Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was a leading media voice since the intifada or uprising in Palestine in 2000. For over two decades she reported fearlessly on human rights abuses in the occupied territories. She wrote with anguish at the 74-year old genocide raging in Palestine and the Western world’s callous indifference to the dehumanisation and brutalisation of the Muslim and Christian population of the occupied territories.

But on May 11 her voice was silenced for ever when she was shot and killed while reporting on an Israeli raid on a Palestinian house on the West Bank city of Jenin.

Much sorrow has been expressed around the world about her killing. We, the members of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST), in solidarity with the global outcry against her assassination, wish to add our condemnation of her cold-blooded execution. To be silent would amount to complicity with the atrocity of her killing and the degrading and inhuman treatment meted to her in death by the belligerent behaviour of the Israeli forces at her funeral. As the casket was being carried to the Christian cemetery, Israeli police attacked the mourners with batons and stun grenades almost causing the pallbearers to drop the coffin!

For such targeted and senseless killings to cease, a high-level independent and international investigation is called for. Besides the atrocity of Shireen’s killing, the wider aggression against Palestinian journalists must be investigated. It is noteworthy that the International Federation of Journalists filed a complaint against the State of Israel with the International Criminal Court (the ICC) in April.  One also notes that Shireen’s targeted killing follows the fourth anniversary of the death of Palestinian journalist Ahmed Abu Hussein who also fell victim to an Israeli sniper while covering the “Great March of Return” in March 2018.

A bleak reminder of this type of systematic aggression against journalists is recanted by Reporters without Borders which registers the number of journalists who have been killed while covering the plight of the Palestinians.  The number of killings is more than 40 since 2000. This is despite the protection afforded to journalists by international humanitarian law.

We note with sorrow that though a multitude of international organisations have voiced condemnation over Shireen’s killing, there is deafening silence from certain states that preach human rights to the rest of the world.  

We wish to stand in solidarity with the family, friends, colleagues and the people to whom Shireen Abu Akleh gave her voice. We are adding our small voice to a larger call for justice.

We wish to reiterate that though the global attention these days is focused on the Russia-Ukraine war, the world needs to recast its attention and conscience to the genocide, protracted aggression and injustices in the illegally occupied territories of the West Bank. Shireen’s assassination underlies the daily reality of apartheid in occupied Palestine, the systemic violence against innocent civilians, and Israel’s aggression against anyone reporting these crimes. Preventing the media from conducting its duty is one of the messages behind this atrocity.

Prof Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi, Vice President, International Movement for a Just World

Dr Jaspal Kaur Sadhu Singh, Asst. Secretary-General, International Movement for a Just World

Published in: Astroawani.com, Thursday 19 May 2022

Source: https://www.astroawani.com/berita-dunia/recasting-attention-raging-genocide-362788

Our nation is going through some turbulence in the areas of race and religious relations. Not a fortnight passes without some incident or the other degenerating into a racial or religious controversy.

Race-baiting, scapegoating and looking at everything through the lens of race or religion have become the obsession of many political aspirants.

It was not always like this. Until the 1990s, Malaysia was an exemplar of successful inter-communal living. A few years ago, we scored well on the World Peace Index, being ranked 19th out of 153 states evaluated. Sadly, we have regressed.

What can be done to repair the bridges of intercommunal friendship, tear down the walls of suspicion and revive the spirit of accommodation of 1957 and 1963?

Constitutional literacy: We need to include at all levels of education, knowledge of the Constitution’s glittering generalities, especially its accommodative provisions on inter-ethnic relations.

Lack of familiarity with the basic charter’s provisions even within the top echelons of the civil service, the police, parliamentarians and politicians is contributing to the present state of unease.

Constitutional literacy will help to moderate extremism and enhance appreciation of one of the world’s most unique and hitherto successful experiments in peaceful co-existence in a nation of dazzling diversity.

Diversity: All officials and citizens need to come to terms with the diversity, heterogeneity, pluralism and multi-culturalism that our Constitution recognises. This colourful mosaic is here to stay. We should regard it as an asset despite its many challenges.

Affirmative action: Political theory and our Constitution’s Article 153 recognise the need for positive measures to help any communities left behind. Affirmative action should open up vistas of opportunities and not to inculcate the complacency of handouts.

