US envoy to OIC sees 'clash of ignorance'

THE ongoing conflicts between the West and Islam are more of a “clash of ignorance” rather than a “clash of civilization,” US President Bush’s Special Envoy to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC), Sada Cumber, said here yesterday.

The Pakistan-born American diplomat is the first US representative to the 57-member group of Muslim countries representing about 1.5bn Muslims around the world.

“Based on my travels since March, the observation is that both Western and Islamic have to learn and understand other religions, while the West can do the same,” said Cumber at a press briefing.

He was in Qatar to “hold bilateral talks on related matters.”

“If the 5mn American Muslims can engage every single day in every community,” Cumber said, “regardless of what the citizens and engage the Muslims as well, the faith they represent, then those in the region could also work together in dialogue as well,” suggested Cumber.

According to him, Muslims make up 20% of global population, but their combined GDP remained an “extremely unacceptable” 6.6%, while “advanced countries use that talent.”

“We have no research institutes; we are now forced to be in trade, economy fields. When we point we say we don’t need the US to help us resolve our problems and refer to Qur’an’s messages of engaging in Ijtihaad, intellect and Ijma – where we can all sit together and create a consensus,” argued Cumber.

Since his appointment, Cumber as a US representative to the OIC has promoted areas of working, where they categorise as “defunct”. These include science and technology, health and women’s status and education.

“These areas are also the core values in the US as well as Islam. So what we have been discussing for a while now is to engage OIC in a way that 1.5bn Muslims around the world are the beneficiaries at the end,” explained Cumber.

“To a question, access to official justice, transparency, civil society, good governance, strong accountability is very essential. According to him, a transparent society leads to justice,” he said.

“My timeline is very short. As soon as President Bush leaves, I will be leaving as well. We are trying to get something realistic done this short period of time. I have suggested to OIC officials in Jeddah (headquarter) to sign the MoU and waiting for the response now.”

Commenting on American Muslims post 9/11, Cumber highlighted that “Muslims in America come from 80 different cultures and countries and exercise great religious freedom in over 1,200 mosques and other places of worship, while enjoying constitutional protection of their rights.”

The US embassy Charge D’Affaires, Michael Ratney, present on the occasion, highlighted the ongoing efforts by American leadership in promoting understanding and dialogue between the West and the Islamic world.