Posted on 05/03/2002 4:45:15 PM PDT by swarthyguy
Political events should be looked at in their consequences rather then genesis. We all know that Kashmir and Palestine disputes originated from the errors and malevolent intent of colonialism with hidden motives. But today these are burning issues with strong religious repercussions. We see that in the case of Palestine dispute the religious sentiments of a people were deliberately exploited resulting into a movement called Zionism, where as Kashmir dispute is a lingering legacy of a successful political movement of Indian Muslims. It is with this comparative approach that we should assess these disputes.
Word Kashmir and Kashmiris is not only part of the solution but solution itself. Word Zion and Zionist is not only part of the problem but problem itself, manifesting into Zionism. In case of Kashmir there is an issue to be resolved. In case of Zion there is a problem looking for a dispute. This is how these two stand out in comparison: -
1) Kashmir struggle is an un-finished struggle for freedom by a people for a motherland. Struggle for Palestine is a struggle to reclaim motherland by a people from Infiltrators.
2) Kashmir issue is an unfinished agenda of the legitimate freedom struggle of Indian Muslims. To call it even a "dispute" would be a misnomer. Palestine is an issue of the indigenous legitimate and legal residents of Palestine as a result of the problem of Zionism. Hence the term dispute is the outcome of a problem created by Zionism.
3) Kashmir issue is purely a political issue involving the right to succeed by a Nation on religious divides. Zionism is a religious dispute involving the legitimacy of a people of other Nations to claim a land of indigenous people on basis of scriptures.
4) Genesis of the Kashmir issue is more a result of criminal neglect of the norms of justice on part of the withdrawing colonists then mala fide intent and exploitation of religious faith. Genesis of the Palestine issue is result of persecution and latter, exploitation of the religious faith of Jews to meet political ends by colonists.
5) Kashmir movement has other parallels in history as freedom struggles against injustice. Palestine movement has no parallel in history as a fight of a nation against international crime
In the light of above we can easily conclude that Kashmir issue is a straightforward issue, as only an unfinished agenda of the Muslim independence movement. But when we look at the consequences, these appear different to what anyone can imagine if partition was to be considered only as a political movement. A confrontation between Hindu India and Muslim Pakistan. Who can fail to visualise two peaceful neighbours after abstracting the Kashmir issue from the thought process. Pakistan confronts India on behalf of Kashmiris for their being a Muslim majority.
Kashmir is a part of Pakistan and is an unfinished process of the partition. The Kashmiris' freedom struggle should only be considered as part of the ultimate national aspiration of Pakistan to integrate Kashmir. All freedom struggles are struggles of victims who always are victims of oppression and often victims of neglect. One can struggle against foes who oppress but only resign against friends who neglect. Those who wage wars are always aggressors and oppressors and on moral low ground. That never means that those who do not, should abandon moral high ground to avoid aggression. It's time for the state of Pakistan to rise up to the demands of fraternity with a Muslim nation. Muslims of the sub-continent once rallied to get their freedom. They should once again do so to defend it.
Coming now to the question of Palestine and no doubt it is indeed a question. Contrary to the straightforward issue of Kashmir its genesis is steeped in religious fundamentalism and has far reaching political consequences based of course on religious divide of universal proportions. Far from achieving desired ends, the advent of a Zionist State in a Muslim heartland has brought Christian west into a confrontation with Muslim east.
What is the question of Palestine in its barest proportions. Christian west in its colonial retreat left an outpost and the reasons are obvious. The state of Israel is no State in any fundamental political term but an outpost of the Christian west. Far from its qualifying as a legitimate state it begets these vital questions. Is recognition of Israel an issue? Does Israel has a right to exist?
Zionist state of Israel is a foreign body in a Muslim heartland of Arabia. Zionists are non Arabs and non Muslims. These have mobilised two superstitions with active connivance of Christian west to infiltrate and occupy Muslim and Arab land: religious fanaticism and racial supremacy.
To achieve these they have employed infiltration and terrorism. Hence, the recognition of the Jews' right to live as Jewish Arabs in Palestine is a legitimate issue but the recognition of Zionist state is an illegitimate issue. All those who contemplate recognising the state of Israel shall do so on the cost of abandoning the moral high ground. Recognising Israel is to recognise religious bigotry, racism and terrorism.
Religion when in its dynamic move is a breeding ground for a civilisation but ironically when static breeds superstition. Islam today is the least superstitious of all three mid-eastern traditions, which in turn are the least compared to others in the world. All religious movements are freedom movements and are militant in political sense of being defensive. Islam is least dogmatic, establishes no clerical hierarchy and without a church. Hence, with a great potential for political expansion while retaining its spiritual vitality. If we consider all this, Islam stands for a religious and political emancipation of the entire world.
Christian west is in retreat and Islam is resurgent which is as clear as a daylight. Not as a dominating force but as a movement of emancipation. Christian west anticipates this, more for its inherent weaknesses then to all the advantages Islam enjoys as a polity. The term anti-Semitism has no place in Islam. It denotes an acute hatred of an ethno-religious group for the other. If what they call holocaust is true then the modern western civilisation, not withstanding its achievements, is surely the most barbaric of all that treaded this globe. For it was just the culmination of what had its beginnings in the European ghettoes. A Muslim is proud in proclaiming that if all this is true, Islamic civilisation is an antithesis of Christian west.
Zionism was conceived, took birth and nourished in European ghettoes, which finally got a foothold after the holocaust. Advent of Israel may be an atonement for the sins of western Christian civilisation against Jews, but shall remain a sin against Arabs and the Muslim world. Zionism is fascism, racism and terrorism institutionalised, claiming religious sanction. There can never be peace between Arabs and Muslims on one hand and Zionists on the other. The worst sin an Arab and a Muslim can commit is recognition of Israel. Non-recognition of Israel is its destruction.
The clash of Muslim east with Christian west having its origins in religiosity, is a clash of rationality over bigotry, humanity over racism and equality over slavedom. This clash manifests itself in Israel into political terms. Kashmir a political land dispute in its origins is a clash between sub-continental Muslims and Hindus in its effect. This effect is projected in bigoted religious notions of extreme Hindu cast based racism.
Muslims carry a great trust which they owe to the future of humanity. They should define their role as a political and moral force at one hand and spiritual at the other. In doing so they should be clear as to the orientation of these forces. To achieve the ultimate goal of freedom they should redirect their political and moral energies internationally and spiritual energies internally. Freedom of Muslim masses and their minorities is manifest in their spiritual freedom and thus spiritual awakening. The issues of Palestine and Kashmir are a call to their political awakening. These issues do not stand just to be resolved but taken as great issues of ultimate moral standing. That of political defiance of Israel and India on pain of death.
The writer is former Secretary Water & Power and currently OSD
Now excuse me while I go take some Excedrin.
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