The UK constitution states that in the event of war between UK and another country, the British has every right to do whatever they like to a citizen of that country whom UK has a war with and this citizen is called enemy alien in law terms. But it is applicable only if the citizen of that country is to be found in the British land. No British citizen will be held liable in the event of death of that enemy alien on British soil because that enemy alien has no rights in the UK. Although this rule has been passed in the Queen in Parliament, it is still subjected to the Human Rights Act. However, don’t you think it is too late to be bringing this case to the highest court of the land with the issue of Human Rights after the victim is dead or severely suffer grievious bodily harm?
We are all aware that the UK and US are at war with Iraq. With the UK constitution making it legal for any British citizen to do anything to the country’s enemy in British soil, this means that if an Iraqi citizen is to be found on British land, he will be exposed to the danger of getting killed and harm. He is also subjected to imprisonment without trial for the duration of the war.
When asked by the lecturer why will the Iraqi be subjected to such treatment on British land? One of the students spontaneously answered because he is a Muslim. It was just a short and simple answer. I think hard when he gave his answer. I didn’t know what was supposed to be my appropriate reactions to his blunt response. I kept quiet and I put on my thinking cap and continued thinking. What did he really mean by that? I am a Muslim and does that make me become a potential victim to unfair treatments and abuse if I put my feet on British soil? What about the existing Muslims in the UK? Are they subjected to discrimination and ill treatment as well just because they are Muslims? So does that mean Thariq Aziz will not be subjected to those treatments mentioned above if he puts his feet on UK because he may be an Iraqi but he is not a Muslim? It’s illogical but yet logical to a certain extent. I tried to analyse his answer from a diverse and wide angles. I looked at his answer not only as black and white but as many different forms of colours as I possibly can.
Every action of us represents what we are. My actions represent my family regardless if it is bad or good. Somehow it will reflect on how I am being brought up and what kind of family conditioning I learnt and got at home. It doesn’t matter if I am doing it out of my own accord not wanting to have anything to do with my family, race or religion, but still the stereotype impression people will get links to my race, religion and family. It’s the norm of the society.
Just like Iraq, it is a country where the official religion is Islam and most of its citizens are Muslims. With the reasons of war with Iraq being to abolish and find the weapons of mass destructions, still I believe that there are some if not many personal agendas involved. George W. Bush has always believed that Saddam Hussein is the mastermind of the September 11 attack on US. He believes that the Al-Qaeda network headed by Osama BinLaden is being sponsored by Iraq and they are linked with each other. With US being regarded as one of the world superpower in trade, industry, defence and entertainment, it is of course shameful and embarrassing that something like September 11 could happen there. US is after all not invincible, nothing and nobody is invincible. Where are all the weapons of mass destructions in Iraq that they claimed to be the reasons why they went to war with Iraq? Is George W. Bush just doing things because daddy says so? Did he just want to finish off his father’s unfinished job? Did he go to war with Iraq just because he wanted retribution and to recover back US pride and honour?
Many are outraged, and rightly so, by this senseless act against the US but, perhaps, we should also ask how they could be outraged at this. It's unfortunate that while everyone shares the pain of the US, most have no idea of the pain and suffering of many others around the world - sufferings, which is the result of US policies. While we share the pain and anguish of the Americans, let us not forget the anguish that others have suffered and that went unnoticed because the free world's media did not deem it worthy of coverage. Let us feel the pain and anguish of innocent people who have felt the wrath of the US and its NATO allies when their countries were put under US-backed sanctions. Let us feel pain and anguish of the nearly 17,500 civilians killed in Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon, which the US supported. Let us also not forget that the very same Taliban, whom the free world once cheered as "fighters against the Evil Empire", were once quite heavily sponsored by the US. Did anyone pause and ask: Who helped create these "freedom fighters"? Let us not forget that Saddam Hussein, that very person who threatened the free world's oil supply, was once America's biggest client, who helped defend the free world against the extremist policies of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Let us not forget the many innocent civilians who were killed in the undeclared war popularly known as the Vietnam War.
There have been cases of Islamic terrorist activities on the rise lately and it is happening right under our nose. With the September 11 case and the bombings of Bali (to mention a few), it is no surprise that many shallow minded people think of Islam as a religion that encourages its followers to resort to violence and bloodshed. Nobody can deny that Islam is the one religion in the world that has created so much public outcry and controversies nationally and internationally. Take those examples in Singapore, with the tudung issues one after another and Jemaah Islamiah (JI). JI plans to bomb the Yishun MRT Station and the Sembawang US naval camp. It is scary, sad and good.
I said scary because Yishun is where I live and I take the train everyday to go to school. The thought that some Muslims extremist in the name of religion tried to bomb that station feared me. The idea that this extremist activities exist in a country as small as Singapore and their plans to use violence for the purpose of their agendas really got me thinking that we cannot take things for granted. When I saw the news about that episode, I was glued to the television screen and the imaginative side of me got working actively. I imagined that I could be one of the victims died of bomb blast and my body would be blown to pieces with the head at the north, body at the south, legs at the east and hands at the west part of the train station.
