News

Latest News

Imprisoning Democracy

Have your say


Newspaper


Back to index

OIC calls for memorial day for the massacres of Muslims

17-05-2008

ISTANBUL, Turkey, (Turkish Daily News):

There needs to be a day to commemorate the massacres of innocent Muslims that can be observed by as many people throughout the world as possible, said the director general of the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO) at a conference Friday.

The Organization of the Islamic Conference's (OIC) "Inter-Governmental Meeting of Experts on Memorial Day for Massacres Perpetrated Against Muslim Communities in the 20th Century" in Istanbul brought together delegations from several Islamic countries to establish a day on which all Muslims who have died by violence against their communities can be remembered.

“We are lagging behind as an Islamic umma (community) in remembering our martyrs and our massacres. The fact that we haven't stood together allows people to continue massacring us," said Dr. Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri.

But the effort to establish a memorial day is perceived by the West as an attempt to entice war, he said, noting that the purpose of the memorial day is to strengthen Islamic solidarity and to show the world the suffering of Muslims. "Zionists use every media, every newspaper, every TV show, every movie, every documentary, every song to share their plight," said Dr. Altwaijri, "Let us, too, use every opportunity to remind people of what we have suffered."

Many nations proposed April 9 to be declared the memorial day, arguing that Palestinians in the village of Deir Yasir were massacred by Israelis on April 9, 1948. The Palestinian delegation strongly objected, proposing May 15 instead with the argument that the declaration of Israel on May 15 had effects that resonated throughout the Islamic world. Hosted by the Turkish Culture Ministry, the participants will present their recommendation to their respective culture ministries at the end of the two-day conference.


Email this story to a friend | Printable Version

 

Latest News


Other News from OIC section


News and Views of Muslims in the United Kingdom