ISLAMIC SCHOLAR EXHORTS CANADIAN MUSLIMS TO FIGHT

UNCLAS OTTAWA 003102

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KISL KDEM PHUM PREL KPAO KIRF CA
SUBJECT: ISLAMIC SCHOLAR EXHORTS CANADIAN MUSLIMS TO FIGHT
EXTREMIST FAITH

REF: OTTAWA 2891 (NOTAL)

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. HANDLE ACCORDINGLY.


1. (U) On September 28, 2005, poloff attended a conference
entitled "Building the Dialogue Gaps Towards a Culture of
Peace" hosted by WEBB Canada (Women Engaging in Bridge
Building) at which keynote speaker Dr. Mohamed Fathi Osman
challenged the Muslim community to embrace a faith that is
forward-looking and oriented to peace. The conference was
well attended, drawing a religiously and ethnically diverse
audience of approximately 350 men and women. Other speakers
included Canadian Habitat for Humanity Executive Director,
Donna Hicks; Founder and President of Teachers Without
Borders, Dr. Fred Mednick; CEO of Iqbal International
Institute on Research, Education and Dialogue in Lahore,
Pakistan, Dr. Riffat Hassan (currently a professor of
religious studies and humanities at the University of
Louisville); Director of UNIFEM in Pakistan, Mariam Mehdi;
and Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada Assistant
Deputy Minister, Marc Whittingham.


2. (U) An Islamic scholar born in Egypt, educated in Egypt
and at Princeton University, and now living in California,
Dr. Osman spoke with passion as he challenged Muslims to be
proactive and forthright in explaining and defining Islam in
21st century terms, not historical ones. In his estimation,
the post-9/11 environment had understandably "exposed"
Muslims as a group to the world, and the Muslim community and
faith were being put "under a microscope." In the age of
globalization, it was not acceptable or constructive to
identify Islam,s golden period as being in the Middle Ages.
Rather, through mass communications and dialogue, Muslims
have a responsibility to allay the doubts and fears of
outside observers by participating constructively in modern
life. Osman urged the community to respond.


3. (U) According to Dr. Osman, Muslims and their leaders must
examine the way in which they want to present their faith to
the world and to clearly identify the elements of Islam that
comprise a permanent belief system --"the essence of Islam"
rather than the "temporary actions" that had cast a dark
shadow on the community. Islam and its practitioners had
long been "sick," Osman said, and the essential task was to
emerge from "centuries of stagnation" and identify with a
"culture of peace, not a culture of conflict," proving that
Muslims can indeed embrace peace and cooperation and evolve
as it had in the past when it emerged from Arabian peninsula.



4. (SBU) COMMENT: Approximately eighteen percent of Canada's
population is foreign-born, and high-level Canadian
government officials view the recruitment of immigrants as a
solution to the country's labor shortages and declining birth
rates. The recent appointment of Haitian immigrant Michaelle
Jean as Governor General (Queen Elizabeth's representative)
has reinvigorated debate about the deep divisions between
francophone and anglophone Canada--known as the "two
solitudes"--and drawn attention to the challenges of
integrating new Canadian citizens.


5. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: In two recent surveys Canadians
identified "multiculturalism and ethnic diversity" as the
most unique and defining characteristics of being Canadian,
as well as providing an answer to extremism. How Canadian
Muslims (some 700,000 strong) see themselves in this panoply
of cultures may shed some light on the success of
"multiculturalism" policy in combatting extremism. Post
plans to engage inter-faith and ethnic groups that promote
co-existence, peace and dialogue in order to better
understand their views of Canadian multi-culturalism and the
interplay between human rights and national security.

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WILKINS