By Dominic Nkoyoyo*
The Arab revolt in North Africa beginning in Tunisia, Egypt and spreading like wild bush fire to the rest of the Arab world, has taken the International community by surprise! And for better for worse a «New World Order» is in the making!
On 17th December, 2010 the «self-immolation» of a young Tunisian man trying to earn his living in very difficult circumstances, sparked off the revolt. Police brutality, unemployment, food inflation, poor living conditions, a lack of freedom of speech and political freedom were behind the «self-immolation» of Mohamed Bouazizi. He set himself ablaze after suffering from police repression and brutality.
Anti-government protesters forced dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali who had ruled the country for 23 years to flee to Saudi Arabia where on January 14, 2011 he officially resigned as President of Tunisia! Then the rebellion caught up with Dictator Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. It began on 25th January, 2011. Millions of protesters went to the streets in Egypt demanding the resignation of the dictator. And on 11th February, 2011 after 30 years in power Mubarak resigned.
Internationally this Arab rebellion has deep implications and far reaching consequences at three basic levels: Political, Economic and Religious.
At the political level, the Arab countries are going to change their political structures. And this is going to affect their relationship with the rest of the world including the Super Powers! It is clear that the West which claims to be the defender of democracy had been the one supporting the toppled Arab dictators! Will the new governments in these Arab countries still have the same relationship with the West?
As the entire world watches the unfolding of events in the Arab nations, citizens of other countries who are dissatisfied with their governments might also take to the streets to force them out! The Arab revolt has shown that people can liberate themselves from oppressive regimes.
At the economic level, all these Arab countries affected by the revolt are oil producing! And the one who controls this oil controls international economics! Since USA has been supporting the toppled dictators it has obviously been controlling most of this oil. Will this stay the same? Wont China in the changed Arab political structures not use this chance to try and get the lion’s share of this oil and so reduce USA and EU control over the «black gold?»
At the religious level, the Arab countries are basically Muslim states. Since the West which has been supporting the toppled dictators is identified with Christianity, the revolt is at once against the dictators themselves, the West, Christians and the Jews! We can already see that brutality and atrocities towards the minority Christians and Jews in these countries is on the increase. And remember Osama Bin Laden is still around! And this Arab revolt in my opinion is a great victory for him. Many political analysists have ignored or downplayed Al-Qaeda involvement in the Arab revolt! And just call it popular revolt! I doubt their analysis, for its difficult to believe that there no secret links between the Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Qaeda!
So it cannot be a far-fetched idea that Al-Qaeda is going to increase its attacks on Christians in these countries. On 1 November 2010, Al-Qaeda followers calling themselves «the Islamic State of Iraq» massacred 58 Christians and wounded 78 in the Church Our Lady of Salvation in Baghdad. Then posted a statement on the website saying: «We will open upon them the doors of destruction and rivers of blood. All Christian centres, organisations and institutions, leaders and followers are legitimate targets for mujahedeen wherever they can reach them.»
During the Egyptian revolt on 30 January 2011 at 3PM local time in the village of Sharona in this very country, Muslims killed 11 Coptic Christians including children and left four others seriously wounded. On 1 February 2011 the El Hamma Synagogue one of the last surviving synagogues in Tunisia was set on fire by some Islamists. The fire damaged the Torah scrolls inside the building. And it is reported that the police which was not far from the Synagogue did not do much to prevent the attack.
So the Arab revolt deeply affects the inter-religious dialogue and co-existence of non Muslims in the Muslim world. Catholic League, 23 January 2011 thus reported: «The president of Al-Azhar, an Egyptian university, Sheikh Ahmed el Tayeb, along with leading members of the Islamic Research Academy, announced Thursday they are breaking off dialogue with the Vatican in response to Pope Benedict XVI’s criticism of Muslim violence against Christians.»
The Christians are better positioned to dialogue with anybody including their enemies! Because several teachings in the Scriptures allow this, for example: «You have heard that it was said ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven.» (Mt.5 :44).
