The Next War? -- Il-Gwerra Li Jmiss?

The Next War?

Little by little, we're moving close to another war, yet again in the Middle East. This story involves the Islamic State (IS), which occupies land that not so long ago was part of Syria and Iraq, and (so far) the usual Western countries, as well as Australia.

We've already talked about IS and the Caliphate in issue 79 of The Voice. Since then, beheadings, threats against specific countries like the US, the UK and even Russia¹, forced conversions, beatings, rapes and amputations² have not stopped.

IS has a Salafist bent. This is a movement that believes authentic Islam is the one based on the teachings of the first generations (salaf) after the Prophet Mohammed, and count as infidel (without faith) or apostate (left the faith) those who hold different interpretations.

IS also believes in holy war (Jihad), prioritising the purification of Muslim society over the fight against non-Muslim countries. This is why it is fighting in Syria against the Syrian government which is Alawite (an offshoot of the Shiites) and also against other groups that are themselves fighting the Syrian government, and in Iraq is fighting against a predominantly Shiite government and the Kurdish parts of northern Iraq.

The philosophy of IS does not permit peaceful coexistence between people and nations of different cultures or beliefs. You either accept to convert and live according to Islamic law (Sharia), or dig your own grave. There are no compromises.

There is no discussion about injustices that exist in the world, about the unfair distribution of natural resources that favour rich countries and multinational companies, about the unjust occupation of Palestinian land by Israel etc.

In fact, I cannot see that there can be a discussion. For much of the world's population that does not hold the same views of IS, if one maintains his own belief, a discussion with someone from IS is expected to quickly become one of life or death, tomorrow if not today.

There is turmoil in the Muslim world, as there are many Muslim authorities who completely disagree with IS, like the Mufti of Egypt who has stated that these extremists are misinterpreting Islam³, or the Council of Australian Imams who have said that extremists are using Islam as a cover for criminal acts and atrocities⁴.

At the moment, there is an expectation that President Obama of the United States try to lead an adequate reaction to IS. We can already see several actions from the air force in Iraq. NATO countries have also indicated that they are ready to participate in military actions⁵, and Australia has already made clear that it's ready to provide its support⁶. Even Pope Francis has indicated that there needs to be some action⁷.

I declare that I do love peace, but I'm not a pacifist. Pacifism is the opposition to all wars and violence, 'peace' no matter what. My view is that there cannot be peace without justice, and there cannot be peace when one person threatens another's very existence.

Nevertheless I fear an inexorable rush towards a war. Australia has already decided that it's ready to provide war planes if asked⁸. I acknowledge the government needs to be able to take these decisions quickly if necessary, however the decision by the Coalition government, agreed to by the Labour Party, not to have a discussion in parliament, is arrogant to the extreme. People are sick and tired of being involved in wars away from how, that have to be paid for with enormous amounts of money and with the lives of their children. I think it's very reasonable for the government to hear the thoughts of the people through their representatives in parliament, on a matter which will probably have such a long-term impact on them. Why should such a decision be taken without the people being involved, and simply be informed?

Apart from this, I can see a bigger problem. The nations that so far have been eager for military action are Western. I see a risk of getting involved in a conflict that can be portrayed by IS as between Muslims and Christians, as this without a doubt will attract other Muslims, even those considered moderate, to go to defend Islam. There needs to be a very wide representation, globally, for this fight against extremism. Furthermore, can the solution be only military?

It's not enough that the countries joining in be predominantly Shiite, like Iraq (which is already taking part), as this would also fall into the narrative of a fight between Sunni and Shiite Muslims. There need to be Sunni countries, as well as those of other cultures and beliefs from around the world.

This is not, and should not be able to be portrayed as, a war between Christianity against Islam. It needs to be clear that this is a fight between humanity and inhumanity.

1http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/09/06/islamic-state-militants-want-to-fight-putin-2/, retrieved 8/9/2014

2http://rt.com/news/183172-syria-isis-crimes-humanity/, retrieved 8/9/2014

3http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/08/24/Islamic-authority-Extremists-no-Islamic-State-.html, retrieved 8/9/2014

4http://www.anic.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/ANIC-CONDEMNS-THE-ACTIONS-PORTRAYED-IN-THE-PHOTO-OF-A-7-YEAR-OLD.pdf, retrieved 8/9/2014

5http://news.yahoo.com/obama-says-key-allies-ready-join-u-action-184811257.html, retrieved 8/9/2014

6http://news.yahoo.com/obama-says-key-allies-ready-join-u-action-184811257.html, retrieved 8/9/2014

7http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/08/13/pope-francis-signals-support-for-iraq-military-action-to-protect-christians-from-brutal-islamic-jihadists/, retrieved 8/9/2014

8http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/03/australia-considering-general-request-military-action-iraq, retrieved 8/9/2014

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Il-Gwerra Li Jmiss?

Ftit ftit, qegħdin nersqu lejn gwerra oħra, u mill-ġdid fil-Lvant Nofsani. Involuti f'din l-istorja huwa Stat Islamiku (SI), li jokkupa art li sa ftit ilu kienet tagħmel parti mis-Sirja u mill-Iraq, u (s'issa) l-pajjiżi tas-soltu tal-Punent, kif ukoll l-Awstralja.

Fuq SI u l-Kalifat diġà tkellimna fil-ħarġa numru 79 ta' The Voice. Minn dakinhar, il-qtugħ tal-irjus, it-theddid kontra pajjiżi speċifiċi bħall-Istati Uniti, ir-Renju Unit u anke r-Russja¹, konverżjonijiet sfurzati, swat, stupru w amputazzjonijiet², ma waqfux.

