25th
August, 2021
PRESS RELEASE:
IGNORE ANTI-TALIBAN PROPAGANDA - MURIC
The Muslim
Rights Concern (MURIC), an Islamic human rights organisation based in Lagos,
Nigeria, has advised all men of conscience to ignore the ongoing anti-Taliban
propaganda. The group argued that the same America which is smearing the image
of the Taliban today was the same country that praised the Taliban to high heaven
when the latter was resisting Russian occupation.
The group’s
advice was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday, 25th
August, 2021 by its director and founder, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The statement
reads:
“Horrible scenes
of Taliban’s so-called atrocities are being shown on television as the latter gain
control of Afghanistan and the United States pulls out its occupation forces. Also,
frightening stories are being spread about the situation in Afghanistan.
“MURIC advises men of good conscience around the
world to digest all these with caution. Many of the video clips being shown are
old scenes from pre-Western occupation of Afghanistan. Some of the clips are
doctored. They are nothing but attempts to give a dog a bad name in order to
hang it.
“Already,
America and its Western allies are neck-deep in an international conspiracy to
ensure that Afghanistan becomes a failed state. This explains the frenzied
evacuation exercise. They are encouraging every skilled Afghan citizen to leave
Afghanistan. It is a calculated attempt to drag the poor country into a brain
drain crisis.
“This they do by
spreading fear and rumours of mass executions awaiting anyone who stays behind
after the exit of allied forces. They ignore the announcement of general
amnesty for all made by the Talibans and lay emphasis on possible clampdown on
women and the imposition of Shariah law. Most of these fears are unfounded as
the Taliban have already declared a more liberal treatment of women.
“We call
attention to the fact that the United States organised fund raising activities
for Afghan fighters during the latter’s armed resistance of Russian occupation.
Americans referred to them as ‘Afghan freedom fighters’ at the time. But today
they are called ‘terrorists’, ‘fundamentalists’ and ‘extremists’. We reject
this double standard.
“It is also on
record that in his speech on 21st March, 1983, ex-President Ronald
Reagan, while mocking the withdrawal of the Soviets from Afghanistan, poured
exceptional encomiums on ‘Afghan freedom fighters’.
“Reagan said and we quote, ‘To watch the courageous
Afghan freedom fighters battle modern arsenals with simple hand-held weapons is
an inspiration to those who love freedom. Their courage teaches us a great
lesson, that there are things in this world worth defending. To the Afghan
people, I say on behalf of Americans that we admire your heroism, your devotion
to freedom and your struggle against your oppressors’.
“But history has
repeated itself today and the pendulum has swung with America taking the
position of the defunct Soviet Union. Today, any pragmatic observer can easily
put those words spoken by Reagan in the mouth of Vladimir Putin. Karl Marx was
therefore right when he said, ‘History repeats itself, first as a tragedy and
later as a farce. History repeats itself times without number’.
“MURIC advises America
to learn from history. America must allow the Taliban to settle down. Gunboat
diplomacy alone cannot rule the world. Respect for human values and norms,
including people’s different faiths is necessary to keep the world away from
humanitarian disasters. George Santayana early remarked that those who fail to
learn from the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them. With Vietnam and
Afghanistan on our minds, we are constrained to conclude that America is
repeating history and this is a pity.
“But we charge
Muslims around the world to separate the wheat from the chaff. America’s
imperialistic state machinery is a different cup of tea from the American
people. The average American is kind and humane. That is why we must all reject
hate messages which ask Muslims to kill Americans and other Western citizens. Such
messages stand in contradistinction to the peaceful message of Islam. They are
therefore unacceptable. Muslims are urged to be kind and accommodating to
people of all shades, race, colour and faith.
“Our advice to the Taliban is to remember that
Allah-given fundamental human rights are sacrosanct. The Taliban must avoid
extreme measures. We urge them to respect the rights of women, children and non-Muslims
as recognised in Islam and to distance their regime from violent and
terror-loving elements.
“Bishop Kukah
and other Nigerians who are in the habit of rushing to America to run their
countries down are advised to think twice. No Western power will teach you what
will benefit your country. It is always their national interest first. The way
America abandoned Afghanistan to its problems is a big lesson for all.
“To the rest of
the world, we can all see that the wind has blown and we have seen the ruff of
the hen. It is glaring enough that America and its allies are spreading false
propaganda to conceal their weaknesses and their complete failure in
Afghanistan. America’s 20 year occupation has ended in abysmal failure. We therefore
advise men of good conscience to ignore anti-Taliban propaganda.”
Professor Ishaq
Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
