Muslim Massacre in Assam and Muslim Leadership
No one would know the real extent of the violence, Muslims
faced in Assam.
No one would ever know the real number of people killed and raped in remote
villages, in small hamlets, and in isolated plantations. There is no need to
give a graphic detail of torture and violence unleashed on innocent people.
What has happened to weak and helpless men, women and
children in Assam
is nothing new. Ever since we started recording history, we have witnessed this.
Despite all our claims and determinations, we have failed to provide security
to each other from our own wrath and vengeance. The names and places of victims
have kept on changing, and the volume and scope of violence have kept on
growing.
It is almost impossible to ever imagine a world free from
violence. So we have to live within this reality. But we can create conditions
to minimize violence, reduce the number of victims and shorten the length of
sufferings.
There are certain steps that can be taken up at different
levels to counter the growing violence and to especially help the victims of Assam
massacres.
At legislative levels, state and federal governments can
impose punitive financial penalties on groups, communities, and organizations
that promote and engineer violence. In Assam, the culprits and their
organization may be brought to justice by making them pay for the
rehabilitation of the victims. Once the state shows its serious intentions in
legally handling the situation, the groups and communities would think hard about the serious implications of their actions.
But this is an ideal solution. No one is going to call for
it and no one is going to implement it because there are so many political and
social factors attached to it.
The next best solution is to mobilize the community resources
to help the victims and open dialogue with those responsible for the violence.
Both of these ideas are implementable.
Only visionary leaders and serious and sincere reformers can
put the two ideas in action. Even though Indian Muslims scattered all around
the world can contribute to the efforts, the initiative has to come from Indian
Muslim leadership.
Currently, several humanitarian groups are engaged in
raising funds for the victims of Assam
in India
and elsewhere. No one would really know the real amount being raised as there
are no consolidated efforts on the part of Muslims.
Muslims in India
can work to create a single entity to handle the relief and rehabilitation. It
should rely on the resources of all parties and groups and it should recruit
professionals who can draw the best plan to ensure that displaced people are
provided adequate resources to stand on their own feet.
International Muslim groups may contribute to this unified
entity and work in close cooperation with them. This would save time, efforts
and resources and produce the best possible results.
How would it happen? Average
people can make a difference. They need to put pressure on Muslim leaders to
work for a unified approach. The Muslim community would appreciate it and
support this initiative. The differences are sustained and nurtured by
leadership and if they show boldness in eradicating them, people would follow
them.
The second initiative that Muslim leadership can take is
to initiate dialogue with those accused of initiating the violence. It is a
difficult process to build the bridges between two fighting groups. But this is
the only way to enable the opposite sides to develop an agenda that serves their
interests. Initially, the dialogue has to be at a low level among those who are
willing to dialogue. Later, the dialogue can be expanded to include people at
different levels. Through dialogue, the wounds can be healed and through the
process of reconciliation, differences can be overcome. The Quran provides effective advice in these situations.
“Nor can goodness and evil be
equal. Repel (evil) with what is better: Then will he between whom and you were
hatred become as it were your friend and intimate! (41:34)
The leadership can only guide and facilitate but the real onus for the change is on the common man. He has to step up to the challenge through education, hard work, civic sense, unity, love, respect, understanding etc. Values that Allah (swt) commands and demands from us all. The word has been out for centuries, read and follow the Quran.
ReplyDeleteIt is a serious problem. your suggestions are valid, but it seems to me if those who controll the power are not just towards all the segments of society, nothing will work.therefore participation in the political process and be part of the power is essential.
ReplyDeleteRegarding your first suggestion to penalize the aggressor, dishonest people will blame the victims and make them pay also.
There is a need for us to put our brains togather and come up with the solution.
Salam,
ReplyDeleteHow can we develop a dialogue when people want to be anonymous. As far as masses are concerned, I fee there has to be some initiative on the part of some concerned people to suggest what is to be done. We have been reading the Quran for centuries and perhaps reading it more than any other religious communities read their books. But those who claim they know the Quran ask us to do things, that take us away from practical life in this world. So what is to be done?