religious Social Political - Article Ref: IC0110-355 By: US Islamic organizations IslamiCity* - We, the under signed national Islamic organizations resolve the following:      1.      We reiterate our unequivocal condemnation of the crime committed on September 11, 2001, and join our fellow Americans in mourning the loss of up to 6000 innocent civilians.      2.      We reiterate our support for bringing to justice those who are responsible for planning, executing or knowingly helping to carry out this crime. In so doing, we believe that all legal provisions, and procedures of law, national and international, must be adhered to.      3.      We believe the bombing in Afghanistan is not in the long-term interest of our country or the world at large. The bombing victimizes the innocents, exacerbates the humanitarian disaster, and creates wide spread resentment across the Muslim world. Allowing thousands of innocent civilians to die in the harsh Afghan winter will only serve to weaken the global resolve to root out terrorism.   The senseless starvation of women and children will fuel hate and extremism.      4.  We call on our government to urgently reassess its action in Afghanistan, and to cease the bombing campaign and other military actions. Our government should seek a more effective and long-term strategy to deal with terrorism and its causes, whether such violence is committed by individuals, groups or states. We feel that international disputes should be resolved through UN mechanisms and in accordance with its charter.      5.  As American Muslims, we stand ready to help our government in building bridges of understanding with Muslim countries, and assist in removing root causes of misunderstanding, grievances and conflict. We also express our opposition to the extension of bombing to other countries.   Such attacks will aggravate an already explosive and destabilizing situation.      6.  As Americans, we believe that it is not only our right but also our civic duty and responsibility to express our sincere views of what is in the long-term interest of our country. We strongly reject any suggestion that opposing a certain policy of our government is tantamount to disloyalty. This suggestion is undemocratic, unfair and un-American.      7.  Finally, we express our concern about the possibility of unconstitutional measures in new antiterrorism legislation, which may curtail civil liberties in the name of security. Such measures are unlikely to make Americans safer and may be applied in a discriminatory manner against American citizens and lawful residents from specific ethnic and religious groups. We pray to the universal God of all to bestow His mercy, healing and peace on all humanity. Muslim American Society (MAS), Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Muslim Alliance of North America (MANA), Muslim Student Association (MSA), Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), United Association for Studies and Research (UASR), Solidarity International, American Muslims for Global Peace and Justice (AMGPJ), American Muslim Alliance (AMA), United Muslim Americans Association (UMAA), Islamic Media Foundation (IMF), American Muslim Foundation (AMF), Coordinating Council of Muslim Organizations (CCMO), American Muslims for Jerusalem (AMJ), Muslim Arab Youth Association (MAYA) http://islamicity.com/articles/Articles.asp?ref=IC0110-355

Re: American Muslims call for peaceful efforts to end the conflict in Afghanistan
bhaloo
10/27/01 at 20:05:46
slm Its kind of suprising it says October 27th, as I saw this a day or maybe 2 days ago, and on that one, ISNA had signed it.  But before this one there was something in there that I thought was extremely inappropriate, and one brother (he's an ICNA speaker) objected to it, and then it appearantly was removed from it.

Re: American Muslims call for peaceful efforts to end the conflict in Afghanistan
ahmer
10/30/01 at 15:58:59
I think i was right about the ISNA, i guess it's hard for them to sign it!!!!! October 29, 2001 AMERICAN MUSLIMS Organizations Call for End to Bombing By GUSTAV NIEBUHR A group of American Muslim organizations has called for the United States to halt its bombing campaign in Afghanistan and instead develop "a more effective and long-term policy" to counter terrorism. The document was signed by 15 groups, primarily small ones, but including two prominent organizations, the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Islamic Circle of North America. The statement was posted on the IslamiCity.com Web site. In an interview, Naim Baig, general secretary of the Islamic Circle of North America, said the statement was drawn up at a meeting on Oct. 20 and 21 in Washington. Mr. Baig said it reflected a concern among some American Muslims that "this bombing is not going anywhere, and more and more civilian casualties are going on." The United States began bombing Afghanistan on Oct. 7. The statement, signed by groups representing public-policy organizations, students and journalists, among others, voices an "unequivocal condemnation" of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and calls for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. But it says the bombing campaign is not in the interests of the United States or the rest of the world. "The bombing victimizes the innocent, exacerbates the humanitarian disaster and creates widespread resentment across the Muslim world," the statement says. The statement also says its signers believe it their "civic duty" to speak out in favor of the nation's long-term interests. "We strongly reject the suggestion that opposing a certain policy of our government is tantamount to disloyalty," it says. But in a sign that the bombing has produced differences in opinion among Muslim organizations, several major groups did not sign the statement, among them the American Muslim Council, Islamic Society of North America and the Muslim Public Affairs Council. Aly R. Abuzaakouk, the American Muslim Council's executive director, said the organization stood by a statement it made on Oct. 8, expressing support for the Bush administration's campaign against terrorism and its pledge to avoid civilian casualties. "We did call on the administration to really limit and concentrate on the campaign, which is against the terrorists, and safeguard the lives of the civilians," he said. Mr. Abuzaakouk said he hoped the campaign would be over by the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which begins Nov. 17, although administration officials have said the campaign is not likely to be ended by then. Mr. Abuzaakouk also said the administration needed to emphasize that the United States cares about the Afghan people. Salam Al-Marayati, executive director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said his organization had studied the statement asking for a halt to the bombing but decided not to sign, in part, he said, because it did not offer "practical alternatives" to the military campaign. "We support the president's initiative to defeat terror," Mr. Al-Marayati said. "The country was attacked, and we want the perpetrators brought to justice." Officials of the Islamic Society of North America could not be reached for comment. Speaking for the Islamic Circle of North America, Mr. Baig said the statement represented a shift, as the organization had not originally opposed the bombing, as long as there were no Afghan civilian casualties. But reports of such casualties persuaded the organization to change its stand, he said. He said the organization was concerned that the bombing of Afghanistan would ultimately work against American foreign policy interests. "It's going to breed more anger" among Muslim nations, Mr. Baig said. [url]http://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/29/national/29MUSL.html?ex=1005022800&en=01ff7fb1ca9a7bd3&ei=5040&partner=MOREOVER[/url]
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