Is Neutrality in the Face of Injustice is Justifiable? Najib Mohammed: October 28, 2013 O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do. [Quran, 4:35] “The way of blame is only against those who treat the people unjustly, and resort to aggression without provocation. These have incurred a painful retribution.” [Quran, 42:42] Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Umar: Allah’s Apostle said, “A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor.” Sahih Bukahri: Volume 3, Book 43, Number 622 “We willed to show favor to those who were oppressed on earth, and to turn them into leaders, and make them the inheritors.”–Q. 28:5 Narrated Abu Ma’bad, that the Prophet (SAW) said, “… and be afraid of the curse of an oppressed person because there is no screen between his invocation and Allah.” Sahih Bukhari: Volume 2, Book 24, Number 573. “I shall take revenge on the oppressor in this world and the next. I shall take revenge on someone who saw the person being oppressed and was able to help him but did not”– Hadith Qudsi. Narrated Abu Bakrah: The Prophet (SAW) said: There is no sin more fitted to have punishment meted out by Allah to its perpetrator in advance in this world along with what He stores up for him in the next world than oppression and severing ties of relationship. Sahih Muslim: Book 41, Number 4884 “The best Jihad is to speak a word of truth to a tyrannical ruler”–Prophet Muhammad(SAW) Whoever among you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand [by taking action]; if he cannot, then with his tongue [by speaking out]; and if he cannot, then with his heart [by hating it and feeling that it is wrong] – and that is the weakest of faith (Narrated by Muslim, 49) “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” Bishop Desmond Tutu “Washing ones hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.” Paulo Freire “Why should we cherish “objectivity”, as if ideas were innocent, as if they don’t serve one interest or another? Surely, we want to be objective if that means telling the truth as we see it, not concealing information that may be embarrassing to our point of view. But we don’t want to be objective if it means pretending that ideas don’t play a part in the social struggles of our time, that we don’t take sides in those struggles. Indeed, it is impossible to be neutral. In a world already moving in certain directions, where wealth and power are already distributed in certain ways, neutrality means accepting the way things are now. It is a world of clashing interests – war against peace, nationalism against internationalism, equality against greed, and democracy against elitism – and it seems to me both impossible and undesirable to be neutral in those conflicts.” Howard Zinn As mentioned above, the Almighty Allah, the Prophet Muhammad (saw), and even contemporary thinkers and advocates for justice tell us that there is no neutrality facing injustice. If one claims neutrality while witnessing an injustice being committed against any human being or for that matter against any creation of the Almighty Allah, is no different than the oppressor who commits the injustice. What I heard from the executive branch president of BADR Ethiopia and the Account Manager on October 13, 2013 during a briefing requested by Dimtsachin Yesema, DC is shocking and confusing to say the least. They were both asked to explain the term “BADR is neutral”. They both replied that BADR as an organization does not support the government nor it is against it regarding the ongoing problem with Ethiopian Muslims. To make sure that is what we heard, they were asked for the second and third time to explain what they tried to say and again their answers was that BADR as an organization is neutral but they as individuals are against the actions of the government. What a double talk! BADR as an umbrella organization must have consulted the organizations it represent when making such a fundamental change of policy. As far as we know, its by-law states that one of BARD’s goals is to advocate Ethiopian Muslims rights. This, clearly put BADR on the side of the Muslims and this was the intention and wishes of the communities that BADR represents. Let us see what experts in the field of Mediation and arbitration say about facilitating. Terra Vanzant-Stern says in an article Dispute Resolution: Facilitators, Mediators, and Arbitrators: “The facilitator’s role should focus on helping the parties collaborate. Sensing how people are feeling and understanding how to respond to a particular situation is a critical skill of facilitation. It should go without saying that a good facilitator stays neutral at all costs. Facilitators must detach themselves from the topic. The job of the facilitator is to encourage everyone’s opinions and to make sure that they do not make statements that may be interpreted as judgments. Facilitators must avoid the word “we” as it implies that the facilitator sees themselves as part of the issue.” Well, we can understand why BADR’s officials are saying they are neutral. One can’t be a facilitator and support one of the parties at dispute. This is an ill-advised and completely unacceptable shift of policy for BADR to take. It is a betrayal to the founders and the vast majority of its members to turn away from the main objectives of supporting and advocating the rights of Ethiopian Muslim. Let us look at the latest By-Law of BADR that was drafted in 2009 and never ratified by the communities it claims to represent: “ARTICLE I Purpose: Badr Ethiopia (BE) or Badr) is a leading Ethiopian Muslim organization outside of Ethiopia. Badr is a non-governmental, not-for-profit, non-political, grassroots umbrella association that is dedicated to advancing the social, civic, network, and spiritual fabric of Ethiopian Muslims in North America and around the world. The federation will also work hard to connect and address issues with the Ethiopian motherland in matters concerning the religious, civic, and social rights of Ethiopian Muslims. Badr will educate Ethiopian Muslims about their rights and obligations a member of the society under a democratic system of government. It will also organize and coordinate local chapter and regions establishments in various countries and all corners of the world to facilitate its mission and objectives. In that light, it will also be the mission of Badr to strive constantly and to continually expand its worldwide network of member chapters, regions thereby offering ever-greater numbers of Ethiopian Muslims the opportunity to benefit from its eclectic programs.” How then BADR claims to represent Ethiopian Muslims while claiming its neutrality in the struggle of Ethiopian Muslims with a brutal government that is bent in destroying their religious freedom. What has influenced BADR to forgo its stated goals and claim neutrality? If it is to become a facilitator, facilitate what? Those brave arbitration committee members started by negotiating with the government to bring solutions yet the government refused and in fact charged them with terrorism and threw them in jail. Does BADR have some free entity in mind to facilitate a meeting with the government while the leaders of the Muslims are in jail? This whole notion and attempt to facilitate a meeting is unnecessary. If the Ethiopian government is genuine in bringing a resolution to the suffering of the people, the solution is in its hands. It can apologize, release the arbitration committee and re-start the negotiation with the. However, this is not the nature of this government. It is not a government that admits making mistakes and go back to correct it. Time and again we have witnessed this government trying to cover its mistakes with by committing another blunder. The entire working process of BADR leadership is undemocratic and goes against the by-law. Consultation does not exist and contrary to its by-law decisions are made by few individuals. The Board of Directors never consulted and instead of directives coming from them the directors roll is relegated to only receiving information from the executive body and the chair of the Board of Trustee about the business conducted. The following is an excerpt from the current by-law that is always is violated: (c) The act of a majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the BOD, except as otherwise provided in these bylaws or in the District of Colombia Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law. Where the vote of a majority or a greater number of the board is required for a particular action, the vote shall be calculated using the number of directors present at a duly-noticed meeting at which a quorum is present. Where the vote of a majority or a greater number of the entire board is required for a particular action, the vote shall be calculated using the total number of directors then in office. Usually the information is passed to seven or nine board of director members that represent maximum three or four communities out of the 27 communities that BADR claim to represent are summoned for an emergency meeting to only listen to the reports not to be consulted. If we say that each community is represented by 2 members, the 27 communities must be represented by 54 representatives that make up the Board of Directors. However, 7 or 9 members barely make 16% and by no means should this number constitute a quorum to make decisions of importance nature as neutrality on the issue of Ethiopian Muslims. I hope and pray that the Almighty Allah gives us the courage and the stamina to withstand temptations to move away from Truth and to always make us stand with Truth no matter the sacrifices we pay. It is the command of the Almighty Allah in the Qura’n: O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest ye swerve, and if ye distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do. [Quran, 4:35]
Posted on: Sat, 02 Nov 2013 05:57:44 +0000
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