‘US reaching out to Muslims to end negative perceptions’
July 10th, 2010 - 10:51 am ICT by IANS
By Arun Kumar
Washington, July 10 (IANS) The Obama administration is reaching out to Muslims across the world in an attempt to change what a person charged with the effort says is a widely-held negative narrative about Islam and terrorism.
“We’re going out and hearing from people who are doing innovative and creative things. We’re lifting up their voices so that they can be role models for others,” Farah Pandith, the US special representative to Muslim communities, said Friday.
In an online webchat, the Indian American State Department official articulated the government’s attempts at fostering a positive dialogue with the world’s 1.4 billion Muslims.
“We have to listen. We have to hear what it is they are experiencing. Their expertise is better than somebody in Washington saying what must be,” Pandith said, adding that she was trying to help build a robust global Muslim community.
Pandith made clear that she tries not to speak of a single monolithic “Muslim world” and noted that she’s travelled to 25 countries in the past nine months talking to Muslims. She also emphasised that any successful engagement effort will take a long time to see widespread progress.
Referring to President Barack Obama’s speech on tensions with the Muslim world last year in Cairo, she set a very positive tone of the webchat.
Meanwhile, Obama himself has defended his outreach to the Islamic world saying it was designed to “reduce the antagonism and the dangers posed by a hostile Muslim world to Israel and to the West”.
“I think what this arises from, some of it may just be the fact that my middle name is Hussein, and that creates suspicion,” he said in an interview to the Israeli TV when asked about the anxiety among the Israelis on his increasing outreach to the Muslim world.
“Some of it may have to do with the fact that I have actively reached out to the Muslim community, and I think that sometimes, particularly in West Asia, there’s the feeling of the friend of my enemy must be my enemy,” he said.
“The truth of the matter is, is that my outreach to the Muslim community is designed precisely to reduce the antagonism and the dangers posed by a hostile Muslim world to Israel and to the West,” Obama said.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
- Indian Muslims are not terrorists: Farah Pandith - Jul 10, 2010
- Indian Muslims are not terrorists, says US official (Lead) - Jul 10, 2010
- Hillary Clinton condemns Koran burning plan; pastor adamant - Sep 08, 2010
- US envoy extends 'hand of friendship' to Indian Muslims - Feb 18, 2010
- US is a friend of Muslims, says Obama envoy - Feb 17, 2010
- The desi who's who in Obama administration (To go with Obama visit: All the president's desis) - Oct 24, 2010
- Obama better than Bush, so no protests, say Indian Muslims - Oct 31, 2010
- US to reach out to young Muslims, says special envoy - Feb 16, 2010
- Muslims nervously await 9/11 amid row over mosque plan - Sep 07, 2010
- Dozens of Palestinians wounded in clashes with Israeli soldiers - Mar 31, 2012
- Farah Pandith play leading role engaging Muslims: Clinton - Jun 27, 2009
- Farah Pandith Sworn In As The First US Special Representative To Muslim Communities - Sep 16, 2009
- We can't wait long for diplomacy to work: Israel PM - Mar 06, 2012
- Al Qaeda weaker but still committed: US intelligence chiefs - Sep 14, 2011
- Obama visit: All the president's desis - Oct 24, 2010
Tags: american state department, antagonism, arun kumar, barack obama, cairo, global muslim, islam and terrorism, islamic world, israeli tv, israelis, middle name, muslim communities, muslim community, muslim world, muslims, negative perceptions, nine months, positive tone, role models, west asia