Religious groups and NGOs join hands in launching Stop the War Coalition, Malaysia

by Prema Devaraj and Anil Netto

What we want is a massive tidal wave of dissent

Sounds of war and pictures of devastation in Iraq flashed across the screen. A video clip on Desert Storm held the audience in rapt attention, bringing to life once again the gruesome horrors of the Gulf War and the nightmare of 10 years ago. What would be the scenario today if the US attacked Iraq?

Thus began the forum titled “No To War In Iraq” on 24 January at the Caring Society complex in Penang. The event was organised by the Penang Office for Human Development (POHD) in association with seven other groups: the Penang Justice and Peace Commission, Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM), Kumpulan Kemajuan Masyarakat (KKM), Aliran Kesedaran Negara (Aliran), Suara Rakyat Malaysia (Suaram), the Women’s Centre for Change (WCC) and the Penang Diocesan Youth Network (PDYN).

The forum saw the launch of the Stop the War Coalition, Malaysia, a broad-based, multi-ethnic, multi-religious national coalition opposing the war on Iraq. Over 50 public interent groups are now part of the coalition, having endorsed an urgent memorandum to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan urging him to use the offices of the United Nations to prevent a war that would have catastrophic consequences for the Middle East region and the world.

Penang state executive councillor Datuk Dr Toh Kin Woon welcomed the audience and handed the proceedings over to POHD director Rev Fabian Dicom, who chaired the forum. On the panel of speakers were Datuk Dr. Ronald McCoy of the Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Aliran Trust Board member Prof. Johan Saravanamuttu, who is also executive director of the Asian Regional Exchange for New Alternatives (ARENA), JIM secretary-general Dr. Hafidzi Mohd Noor, and Jesuit priest Rev. Dr. Jojo Fung.

Fabian set the tone for the evening with his opening remarks. “It’s not our war. War planes will not be roaring above our heads and missiles will not be raining down from our skies….so why are 200 of you good people here on a Friday night? After all, what can one man or one woman do? 10 men? 200 women? Even 10,000…what is that but an anthill when pitched against the might of a superpower…?

“We are here,” he continued, “because we believe in the power of the ordinary person.” When ordinary individuals care enough about a cause, an injustice, and come together to exert pressure, the little ripples that they create will eventually create a wave, he said. “What we want is a massive tidal wave of dissent that sends a strong NO! message so that people poised to push the war button have no choice but to sit up and take notice.”

The speakers covered various aspects on how and why the war in Iraq was orchestrated, how futile and dehumanizing this impending war would be, the hypocrisy of the US stand on weapons of mass destruction and the double standards involved. “The possession of weapons of mass destruction by any country cannot be justified,” insisted McCoy. “This imperative must apply to the eight nuclear weapon countries - the US, Russia, Britain, France, China, India, Pakistan and Israel.”

Johan summed it up well when he noted that war was the last refuge of the incompetent; it was futile and dehumanising and it’s so-called victories would always be pyrrhic.

The forum was unique in another sense: it was refreshing to see a leader of a prominent Muslim group and a Catholic priest seated on the same panel in solidarity, articulating anti-war positions from an Islamic and a Christian perspective respectively.

Hafidzi said the US stance had baffled Muslims in the world. “The US has no proof that Iraq is developing weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and yet has threatened to attack Iraq.”

Jojo Fung, on the other hand, cited extensively from Catholic church documents and publications to show why the Church was strongly against the war.

Many in the audience, comprising people of all religious faiths, shared the views of the speakers. A lively question-and-answer session followed with members of the audience questioning Iraqi motives and US double standards.

The youth of the PDYN took to the floor next putting up a creative dance performance to the soulful lyrics of “Heal The World”. Tossing plastic oil containers into a rubbish bin (“No Blood for Oil”) while singing gustily, they locked arms in a moving expression of human solidarity. The evening ended with a call for worldwide disarmament as the audience was reminded to turn out in force at future anti-war gatherings.

Now e-mail us and tell us what you think.