OIC meet paints bleak picture of Islamic world

Islamic countries stand accused of terrorism and are threatened by sanctions, plagued by economic problems and ethnic strife, while some are under foreign occupation, speakers noted at the opening session of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) meeting.

OIC secretary general Abdelouahed Belkeziz warned that the "dangers" confronting Muslims were "unprecedented in (their) contemporary history."

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Belkeziz said "Muslims are filled with feelings of impotence and frustration as some of their countries are occupied, others are under sanctions, a third group threatened and a fourth group accused of sponsoring terrorism," he said.

"Muslims abroad are considered with suspicion, besieged, deprived of their rights."

Belkeziz also pointed to the economic weakness of Islamic states, many of which depend heavily on oil revenue that can no longer meet the needs of their growing populations, causing rising unemployment and poverty.

"Our economic conditions are fragile and weak compared to large economic blocs and we cannot achieve minimum economic coordination," he said.

The world seemed to have forgotten about the high values of Islam after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, stressing only the violence perpetrated by extremists, Belkeziz added, deploring the inability of politicians and the media to correct this image.

"Islam itself is being accused in its culture, civilisation and message. Our religion is a religion of peace and tolerance... it stresses the sanctity of human life, it upholds the noble values and calls for welfare.

"Our media is unable to confront the false accusations and joint Islamic political action is unable to confer to us protection and pride," he said.

Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar of incoming OIC chairman Malaysia said "the threat of unilateralism, globalisation and terrorism, the precarious situation in the Middle East and the uncertain future of Iraq ... have only served to threaten our very survival."