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Politics : Foreign Policy Discussion Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: kumar who wrote (4560)	2/23/2003 3:34:36 AM
From: KLP	Respond to of 15987

Thanks Kumar...when I looked a couple of years ago, they didn't have their own site.... There are a couple of things that are upsetting on it tonight/for tomorrow... FEB 23, 2003 Muslims rein in anti-US sentiments They sympathise with the Iraqis but steer clear of protests to stay out of trouble with Beijing straitstimes.asia1.com.sg By David Hsieh STRAITS TIMES CHINA BUREAU BEIJING - Muslims in China, like their ethnic Han counterparts, are opposed to a US-led war on Iraq and show special sympathy towards the plight of the Iraqi people. But such feelings against America and the impending war do not translate into open protest, even in Muslim-dominated areas like the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region in the north-west. The Chinese government wants social stability, particularly in the run-up to the leadership changeover at this year's National People's Congress to be held early next month. Professor Gu Qiao- qiao, who teaches Arabic language at Beijing University, said her Muslim students are particularly incensed about perceived US policy biases in favour of Israel and decade-long sanctions imposed on Iraq. Their main complaint is that Washington practises double standards. 'Israel has many more weapons of mass destruction than Iraq ever had, but why doesn't the US demand Israel dismantle them?' she asked. Some of her students perceived Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein as an Arab nationalist, she added. 'Despite suffering severe economic sanctions, Saddam takes generous care of the families of Palestinian martyrs who have died in the Intifada, including suicide bombers.' But few are as militant as Mr Silimanie, a young Uighur restaurant owner in Beijing. He is from the Muslim-dominated region of Xinjiang. 'I hate America not only because of Iraq but because of the way it treats Muslims. I praise Osama bin Laden for attacking America on behalf of Muslims,' he said. He added that many of his Uighur compatriots are doing Islamic studies in Iran and Saudi Arabia. Imam Hong Yang of the Hufuye Sunni Sect in Ningxia told The Sunday Times that many of his followers had wanted to hold demonstrations after seeing televised footage of protests held in other countries. But he has discouraged them, to avoid trouble with the Chinese authorities. 'As Muslims, we have special feelings for the suffering of fellow Muslims in Iraq and other parts of the Middle East but we should show our feelings in other ways,' said the imam, who is a prominent Hui figure in the province. The State Ethnic Affairs Commission however said the central authorities have not openly banned any Muslim demonstrations. While anti-US sentiments remain strong in the north-west, an official from the commission said he has not heard of any demonstrations in big cities such as Urumqi and Xining in Xinjiang and Yinchuan, the capital of Ningxia. A senior economic official in Yinchuan confirmed this. 'People here are very focused on and concerned about the impending war but there is no evidence that groups are organising protests,' he noted. 'Chinese people are obedient to the central government.'

To: kumar who wrote (4560)	2/23/2003 3:36:29 AM
From: KLP	Respond to of 15987

From the same site: FEB 23, 2003 Dr M: Iraq war will be seen as war on Muslims KUALA LUMPUR -- Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad warned on Sunday that the Islamic world would consider a US-led attack on Iraq as 'a war against Muslims,' especially since Washington has been significantly less hawkish in handling North Korea's nuclear programme. 'The attack against Iraq will simply anger more Muslims who see this as anti-Muslim rather than anti-terror,' the Malaysian PM told a forum of business leaders coinciding with a summit of the 114-nation Non-Aligned Movement. 'The fact that North Korea's open admission that it has weapons of mass destruction has met only with mild admonishment by the West seems to prove that indeed it is a war against Muslims and not against the fear of possession of weapons of mass destruction by the so-called rogue countries.' The government of US President George W. Bush has threatened to use force to get Baghdad to give up its alleged chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons. However, Washington has stressed that it has no plans to attack North Korea despite US assertions that Pyongyang recently admitted having a secret nuclear weapons programme and North Korea's withdrawal from a key nuclear treaty. In his speech, Dr Mahathir also accused Israel of seizing upon fears of terrorism following the attacks of Sept 11, 2001, as an excuse 'to launch terror attacks against the Palestinians.' He said this had extended a cycle of violence. 'There is not only no end to this, but acts of terror are escalating and have already spread to other parts of the world,' he said. The Malaysian leader said this had contributed to a rise of anti-Muslim sentiments. 'We are afraid of Muslims, of Arabs, of beards,' he said. -- AP -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright @ 2003 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved.