Is Canada headed for a clash of cultures?
canada.com
Doug Fischer, Ottawa Citizen; With files from Tony Lofaro and Calgary Herald
Published: Saturday, June 10, 2006
OTTAWA -- A controversial British historian who predicts a violent "clash of civilizations" between Muslims and western democracies says Canada could face that kind of future if it is unable to prevent an anti-Muslim backlash to the arrests of terrorism suspects in Toronto.
Niall Ferguson, whose new history of the 20th century has sparked its own backlash in Britain, said Friday the vandalism of a Toronto mosque the day after the June 2 arrests is the sort of inflammatory incident that can quickly spin out of control.
"If history teaches us anything, it is that seemingly small actions can set off events that lead to large-scale violence," he said in an interview.
To keep any backlash in check, Ferguson said government and citizens need to work closely -- and publicly -- with moderate Muslims to stop the spread of extremism in the name of Islam.
He warned that if anti-Muslim sentiment is allowed to grow, it could spawn the rise of xenophobic populist politicians eager to exploit broader anti-immigrant feelings. And that, in turn, could encourage more young Muslims to embrace radical ideology.
That was the case in the Netherlands, where a filmmaker was murdered in 2004 in the name of Islam, and in Denmark, where the publication of satirical cartoons set off violent demonstrations by Muslims earlier this year.
Although both countries are known for their liberal immigration polices and high levels of ethnic tolerance, the events led to unprecedented levels of hostility toward immigrants -- 66 per cent in Denmark and 60 per cent in the Netherlands, according to polls.
Ferguson sees lessons in these examples for Canada, also touted for its liberal attitudes toward immigration.
"The official response to arrests like those in Canada is always that it is the work of a criminal minority and should not be blamed on all Muslims," he said.
"That's true, of course, but the problem is that this criminal minority believes it is acting for all Muslims. And it is being allowed to hatch its schemes, in mosques and learning centres, right under the noses of the wider Muslim community."
Meanwhile, in Calgary, an imam who founded Muslims Against Terrorism announced Friday the launch of Project Unity Now, a cross-Canada series of conferences designed to shield Canadian Muslim youth against violent extremism. The first event is to be held on July 22 in Toronto.
"Canadian Muslims must share some blame for not doing more to stop the misleading of our youth in the name of Islam," Imam Syed B. Soharwardy said at a news conference at the Al Madinah Calgary Islamic Centre Friday.
Soharwardy says Project Unity Now favours banning radicals from Canadian mosques who preach hatred and violence.
An in Ottawa, an imam warned Muslims to remain vigilant and act sensibly in the wake of this week's arrests.
"You should join hands to improve this country. This is your country (too)," Iman Gamal Solaiman told Muslims who came to the Ottawa Mosque for weekly prayers Friday.
"Be on good terms with your neighbour and with your partner at work, it is quite important," he said.
Ferguson's latest book, The War of the World: History's Age of Hatred, suggests that the violence of the 20th century, the bloodiest in history, can no longer be explained by the usual textbook analyses: economic crises, class warfare, nationalism or ideological fervour.
Instead, he argues, the bloodbath was largely the result of economic volatility, empires in decline and ethnic conflict. As the century ended and the present one began, ethnic faultlines were increasingly the cause of conflict, a pattern Ferguson expects to continue.
Ferguson, who divides his time between Harvard and Oxford, believes that "the latent civil war" in Iraq could presage another lengthy period of bloodshed in the Middle East and, probably, beyond.
© The Vancouver Sun 2006 |