But the Quaran itself, if taken literally, makes it very difficult for Muslims to dialogue with other religions. It says for example: «Those who follow Muhammad are merciless for the unbelievers but kind to each other.» (Quaran, Sûrah. 48 :29). «Kill the unbelievers wherever you find them, besiege them and prepare for them every kind of ambush.» (Quaran, Sûrah. 9 :5). «Fight the unbelievers in your surroundings, and let them find harshness in you.» (Quaran, Sûrah. 9 :123). With these verses in the Quaran it is very difficult to see how on the theological or doctrinal level the Christian-Muslim dialogue can achieve much! But we should not forget that the Quaran also says some very beautiful things about God, «In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All the praises be to Allah the Lord of all» (Quaran, Sûrat.2:1-3).
So in this New World Order sparked off by the Arab rebellion, we have to ask ourselves : «Is it possible to keep the Christian-Muslim dialogue alive?»
My position is that we should make every effort to keep this dialogue alive. But we should change our strategy! Up to now this dialogue has basically been between Vatican officials and some outstanding Muslim leaders and academics. This is good but I propose that we should also take the dialogue to grassroots level in the villages and towns where Muslims and Christians interact on a day to day basis! In other words let us get the dialogue to diocesan and parish levels! Let the parish priest and the village Muslim leaders get engaged in the dialogue. Facebook groups could also be created to enrich the dialogue. Right now I have three Facebook Muslim friends from India with whom I am engaged in this dialogue. I am reasonably well informed about Islam. And I have my copy of the Quaran which I often read.
While the theologians continue with their intellectual dialogue, here in the villages let Muslims and Christians work together on developmental projects to up lift their standards of living. And let us engage our young people both Christians and Muslims into sport activities, song, dance, theatre and other cultural activities. This working closely together might lead them to grasp the most important thing in life, namely: love of each other regardless of religion, race, colour or tribe. A concrete example will help: In Masaka Catholic Diocese (Uganda) Bishop Kaggwa created the «Kaggwa football Cup.» I happened to be in Uganda at the end of 2008 and I was deeply touched by the competitions of that year for this Cup. All the parishes of the diocese sent in their teams, but the team members were not just Catholics but also Protestants and Muslims! It was really moving to see these young people together appreciating each others’ presence!
Once people come to the knowledge that we need each other regardless of religion, race, colour or tribe, it becomes easier for them to overcome contradictory religious doctrines engraved in their scriptural writings and traditions. Then they begin to work for each other’s good and to protect each other in difficult times. My best friend in secondary school was a Muslim. We were in the same class. We revised our notes together and prepared for exams together. To this day he is still my friend! I lived for some years in a predominantly Muslim region in Cameroon, and my closest friends there were Muslims. So it is very possible for Christians and Muslims to live together in peace. The present difficulties should not discourage us from keeping the dialogue alive.
We have faced difficulties before but the dialogue continued. For example in March 1996 seven Cistercian monks who lived in a small monastery called Our Lady of Atlas in Algeria, we slaughtered by Muslim fundamentalists. But what is amazing, the Muslims of the small village of Tibherine where these monks lived remember them with great reverence, joy and love to this day. A French film by Xavier Beauvios has been made about them. It is called «Des hommes et des dieux» (in English: Of Gods and men.) Within a very short time since it was launched on 8th September 2010, it has been viewed by more than 2,000,000 people in France alone! Since 25th February this year it is also showing in Canada!
But this interreligious dialogue should not be limited to religious leaders and their flocks discussing among themselves, the United Nations and political leaders should get involved. For it is an illusion to think that religion and politics can be completely separated. For the two are just different dimensions of the same human being.
The very fact that over the years USA and its allies have been engaged in a bitter battle with Al-Qaeda which is an Islamic religious group is evidence enough that the interreligious dialogue should involve the international community and its political body. At some point we might be forced to speak and negotiate with Al-Qaeda! The attacks against Jews and Christians during the Tunisian and Egyptian Arab revolt points to the Al-Qaeda elements and involvement in it!
If we want lasting peace in today’s world, Politics must get into dialogue with Religion. And the different religions all over the world should come to the consensus that no one should ever take away the life of another in the name of religion or God or Allah.
*Dominic Vincent Nkoyoyo, Monastery Val Notre-Dame, Canada
