We all want and need the same things
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The conflict in the Islamic world has been going on for at least 50 years. The easiest way for Westerners to understand it is to draw parallels to religious denominations within Christianity failing to resolve their differences in ecumenical belief. There
Sunni, Shia and Taleban fighters are killing each other non-stop in Pakistan. Nigerian extremists in the Muslim north are murdering both Muslims and Christians. Around 120,000 Iraqis have been killed since the second Gulf War, pitting Shia against Sunni, Iraqi against Kurd, tribe against tribe. Other failed states include Sudan, Libya, Algeria, Somalia, Mali and now Syria.
The Arab Spring stirred class distinctions into the hotpot, with the restless youth, educated and unemployed pitted against the powerful military, political or religious establishments. Confrontations continue in an uphill battle to accelerate change. Bottom line: in our interconnected universe, we all share basic moral and ethical values and desires for secure and safe futures for our families. Ordinary peace-loving Muslims want what everybody else wants – education, employment, equal rights, freedoms, honest governments that buck corruption, fair play and expanded opportunities for one and all.
Charles Frederickson
Bangkok
