The clash of civilizations everyone fears

In Samuel Huntington’s Clash of Civilizations he quotes Lester Pearson, the great Canadian internationalist. Pearson said that humans were moving into an age when different civilizations will have to learn to live side by side in peaceful interchange, learn from each other, study each other’s history and ideals and art and culture and mutually enrich each other’s lives. Unless we adopted this perspective as the new world view, then the alternative would be horrible to contemplate, maybe even the end of civilization itself.

Pearson said that in the 1950s, but it was a prophetic statement that comes to mind with the war in Lebanon, Iraq, and now, the foiled terrorist plot in Heathrow all competing for television space. The last words in Huntington’s book was a warning that the futures of both peace and civilization will depend upon understanding and cooperation among the political, spiritual and intellectual leaders of the world’s major civilizations. "In the emerging era clashes of civilizations are the greatest threat to world peace and an international order based on civilizations is the surest safeguard against world war."

Well, that prophecy is happening now and unless we heed those words, then we must be ready for the worst. And what a pity it will be if given this foreknowledge we continue to ignore Pearson’s sound advice. In small ways, the Philippines has contributed to these efforts for peaceful coexistence. Indeed, the majority part, the Lakas-CMD, as far as I know, is the only political party which houses both Muslims and Christians. Speaker Jose de Venecia who co-chairs the party with President GMA is well known in circles around the world, as a plugger for a ‘dialogue of civilizations’. It must be said, too, that the Lakas-CMD Party Platform for Charter change is driven by the same objective. Federalism, one of the three objectives of Charter change, is seen by Muslims and Christians in Mindanao as the way to peace. By acknowledging their right to their religion and culture, Filipino Muslims will have no cause or reason to fight or secede. In ADCOM’s sorties around the country, the biggest crowds and applause came from Mindanao. I will never forget the standing ovation we were given in Marawi City.

Ironically, as it now appears, according to British officials, the foiled terrorist plot at Heathrow is remarkably similar to a plot hatched in Manila in 1995 by Ramzi Yousef who is now in jail for life in the US. It was discovered then that liquid explosives would be used and detonated simultaneously in 12 American airliners while in mid-flight.

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But whether it be explosives smuggled onto planes or hijacked planes, more importantly we need to tackle the root causes of terrorism. The foiled plot in Heathrow cannot be isolated from recent events especially in Lebanon. As a number of moderate Muslims had already warned the continuing assaults on innocent civilians, for whatever political motive or strategy, would hand-over the issue of finding ‘peace’ to the radicals. Granted that there are no easy answers, what is increasingly clear is that the leaders of the world will now have to decide that an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon is necessary not just for the well-being of the Israelis and the Lebanese but for all of humanity.

Indonesia’s President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said: "This war must stop now, or it will radicalize the Muslim world, even those of us who are moderate today. It is just one step from there to a clash of civilizations." Indonesia is home to the largest Muslim population. It may be a coincidence but the largest peace march since before the Iraq invasion is expected was planned today on Downing Street to demand that Tony Blair call for an unconditional ceasefire in the Middle East.

The British are among the most vociferous critics of American policy in that region. Rightly or wrongly, it is held by many in the United Kingdom that President Bush and his neo-cons can halt the war if they wanted to.

An interesting front page of The Independent was held up in a recent ANC talk show with almost the entire world symbolized by their countries’ national flags for immediate cessation and only two, the UK and the US against. Not surprisingly, the focus of the radicals’ assault would be the two countries.

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A charity run by Muammar Gaddafi’s son Saif al-Islam called on the International Criminal Court to prosecute Israeli leaders for the attack on the Lebanese village of Qana. Al-Islam is his father’s most influential envoy abroad. He also called on Arab leaders to divert windfall revenues from record high oil prices to help the Lebanese and Palestinians. Officials of the Gaddafi Foundation issued a memorandum to the prosecutor of the Dutch-based court. It demanded action over the attack, in which 54 civilians including 37 children were killed.

"The foundation would like to ask you to exercise your jurisdiction according to articles 13 and 15 of the Statutes of the International Criminal Court to investigate the massacre that was perpetrated, supervised and planned by the Prime Minister of Israel, the Israeli Defence Minister and the Israeli forces’ Chief of Staff."

The International Criminal Court said it had received several appeals concerning Lebanon but it did not have jurisdiction to act. "The court’s jurisdiction is limited to crimes committed by nationals of member states or crimes committed on territories of member states. Neither Lebanon nor Israel are member states of the court," said Christian Palme, spokesperson for the ICC chief prosecutor.

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