Bangladesh Protests 'Secular Militancy' of Europe

[Guest guest]

German envoy cross swords

Tuesday, October 12,2004

"Why are we not discussing secular militancy that is doing as much

damage to our society?

 

DHAKA: Former chief justice Mustafa Kamal Monday said France and

Germany have 'no moral right' to discuss religious militancy in this

region, prompting a war of words with German Ambassador in Dhaka

Dietrich Andreas at a seminar on the day.

 

Kamal made the remarks as the chair at a session of the seminar

on "Religious Militancy and Security in South Asia" at Bangladesh

Institute of International and Strategic Studies (Biiss) auditorium.

Andreas who was a participant in the session replied to a series of

accusations against Germany and France made by the former chief

justice.

 

The four-day seminar is organised by Biiss in collaboration with the

German and French embassies in Dhaka.

 

"I am not worried about inter-state relations in South Asia. I am

more worried about the western perception of a rise in religious

militancy in militarily weak countries like Bangladesh but not in

big countries like India," Kamal said at the session on "Religious

Militancy and Inter-State Relations in South Asia".

 

Questioning the focus on religious militancy, Kamal asked, "Why are

we not discussing secular militancy that is doing as much damage to

our society? I am worried about the west looking for another

Afghanistan or Iraq to drop their bombs in. Are they looking for

another opportunity?"

 

The former chief justice went on, "We cannot ask about the Turkish

minority in Germany because we are a weak country. We cannot ask why

are the women in France not allowed to wear hijab? They (France and

Germany) have no moral right to discuss religious militancy in our

country. The countries of the region are mature enough to take care

of their own issues."

 

Responding to Kamal's remarks immediately, the German ambassador

said, "We want to increase understanding and dialogue between

cultures and countries ...We are always open to questions about the

state of minorities in our society."

 

On questions of foreign concern over regional issues, Andreas

mentioned the recent series of bomb attacks in Bangladesh and

said, "No culprit has been found, no one has been brought to

justice. Some questions can of course be thrown in that direction."

 

Another session held in the afternoon was on "South Asian Countries'

Response to War on Terrorism and its Fallout on Regional Security,"

where renowned scholars from Pakistan, Germany and France presented

papers.

 

French scholar Jean-Luc Racine observed difference between religious

militancy and religious activists is blurring where groups holding

extremist views are turning militant.

 

Other speakers said a danger also lies in simplistically branding

parties, groups and communities as fundamentalist or militant.

 

http://209.41.191.254/cnn.cfm?

id=153114&category=Religion&Country=BANGLADESH

 

 

 

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