Further, as resources are finite, the largesse of the state should be based on need and not on race alone. Conflict resolution: Conflicts are unavoidable in any vibrant society. What is necessary is to reconcile them with the least friction and to provide appropriate remedies when rights are infringed.

It is time to consider a new legislative initiative by way of a National Harmony Act. The National Unity Council should be upgraded to a statutory status or converted to a statutory Community Mediation Council.

There should also be a statutory Inter-Faith Council whose job is to foster dialogue over all that unites us and to seek tolerance and compassion towards all that divides us.

In many societies including Singapore, Britain and the United States, the law is used to socially engineer a more tolerant society.

There is no shame in emulating others and building our garland with flowers from many gardens. In addition, we can look to Sabah and Sarawak’s good example of unity amidst diversity.

Hate speech: If conciliation fails, the laws on hate speech in the Penal Code, Communications and Multimedia Act, Printing Presses & Publications Act and Sedition Act need to be employed. Prosecutions must be expeditious and equal against all who poison our air with racist vitriol.

Education: Most prejudices are born out of ignorance. We have to teach people that the primitive ethic of tribalism, racism or religious exclusiveness has no place in modern society. The circle of life has expanded. We are all brothers and sisters on this big blue marble.

Our educational system must nurture tolerance, mutual respect and intercultural dialogue. It must bring students together, not separate them on grounds of race, religion or language. This is not to suggest that vernacular education should be abolished. If we put our heads and hearts together, vernacular education and national education can combine and coexist at the primary level.

What needs to be realised is that it is the decline of national schools that made vernacular education so attractive. If national schools can be rescued from the depths they have plunged to, vernacular education may lose much of its attraction.

The curriculum of primary and secondary education needs drastic revision.

The ethnic diversity of school teachers and school principals must be restored. We must use school sports as a uniting force.

Role of Malay Rulers: The Malay Rulers are the sovereigns for all citizens in their states. Their Majesties can play a significant role to moderate extremism in all forms and to build bridges of understanding.

Declaration on harmony: Similar to the Rukun Negara, let us put our heads together to draft such a declaration. It will act as a polestar for executive and judicial action and will exert normative influence on citizens.

Sabah and Sarawak: The special position of these states in 1963 has been deeply compromised in many areas – partly due to the acts of their own past leaders. There is little doubt, however, that some constitutional amendments, some federal policies and some superior court decisions have been insensitive to the constitutional rights of Sabah and Sarawak.

Orang Asli: The Orang Asli do not qualify for Article 153’s special position of Malays and the natives of Sabah and Sarawak. However, Article 8(5)(c) talks of their protection. More needs to be done to bring the rays of justice to these forgotten people.

Electoral system: There are no ideal electoral systems, but it is generally true that the single-member constituency system we operate makes it difficult for ethnic, religious and political minorities to win seats.

Reforms to the system to accommodate some multi-member constituencies under a proportional representation system may give minorities more representation. If more constituencies are racially mixed, political parties will be forced to give up extreme race or religious agendas and instead adopt more inclusive policies.

Cultural intermingling: All citizens must acknowledge that for centuries Malay, Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Thai, Kadazan-Dusun, Iban and European cultures have mixed in our soil to constitute our rich cultural mosaic.

“There is far more cross-cultural mingling, sharing and co-dependence among us than we care to recognise, admit or celebrate,” says sociologist Patrick Pillai.

We should not be ashamed to acknowledge our mixed heritage.

Racism versus race consciousness: We need to distinguish between racism, which is hatred for others and a desire to keep them down, and race-consciousness, which is a positive desire to help the upliftment of a community, not necessarily our own.

Moderation: We need to adopt moderation as a way of life. We must recognise human rights for all, not only for ourselves. We must welcome social engagement with “others”. While venerating our religion, we must never condemn other faiths. We must not stereotype any race or religion.

Finally, we must be the change we wish to see in the world. Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, once said: “As we walk through the meadows of our mind, let us confront ignorance with knowledge, bigotry with tolerance, and isolation with the outstretched hand of generosity.”

Emeritus Prof Shad Saleem Faruqi is Tunku Abdul Rahman Professor at Universiti Malaya’s law faculty and holder of the Tun Hussein Chair at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies Malaysia. He wishes all Hindu readers a blessed and happy Deepavali. The views expressed here are entirely the writer’s own.

