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A Muslim Group, MURIC Reveals Why They Won't Support Shittes
The Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has given reasons
it has been silence over the protest by a sister Muslim group, the Islamic
Movement in Nigeria, IMN.
In a statement signed by
its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, the group said it is being cautious.
Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria have been
staging daily protests in Abuja for more than a week now over the continued
detention of their leader, Shaykh Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky, since the military
clampdown on the group about two years ago.
The Secretary of the IMN media team, AbdulMumin
Giwa, had accused other Islamic organizations of keeping mute over the group’s
plight. He said other groups see the IMN as rivals.
MURIC’s statement reads, “While we would not like to
drag issues with the IMN and we wish them well, we wish to state clearly and
categorically that MURIC has not commented on the group’s recent protests
because we are being cautious. We see the need for us to exercise caution
because there is more to the matter than meets the eye. We do not see IMN as
our rival.
“Whereas it is natural for us as a human rights
organization to frown upon the continued detention of the IMN leader,
responsible advocacy and love for our dear country Nigeria has compelled us to
remain cautious. The embarrassment not withstanding, this issue is complicated
particularly as it has serious security implication for Nigeria.
“Our solace lies in the fact that MURIC actually
spoke out ab initio. We condemned the military’s attack on the Al-Zakzaky group
when it first occurred two years ago or so. Then we went into investigations.
We contacted our members and members of the public living in Zaria. That was
when the narrative changed.
“People who live in the same neighbourhood with
members of the IMN volunteered information indicting the group. They accuse IMN
members of excesses. They claimed IMN infringed on their rights particularly in
Zaria.
“We have no reason to doubt them. The evidence is
overwhelming. These complainants are the eye-witnesses. They see it everyday.
Who feels it knows it.
“So why wont we believe them? What can we do as a
Muslim rights organization when hundreds of Muslims express fears and
reservations about a particular group? What can we do when fellow Muslims
narrate their harrowing encounters with the same group?
“What can we do when Muslims who are very close
neighbours of an Islamic group submit pictures and written testimonies of
harassments, intimidation and outright attacks on their persons by another
Islamic group?
“How can we now come out publicly to defend such a
group? We realize that those complainants are also Muslims whose rights must be
protected by us. We court the anger of Muslim complainants if we rise publicly
in defense of an Islamic group which they see as a bully.
“That is why we have opted for tactical diplomacy.
On one side are the Muslims and other members of the public who complain
bitterly that they are being harassed. On the other side are the followers of
Al-Zakzaky who have been accused of intimidating ordinary Nigerians including
their fellow Muslims. Then you find the government in-between.
“The latter has a constitutional responsibility to
secure lives and properties. It has a duty to ensure law and order and
Nigerians will waste no time to condemn government for failing in this duty.
This explains government’s crackdown on the group.
“It is not an easy task for us. Silence is not in
our character. We have to critically examine the case at hand. Nigerians who
are neighbours of the Al-Zakzaky group have the right to live in peace.
“The Muslims who complain against the Al-Zakzaky
group have the right to live in peace. Government also has a duty to ensure
peace, law and order. There is little choice in rotten apples. MURIC found
itself between Chylla and Charibdis. This is a mess and noise will only make it
messier.
“Nigerian Muslim leaders and other Islamic
organizations are in the same situation. We are priviledged to know that
Nigerian Muslim leaders are concerned about Al-Zakzaky’s well-being.
“They are worried about his health, his freedom.
They are working quietly behind the scene and they have made a lot of progress
in this regard.
“This is what Muslim leaders are working on and
MURIC endorses this process: quiet, behind-the-scene moves. We have absolute
confidence in the leadership of Nigerian Muslims.
“We cannot go into the nitty-gritties for security
reasons but we can assure Nigerians that our leaders are not folding their
hands. They are doing their best in the present circumstances. The issue is
highly volatile and needs to be handled with extreme care in order not to
create scenarios like we have in some other countries.
“MURIC is determined to continue playing the role of
a responsible human rights organization. While we love to promote respect for Allah-given
fundamental human rights of citizens, we will not encourage lawlessness or
chaos.
“To turn a blind eye to the sufferings and
complaints of a large number of people to cases of high-handedness and
lawlessness on the part of the Al-Zakzaky group will be against the principles
of natural justice, fairness and equity. We stand to gain nothing by playing to
the gallery.
“We affirm that the continued detention of Shaykh
Ibrahim Al-Zakzaky has been a difficult and painful experience for us but we
also understand that national security may sometimes override fundamental human
right and court pronouncements. Patriotic Nigerians will not want a situation
whereby the country suddenly goes up in flames. That is the last thing MURIC
wants.
“Nigeria has enough security challenges at the
moment and we should not aggravate the situation. The example of the leader of
an ethnic group who was granted bail but whose freedom became a catalyst for
nationwide tupsy-turvy about a year ago is too didactic to forget. Nigeria is
bigger than any single person.
“The way forward, therefore, is to adopt conflict
resolution tactics. It is not a matter for the courts. Nigerian courts hardly
consider security implications.
“That is why the law is an ass. MURIC advises
government to bring leaders of the Al-Zakzaky group to a roundtable. The
Nigerian Muslim leadership must be involved in the dialogue.
“The roundtable should aim at securing the release
of Shaykh Al-Zakzaky, an assurance of respect for peace, law and order by the
Al-Zakzaky group, a written commitment that members of the group will stop
intimidating their neighbours and a halt to the group’s endless long-distance
walks on express ways which cause hardship to innocent citizens.”
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