Asian Leaders Concerned Over Anti-Muslim Components of War of Terror

September 28, 2004

Source: Chanel News Asia

Wire Service: AFP

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/108840/1/.html

On September 28, 2004 Agence France-Presse reported, "Asian countries challenged world leaders to redraw their battle plans in the war on terror by training their sights on religious intolerance, poverty and social injustice. Taking centre stage at the annual United Nations debate, Asian leaders also stressed the importance of restoring the UN's legitimacy as a global arbiter following the divisions over the US-led invasion of Iraq. Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, current chair of the 57-member Organisation of the Islamic Conference, warned that the war on terror was being tainted by anti-Muslim bigotry. 'There is an urgent need to stop tarnishing the Muslim world by unfair stereotypes,' Abdullah said. 'Most damaging of all is the increasing tendency to attribute linkages between international terrorism and Islam.' Condemning the 'prejudices and bigotry' triggered by the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, Abdullah said Islam was all too often being associated with violence. 'We need to clear the confusion of linking the problems faced by some Muslim countries with Islam the religion,' he said."