Islamic think tanks come together in İstanbul

The main concept discussed in the forum was the role of think tanks in the Islamic world, which was very late to recognize the importance of think tanks in forming international policies. Apart from the role of think tanks, the increasing amount of conflict in the world was also highlighted.

These points were stressed in the opening speeches and the discussion sessions. Süleyman Şensoy, chairman of TASAM, pointed to the “golden ages” in the history of the Islamic world. Instead of referring incessantly to the past, Şensoy noted, “it would be more useful to establish a background of cooperation in the name of the whole Islamic geography.”

This idea of cooperation was seconded by Professor Valeriy Dmitrievich Nikolaenko from the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry for Foreign Affairs’ Institute for Contemporary International Studies. Nikolaenko indicated that in a period with a growing potential for conflict across the world, there is more need for regional leaders and that, consequently, Russia is trying to improve its ties with Islamic countries. Nikolaenko also highlighted the importance of Turkey as a leader in the region.

The evolving role of the OIC

The place and the development of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) was discussed in a specific session, with appraisals and critiques. Professor Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, secretary-general of the OIC, said that think tanks were now shaping daily life and explained the process of evolution through which the OIC has passed during the last five years. İhsanoğlu said that there are certain developments in the Muslim world that need to be considered properly.

Emphasizing that the OIC was not as active as expected for a long time, İhsanoğlu noted that in the last five years, the organization expanded its presence, including a meeting held in Mecca and organized by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia which brought together leaders of Muslim countries in 2005. At this summit, İhsanoğlu noted, the 10-year action plan agreed upon included international commerce, sustainable humanitarian development, technological development, human and women’s rights, the importance of family and the image of Islam.

In terms of the criteria that the OIC should take into consideration for its own development, Sarawut Aree, representing the Center of Muslim Studies in Thailand, said that each Islamic organization had a role to fulfill and that all Islamic organizations had a common goal, to make peace in the world. What Aree emphasized -- both in confirmation of the views of İhsanoğlu and in criticizing the sufficiency of the efficiency of the OIC -- was that the major problems and challenges within Muslim societies should be focused on more properly. Saying that the whole world’s attention was on the Islamic diaspora, Aree indicated that Islamic organizations must work together in the context of the 21st century.

This issue naturally and directly led to another important issue in the Islamic world today, sectarian and inner conflict within the Islamic world itself. Aree noted that sectarian differences should be seen and accepted in a peaceful manner but that different sects should not resort to killing each other.

Another participant, Andrin Raj, representing the Stratad Asia Pacific Strategic Center in Malaysia, also indicated that if conflicts between the Sunni and the Shia groups cannot be resolved, the Islamic world cannot cope with outside struggles. Professor Is-Haq Oloyede from the University of Ilorin from Nigeria also noted that unity within the Islamic world is very important and that a lack of leadership, solidarity and coherence are the main problems that Muslims are facing today.

The image of Islam

While the significance of peace and cooperation between Islamic countries and other regional powers were stressed, Yaşar Yakış, former minister and chairman of the EU Harmonization Committee in the Turkish Parliament, highlighted another aspect of the growing tension in the world. Referring to the image of Islam in the world, Yakış said that whenever there is an extremist attack by any group, it is referred to as an extremist attack, but if the group is said to be Muslim, then the assault is called “Islamic terrorism.”

While İhsanoğlu warned that Islamophobia will increase in the near future, Taha Taha Abdel-alim Taha Adam, representing the Al Ahram Foundation in Egypt, indicated that Muslims are stereotyped by Western countries as “4 B’s”: barbarians, belly dancers, bombers and billionaires. Emphasizing that this image should be changed, Adam said that Western and Eastern think tanks should come together and work on how this wrong image can be fixed and that terrorists like Osama bin Laden and the environment that helps to contribute international terrorism should be gotten rid of at the first instance.

The conference continues through tomorrow.