JEDDAH, 5 December 2005 — For those who have been critical of the Organization of the Islamic Conference’s allegedly passive role in the affairs of the Muslim world, the two-day extraordinary summit beginning in Makkah on Wednesday promises to be wholly different in its approach.
Though there has been no official word on the summit’s agenda, OIC officials told Arab News yesterday that restructuring the organization is the top priority. “The deliberations will revolve around reforming, restructuring, and redefining the OIC charter and its mission,” they said. “This is an extraordinary summit so everything is pressing and important.”
The OIC officials said a general summit is held once every three years. “This one has been organized in only 12 months. That gives an idea about the extraordinariness of the summit,” they said. “It comes at a key juncture in the affairs of the Muslim world.”
Formally established in September 1969 after the burning of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the OIC has been the butt of jokes in the Muslim street because, although a useful forum for discussion, it is seen as lacking the means to implement its resolutions.
“They were often unheeded declarations,” said one Saudi political observer. “In 1981,” he pointed out, “the organization called for redoubling efforts for the liberation of Jerusalem and the occupied territories and to institute an economic boycott of Israel.
But several members, including Indonesia, Egypt and Jordan maintained, and continue to have, economic ties with Israel.”
However, with the accession of King Abdullah to the throne in Saudi Arabia and the rise to power of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran, the Saudi observer said there was a tangible difference in the way Muslims perceive their leadership.
“There is a lot of trust in King Abdullah. He is seen in the wider Muslim world as a reformer and a forward-looking leader. His speech on the first day of the summit will set the direction of dialogue,” he said. “President Ahmadinejad has also endeared himself to Muslims worldwide because of his tough stand against the United States and his presence at the summit will lend a critical weight to the deliberations,” the observer pointed out.
The Saudi observer believes the most important problem facing the Muslim world is the attempt by the outside world to create divisions within Muslim ranks. “There is a greater need to ensure the unity and integrity of all nations from efforts to create secession in the name of Shiite, Sunni, Kurd or whatever,” he said.
Also, the credit for re-energizing the organization should go to its Secretary-General Professor Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu. A former Turkish diplomat, he took over the leadership of OIC last year. In his interviews with both Saudi and foreign media, Professor Ihsanoglu has repeatedly called for collective action by Muslim countries to combat religious extremism. He also advocated a greater role for Muslim nations in international affairs, including permanent representation on the UN Security Council.
“The reinvigorated organization hopes to give the Muslim world a chance to speak in a powerful, unified voice and have the best minds come up with the best resolutions to difficult challenges, from Iraq and Palestine to economic and educational issues,” OIC spokesman Atta Mannan told Arab News yesterday.
“King Abdullah extended an invitation during last year’s Haj to convene this extraordinary summit,” he said. “The purpose is to review the current state of the Ummah and to explore new horizons for the evolution of a vision that will enable the Muslim world to face the challenges of the present day and of tomorrow.
“With the clout of its members behind it,” he said, “the OIC can play a leading role, not only in defusing volatile issues, such as terrorism and Iraq, but in ensuring that Muslim positions on global issues get a fair hearing as well.”
Mannan clarified that non-Muslim leaders of member states will not be attending the summit. Non-Muslims are not allowed in the holy city of Makkah. “Reports in the local media that they would monitor the proceedings on closed circuit television in Jeddah are not true,” he said. “We can’t expect the heads of state to sit in Jeddah while the summit is taking place in Makkah,” he said. “They will, however, be represented by high-level delegations.”
Mannan said that in addition to the 57 OIC member states and five observer states, 25 independent organizations will also be represented at the summit. These include the United Nations, the Arab League, and Kashmir’s Hurriyat Conference.
Reports in the Indian media said Mirwaiz Omar Farooq will lead the Kashmiri delegation.
He is expected to call on President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan to discuss the latest proposals on the resolution of the Kashmir issue, including demilitarization.