L-SI għandu twemmin Salafi. Dan huwa moviment li jemmen li l-Islam awtentiku huwa dak ibbażat fuq it-tagħlim tal-ewwel ġenerazzjonijiet (is-salaf) ta' wara Mawmettu, u jqisu li min iżomm interpretazzjonijiet differenti bħala bla fidi (infidel) jew apostata (wieħed li ċaħad il-fidi).

L-SI temmen ukoll li fil-ġlieda qaddisa (il-Ġiħad), anke qabel ma tiġġieled kontra pajjiżi mhux Musulmani, trid tippurifika lis-soċjetà Musulmana nnifisha. Għalhekk bħalissa qed jiġġieled fis-Sirja kontra l-gvern Sirjan li huwa Alawit (grupp li ħareġ mix-Xiti) u anke kontra l-gruppi l-oħra li qed jiġġieldu lill-gvern Sirjan, u fl-Iraq jiġġieled kontra l-Gvern predominantement Xita u l-partijiet Kurdi tat-tramuntana tal-Iraq.

Il-filosofija ta' SI ma tippermettix għixien fil-paċi jew ko-eżistenza bejn nies u popli ta' twemmin u kulturi differenti. Jew taċċetta li tikkonverti u tgħix skont il-liġi Islamika (ix-Xarija), jew tista' tmur tindifen. Mhemmx kompromessi.

Id-diskors mhux dwar inġustizzji li jeżistu fid-dinja, fuq it-tqassim tar-riżorsi naturali li jiffavorixxu l-pajjiżi għonja jew il-kumpanniji multinazzjonali, fuq l-okkupazzjoni inġusta tal-art Palestinjana mill-Iżrael eċċ.

Fil-fatt, jien lanqas nara li tista' issir diskussjoni. Għall-biċċa l-kbira tal-popolazzjoni dinjija li ma jħaddnux it-twemmin ta' SI, jekk wieħed huwa sod fit-twemmin tiegħu, diskursata ma' xi ħadd minn SI nistenna li malajr issur ta' ħajja jew mewt, jekk mhux illum, għada.

Fid-dinja Musulmana, hemm taqliba sħiħa, għax hemm ħafna awtoritajiet Musulmani li ma jaqblu xejn ma' SI, bħall-Mufti tal-Eġittu li qal li dawn l-estremisti mhux qed jinterpretaw tajjeb l-Islam³, jew il-Kunsill tal-Imami tal-Awstralja li qalu li l-estremisti qed jużaw l-Islam biex jgħattu aġir kriminali u atroċitajiet⁴.

Bħalissa hemm stennija li l-President Obama tal-Istati Uniti jfittex li pajjiżu jmexxi reazzjoni adekwata għal SI. Diġà qed naraw diversi azzjonijiet mill-forza tal-ajru fl-Iraq. Il-pajjiżi tan-NATO wkoll indikaw li lesti jipparteċipaw f'azzjonijiet militari⁵, u l-Awstralja għamlitha ċara li lesta tagħti l-appoġġ tagħha⁶. Anke l-Papa Franġisk indika hemm bżonn li tittieħed azzjoni⁷.

Jien nistqarr li nħobb il-paċi, imma miniex paċifist. Il-paċifiżmu huwa l-oppożizzjoni għal kull gwerra u l-vjolenza, 'paċi' akkost ta' kollox. Jien nara li ma jistax ikun hemm paċi mingħajr ġustizzja, u ma jistax ikun hemm paċi meta bniedem jhedded l-eżistenza ta' ieħor.

Madankollu wisq nibża meta nara ġirja ineżorabbli lejn gwerra. L-Awstralja diġà ddeċidiet li lesta tipprovdi ajruplani tal-gwerra jekk mitluba⁸. Nirrikonoxxi li l-gvern għandu jkun jista' jieħu dawn id-deċiżjonijiet malajr jekk hemm bżonn, imma d-deċiżjoni tal-Gvern ta' Koalizzjoni, li qabel magħha l-Partit Laburista, li ma ssirx diskussjoni fil-parlament⁹, hija arroganti għall-aħħar. In-nies xebgħu jkunu nvoluti f'gwerer barra minn darhom, li jridu jħallsu għalihom b'somom enormi ta' flus u b'ħajjet uliedhom. Naħseb li huwa raġonevoli ħafna li l-gvern jisma l-ħsieb tal-poplu mir-rappreżentanti tiegħu fil-parlament, fuq ħaġa li aktarx ikollha daqshekk impatt fit-tul fuqu. Għalfejn għandha deċiżjoni bħal din tittieħed mingħajr mal-poplu jkun involut, u sempliċement jiġi infurmat?

Apparti hekk, nara problema ikbar. Il-pajjiżi li s'issa l-iktar li urew ħerqa għal azzjoni militari huma l-pajjiżi tal-Punent. Jien nara riskju kbir li nidħlu f'kunflitt li jiġi interpretat minn SI li huwa bejn il-Musulmani u l-Insara, għax dan bla dubju jħajjar lill-Musulmani oħra, anke jekk illum moderati, li jmorru jiddefendu lill-Islam. Irid ikun hemm rappreżentazzjoni wiesgħa ħafna, globali, għal din il-ġlieda kontra l-estremiżmu. Ukoll, is-soluzzjoni militari biss?

Lanqas mhu biżżejjed li jissieħbu pajjiżi predominantement Xiti bħall-Iraq (li diġa qed jieħu sehem), għax din ukoll taqa f'narrativa ta' ġlieda ta' Musulmani Sunni kontra dawk Xiti. Irid ikun hemm pajjiżi Sunni, u oħrajn ta' kultura u twemmin ieħor minn madwar id-dinja.

Din mhix, u lanqas ma trid tiġi mpinġija bħala, gwerra tal-Kristjaneżmu kontra l-Islam. Trid tkun ċara li din hija ġlieda tal-umanità kontra l-inumanità.