My family would be saddened, all my friends would be shocked and all my girlfriends would miss my charming personality. Would they? Never mind that. The violence and terrorist threats that I have heard of that happened elsewhere is happening in Singapore and that makes me scared and I wonder what would happen to the world. Is violence the only way to vent out your anger and frustrations?
I am saddened by the news because it hurts me to know that my fellow Muslims brothers are willing to resort to the blasting of bombs and killings of innocent lives to meet their desire. And they do this all in the name of religion. They use Islam as a mask for their own thoughtless and careless acts. All those plans of killings and bombings are in their unlawful organisation agendas and that do not denote Islam but they made it in such a way that the world would think it is the teachings of Islam. They give Islam a bad name and portray Islam as the world’s worst religion to follow and embrace. Having captured the JI members in Singapore, the government managed to short-lived their bombs plans and attacks. These criminals are detained under Internal Security Act (ISA) and they were being guarded tightly.
What troubled me most is how they became what they are right now. All of them are born Muslims and they have been members of JI for more than ten years. This goes to show that these unlawful Muslims militant organisations have existed in Singapore for as long as you know and if not for the September 11 attacks on US, these Muslims radicals would have been freed and roaming the country planning for their next bomb target. It is depressing and it upset me to know that the founder of such unlawful Muslims organisations would use Islam to make their despicable dreams come true and make these people who look up to them as scapegoats. As far as my understanding and knowledge about how all these Muslims radicals’ organisations work is concerned, they use Islam as the strong source of recruitment reason. Everything and anything they do is all in the name of Islam. And these people with the most sincere intentions to become a good practicing Muslims fall into their trap and allowed themselves be influenced by all these extremist ideas.
As much as I am scared and saddened by all these issues that has been going on around me, there's a part of me that say it is a good thing that they happened. Pardon me, I do not condone any violent acts neither I am happy to hear such news but at times we need to take the bull by the horn. I can comprehend the reasons behind all these Muslims terrorist attacks and I understand why it happened. With the Palestine issues and the sanctions on Iraq for so long, we all knew that America had it coming. America tastes her own medicines and it is a very bitter one to swallow. Why does it take so long for the US to solve the Palestinian-Israel issue but it takes them so fast to attack Iraq even without the approval of the United Nations (UN)? Nobody can deny that the Jews are the one that keep the America's economy as strong as it is. Most Jews are in the congress and they make up the ruling party in America. Everybody knows this. Why does it take the world superpower to react so long to curb aggressions against the Muslims? It is very obvious. There have been talks and peace meetings between the Palestine and Israel’s leaders but none of them has been successful. The Palestinians have been killed and so are the Israelis over a long period of time. The Palestinians freedom to fight has been taken away from them without any weapons.
I never fail to watch the news showing the Palestinians youths throwing rocks and stones to the Israeli’s army and police and I have never failed to read or hear that there are people being killed everyday in Palestine. What does it take for the world to see that this is actually the rationale behind these entire violent and the surface of Muslims extremist? They knew about this but they can’t do anything about it because of what the Jews have contributed to America’s economy. To solve an issue this complicated and serious, it takes a lot of thinking and hard work. Peace process is not easy, it must be mutually agreed between the parties involved and not only that, sacrifices have to be made. US and UK claimed that attacking Iraq will put a stop to terrorist attacks but all I see and hear right now are more news about explosions of bombs and the killing of innocent lives again. It is like there is no more value in human's life anymore. More and more suicide bombers emerge. It was all over the papers that if Osama were killed, there would be many more Osama and suicide bombers that will surface. We give birth to newborn babies only to find them die later in bomb blasts. It is a pity and a shame, it really is.
Who can we blame for all the violence today? Is there anybody specifically that we can point the finger at? It's only fair that the terrorist be brought to justice. But more that just revenge, the US should sit back and ponder what caused this to happen. And lastly, please remember that while those behind these evil acts should be brought to justice, their religion and race should not be put on trial. With very little chance of peace in Palestine, the existence of the Islamic terrorist organisations is going to continue and even how much effort the government contribute to put a stop to it, it will still exist for as long as it is required. And with this, I have no answer and I cannot predict as to when peace will be accomplished in Palestine and to see no more violence on earth.
Yes, I feel angry on what is happening in the Palestine and Iraq. I am not a Palestinian neither I am an Iraqi but I still feel the pinch because I am a Muslim. No matter where I was born and no matter where I live, a Muslim I will be. This is probably one of the reasons why did that student gave that answer. I understand now that whether we are Singaporean, Malaysian, Iraqi or Palestinian, we are all Muslims, what happen to the Muslims in Iraq and Palestine’s are our problems too and we have the responsibility to contribute whatever and however we can to make their life a better one. I believe no matter how much or how less we pray each day, and how much or how less devouted we are to Islam, we have this spirit in each one of us that uphold the Islam in us. And I know and I am sure there is still that ray of light, that 'Nur' in our minds and hearts and all it takes is just one very loud united cry of ''Allah Huakhbar!''