Published in: The Star, Thursday 24 October 2019

Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/columnists/reflecting-on-the-law/2019/10/24/let-us-be-the-change-we-want-to-see

Today’s column is not about law or politics. It is about my parting words of advice to students of constitutional law on the last day of the semester at Universiti Malaya on May 30. I spoke from the heart and this is what I managed to say:

I wish to let you all know that it was my privilege to be associated with you. You all touched my life in a nice way, and I learnt many things from our interaction. In some respect, you were my teachers. For that I wish to thank you.

In the matter of constitutional interpretation, I emphasised that the Federal Constitution’s glittering generalities are not isolated signposts but part of an interconnected whole. The articles of the Constitution must not be seen in isolation but holistically and in the light of the Constitution’s lofty ideals and assumptions.

Life is larger than the law and the articles of the Constitution cannot possibly embrace the full richness of the dignity of human beings. The bare, black letters of the chapter on fundamental liberties should be interpreted prismatically. Once such an approach is adopted, the lifeless, static clauses acquire colours and dimensions not visible to the ordinary viewer.

As to success in your future career, there is no magic wand, no high-speed elevator to success. You have to walk up the stairs one step at a time. There are several prerequisites to high performance in your career.

Dream dreams. Visualise what you wish to become. Dreams are the foundation of reality. If you can dream it, you can achieve it. However, do not become a Mat Jenin. Draw up a realistic and attainable plan. Act, not just react, to things as they come. Sail a chartered course. Discipline yourself to execute your carefully crafted plan. Discipline is the key to success.

Set up time frames. Work hard and diligently. Hard work never goes to waste. Whatever you do, do well. Approach every task with your heart and soul. If you are someone who does ordinary jobs extraordinarily well, your bosses will likely trust you with bigger, exceptional challenges that will enable you to shine and rise above the timberline.

Develop positive attitudes. It is your attitude, not your aptitude, that will determine your altitude. If you think you can, you indeed can. You all have more abilities than you realise. There are within the recesses of each soul reservoirs of inner strength that await to be tapped. You can fly higher than an eagle if you have hope and determination beneath your wings.

Doubt your doubts, but not your beliefs. Do not let your limitations limit you.

Think big. Nudge yourself to take risks. Leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. Go where no one has gone before and leave a trail.

Do not wait for ideal conditions. Conditions are never ideal, yet our journey must go on. Sometimes there is no path in the forest but as you walk along, the path begins to take shape. Start on your plan today. Anything commenced picks up its own steam and grows like a snowball rolling down the hill.

In those moments when you feel fear and doubt, be assured that fears, doubts and insecurities are perfectly natural. Every human being suffers from them. We are all specks of dust in this universe. At the same time, we are strong enough to overcome any challenge. Life is tough but we are tougher. With a positive, never say die attitude we can convert dares into doors and adversities into opportunities.

Lay your trust in God. In the Holy Quran 2:286 it is stated: “God does not impose upon a soul a burden it cannot bear.”

Verse 40:60 invites us to “Call on me; I will answer your prayer”.

Do not give up easily. Persevere. If at first you do not succeed, try again. Falling down is not the same thing as failing. Rumi, the Persian poet, says: “What you seek is seeking you.”

To be happy, live for others. Dedicate your life to something bigger than yourself. It is not what we gather; it is what we scatter that matters.

In sum, the attainment of success is rooted not so much in ability but in positive mental attitudes and planned and disciplined hard work.

To all my young friends, I wish to leave this message: Dream dreams but as Kipling says, do not make dreams your master and thoughts your aim.

Draw up a realistic plan. Start now and sail a chartered course. Act with discipline, conscientiousness, positivity and perseverance. Think deeply. Act nobly. Leave the world better than you found it.

I wish you all the best in your endeavours. May God be with you.

Emeritus Prof Datuk Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi is a holder of the Tunku Abdul Rahman Chair at Universiti Malaya’s law faculty. He wishes all Muslim readers Eid Mubarak.

Published in: The Star, 20 June 2019

Source: https://www.thestar.com.my/opinion/columnists/reflecting-on-the-law/2019/06/20/life-is-tough-but-we-are-tougher/