West Asian Govts mum, streets quiet

By Kesava Menon

MANAMA (BAHRAIN), OCT. 8. While Iran and Iraq have, as could be expected, issued statements condemning the launch of air strikes against the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, most of the other Governments in the Muslim majority countries of West Asia have preferred not to comment.

Their caution was understandable given the lack of knowledge about the extent of damage in Afghanistan and uncertainty about the effect produced by the Al Qaeda tape telecast over Al Jazeera yesterday. But there were no reports of any protest demonstrations in the Arab world.

Surprisingly, the Lebanese Government was one of the few in the Arab world to issue a comment. Lebanon said that it appeared that the U.S. was imposing its own definition of terrorism on the world. This comment reflects a level of frustration in the Arab world at the failure to come to an agreement with the West on what constitutes terrorism.

Some Arab Governments are trying to foist the idea that ``state terrorism'', by which they exclusively mean actions by Israel, should be as much a target of a concerted international action as terrorism by political groups. All Arab Governments also want the international community to accept the idea that struggles against foreign occupation should be distinguished from terrorism.

These issues are to be debated over today and tomorrow by the Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference who are meeting in Doha (Qatar). The main idea from the Arab point of view is to get a globally recognised definition of terrorism which will exclude militant organisations in Palestine and Lebanon from being covered by the label.

Pakistan, of course, has an interest in promoting both the ideas that state terrorism should be a target of global action and that the ``freedom struggle in Kashmir'' should not be tainted with the label of terrorism being added on to it.

In the debate that has ensued since the Sept. 11 attack, the Arab Governments have almost unanimously treated their particular issue - Israel's occupation of Arab lands - as something completely exclusive of issues that affect other parts of the Arab world.

Many of the Arab and Muslim Governments will not be interested in a free-ranging debate on the definition of terrorism. For instance, it is difficult to see Turkey, Algeria, Egypt or Iraq agreeing that ``state terrorism'' should be a matter for consideration by the wider international community.

Turkey especially will have no truck with any broad statement that distinguishes between ``freedom fighters'' and terrorists given that they label all Kurd separatists without exception as terrorists.

In a statement, Iraq's President, Mr. Saddam Hussein, said the style of U.S. action would only lead to more instability and lawlessness. ``America might increase the use of force and include other countries according to its will and to settle scores'' he said.

The Iranian Government too said the ``vast U.S. attacks'' were unacceptable and that it had been launched regardless of public opinion. However, Iran's die hard opposition to the Taliban is well-known and there were agency reports earlier this week that Iranian officials had told Western diplomats that any statements they made in condemnation of the attacks should not be taken as a really serious criticism.

Iran has to maintain its principled position on world affairs, especially its opposition to the U.S. presence in west and south- west Asia. Iran is also understandably wary in a situation where no one knows what the U.S. administration's long- term plans are for the region.

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