January 25, 2005

Extremists show their true nature

The remarkable lack of unity of Islamist extremists with Muslims hard

hit by the Dec 26 earthquake and tsunami is good news for governments

fighting the regional equivalent of al-Qaeda. It is even better news for

the massive moderate majority of Muslims fighting the same battle on

quite different and even more important terms. The extremist groups and

leaders teaching and espousing violence lost the final shred of

credibility that they were somehow on the side of local people against

governments and foreigners.

The tsunami disaster has clarified thinking on a number of issues. In

Thailand, it is crystal clear that greedy developers and uncaring _ or

untrained _ tourist operators were destroying the southern coast and

oceans and must be reined in as the region is rebuilt. A lackadaisical

warning system and disaster reaction led to unnecessary chaos and,

perhaps, loss of life. Military training has paid off, and the first

response by most national armed forces was the most professional. And

foreign military forces including from the United States, Singapore,

Australia, Malaysia and New Zealand acted both selflessly and fast to

save countless lives with food, water and medical care.

What many already knew was exhibited time and again in the first hours

after the tsunami struck 11 countries, right up to today: In a disaster,

good people respond without consideration of race, nationality or

religion. Last week's interfaith memorial by 20,000 Thais and foreigners

added to the proof. Buddhists, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs and even those

without a specific faith met, prayed and honoured the victims in a

single great gathering in Phangnga.

The fastest, biggest aid providers to the staunchly Muslim victims of

Aceh, Indonesia, were the Australian and US military. Malaysia _ state

religion Islam _ was quick to offer help to Thailand. The Tamils of Sri

Lanka halted their long, murderous rebellion against the Sinhalese

government so that aid could flow freely. Political and religious

differences seemed so unimportant after the great natural disaster _

except to one group. International terrorists and extremists simply

ignored the suffering.

The militants seeking to terrorise the southern provinces of Thailand

apparently never considered helping to relieve the suffering of Muslims

just one province over from their most violent attacks. The regional

arms of al-Qaeda spared not even a message of condolence for those who

suffered in their own countries, let alone abroad. At a time even the

pro-Pulo Aljazeera TV network praised the US military response in Aceh,

al-Qaeda, the Iraqi Ba'athists and other active groups stayed silent.

The day after the tsunami struck the Indian Ocean littoral, Osama bin

Laden released a statement. It said anyone who votes in the Palestinian

or Iraqi elections is an infidel, and Iraqi voters deserve death. As a

shocked world rushed to aid this stricken region _ Saudi Arabia sent

four planeloads of aid within a week and was criticised for a slow

response _ the man who has called for the proclamation of a new

caliphate said nothing about the plight of millions of distressed

Muslims.

It is difficult to think of what could better illustrate the gap

between the 1.2 billion Muslims and the extremist leaders who claim to

represent them. Even at their most murderous, communist guerrillas had a

certain claim to being the ``fish'' in the ``water'' of the general

population. In times of great peril, the communists joined their enemy

to face a greater threat: the Japanese in World War Two, great floods in

China, and, in Europe, the armies of Hitler. The Islamist extremists

have no such link with those they claim to lead and demand to rule.

This heartless lack of response should make it easier for the moderate

majority to reject any calls to join violent groups or acts. Clearly,

the extremists have only one interest at heart, and that is their own.

The lack of help, even of a message of condolence, speaks volumes. The

energy of disaster aid has refuted the anti-Western propaganda. The lack

of aid and sympathy has exposed the true values of terrorists,

extremists and their leaders.