The Organisation of Islamic Conference, often called (inappropriately though) the Islamic UNO, had, ironically, never visualized its purported role as the defender of the faith. Over the years, so diffused had its role become that several disillusioned leaders, like Libya's Colonel Gaddafi, termed it a Dead Horse, a nomenclature that describes the conference aptly even today.
The charter of the OIC, though, lists quite lofty aims and objectives: to protect and safeguard the freedom, security, status and integrity of member States besides mutual cooperation in the fields of politics, trade, social, cultural and scientific progress.
But the OIC, as it exists today, has neither the strength nor the diplomatic skill to keep peace among its own member States. For instance, Iran and Iraq, both members of the OIC, remained locked in an internecine war for nine years. The OIC also failed to protect its member States from attacking another member. The Conference stood as a mute spectator when Iraq invaded Kuwait and it was left to the Americans to come to the aid of Kuwait, further eroding the declining status and power of the OIC.
In comparison, the UN has more powers than the OIC. The five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council---US, UK, France, China and Russia--are the driving force behind the UN. The OIC, on the other hand, could be described as a loosely knit group that meets occasionally to ponder over problems confronting the Ummah. At the meetings, like the one held in Malaysia early October, the leaders make high sounding speeches, propose dream solutions and suggest steps to activate and restructure the OIC while adopting dozens of resolutions and finally disperse satisfied with their inputs.
The OIC was set up on December 25, 1969, mainly due to the initiatives taken by late Shah Faisal bin Abdul Aziz of the UAE. Headquartered in Jeddah, the OIC today has 57 member States. But, despite such sizeable membership and 34 years of existence, no attempt has so far been made to create social, cultural, and educational infrastructure in any of the member countries. The recently concluded 10th summit also failed to make any headway in fulfilling the primary objectives of the conference except for speeches and resolutions which expressed a strong desire to offset the growing propaganda against Muslims.
There is no doubt, the image of Islam has suffered a serious dent in the past few years but the reason is not that there is anything wrong the religion. The adherents of Islam should take the responsibility. The leaders of Islam have been so preoccupied with consolidating their power that they have jettisoned the teachings of Islam. No amount of resolutions and speeches would alter the images unless the leaders of the community undertook introspection, a look inward to search for reasons for the plight of the Muslims rather than adopting the easy and convenient way of blaming it on others.
The problem is not with Islam, but with history. The thought and the motto of Jihad is not defined and described with clarity. The definitions of various concepts which rule and shape the thoughts of practitioners should first be delineated so that people are not misled. Questions abound: Is any member State of the OIC eligible to the classified as true Islamic or as a democratic nation? No one. There cannot be a democracy in a one-man rule. And what have we got in the OIC? Mostly despotic regimes, hereditary rulers and military dictators as head of states These men today claim to be leaders of the Ummah.
What did these leaders do at the 10th summit of OIC? held in Malaysia?. They vowed to launch new campaigns on three fronts: Create a Global Islamic Market, parallel to the WTO regime; Issue Islamic currency to face the challenges of dollar monopolies, and Establish Islamic Defence Cooperation to protect and safeguard the interests of Islamic nations..
This has been the fate of the OIC. The self-styled leaders of the Ummah have always given credence to their narrow political ambitions rather than working towards the welfare of the people.
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