• Creating an East Asia Community : Moderate Islam Creating an East Asia Community : Moderate Islam Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo, Japan — Aug. 1, 2005 The plan to create an East Asia Community, a loosely-knit organization of Japan, China, South
• Creating an East Asia Community : Moderate Islam
Creating an East Asia Community : Moderate Islam
Asahi Shimbun, Tokyo, Japan — Aug. 1, 2005
The plan to create an East Asia Community, a loosely-knit organization of Japan, China, South Korea and Southeast Asian countries, by taking a leaf out of the European Union’s book has begun to falter. The foreign ministers of the 10 member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Japan, China and South Korea met in Laos. They decided to invite the leaders of India, Australia and New Zealand to the first summit conference for organizing the community to be held in Malaysia in December. …The main factor behind the expansion is China…Japan has called for the participation of India and Australia in the framework to dilute the power of China. That was also in line with the desire of the United States, which fears China might be intent on making the East Asia Community a countervailing power to the United States.…But no one expects the creation of such a regional community to be easy. … What is worrying is the fact that Japan’s presence has hardly been felt in the work to create the East Asia Community.…Japan’s odds to become a permanent member of the Security Council will worsen if it does not pay sufficient attention to its home turf among Asian countries.
Corriere della Sera, Milan, Italy — Aug. 1, 2005
Today, we are not at risk only for short-term terrorist attacks, but (we’re also facing) long-term risks by allowing for the uncontrolled growth of Islamic powers, that are capable of intimidating the many Muslims who are underrepresented precisely because they are not extremist.
We carefully cultivate the legend according to which there is a “moderate” Islam. Experts say, however, that it doesn’t exist.
There are Muslims that appreciate democracy, civil rights, equality of the law between male and female, and that would prefer not to be governed by Islamic law. Then there are the others, those with whom we struggle to understand what “dialogue” would be based on.
Unfortunately, there are many ways to suffer and to die. The most stupid way is to give-up self-defense for fear of being labeled as reactionary.
- Provided by The Associated Press
