18 February 2006
Social Change Brings Freedom, Justice, State's Hughes
Says
Under Secretary of State Karen Hughes
addresses U.S.-Islamic World Forum
Change is a necessary force for making societies more
open and just, and the leaders who embrace change are those who will
unleash the power of human freedom within their countries, according
to U.S. Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public
Affairs Karen Hughes.
“Change challenges us, shakes our certainty and our
assumptions, makes us uncomfortable. Change is frequently feared
and fought, yet often, once it finally arrives, is seen in hindsight
as not only necessary but also too long in coming,” Hughes told a
gathering of American and Muslim government, business and civil
society leaders at the opening of the third annual U.S.-Islamic
World Forum in Doha, Qatar, February 18.
“Throughout history, the prospect of change has set
people free to imagine a different and better world, and great
leaders not only see this potential, but seize it and help bring it
about,” she said.
The U.S.-Islamic World Forum explores political and
social developments in Muslim countries and relations between the
United States and the Muslim world. The theme of the 2006 forum is
“Leaders Effect Change.” In her address, Hughes spoke about several
individuals from private citizens to government leaders who have
championed and brought about important changes in the United States
and the Muslim world.
“Throughout the world today, brave leaders – some of
them from unlikely places – are challenging the status quo,
advocating change, seeking to unleash that most powerful force of
human freedom to make their societies more just, more honest, more
open, more accountable,” she said.
Hughes spoke about some of the changes that have taken
place in the Muslim world over the past year. She mentioned
elections in Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt, the Palestinian Territories,
Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
She said that even though some of these elections were
more open than others, “each was a part of fostering freedom by
encouraging debate, stimulating discussion, allowing greater
participation of people who deserve to chart their own course to
their future.”
Hughes said the United States embraces the spread of
democratic elections even if America may disagree with the views of
those who are elected. She added, however, that elections are not
the only feature of a democracy.
“A thriving democracy requires independent political
parties, nongovernmental organizations, a free press, and civic
institutions that allow people to assemble freely and engage in
discussion and debate without fear or government harassment,” she
said.
She said true freedom of expression brings with it the
responsibility to be respectful of others.
“In a society built on freedom and justice, we have the
right to offend one another and the responsibility to do our best
not to,” she said.
Hughes identified four important lessons the world has
learned since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. First,
she said, Americans and the Muslim world face a common threat and
must confront it together. Second, the terrorists wish to frame the
conflict in religious terms when they actually are espousing an
ideology of tyranny and hate. Third, all parties should work to
foster interfaith understanding. And fourth, all parties should
work to foster common interests and values.
Hughes said the United States has a vital interest in
supporting liberty and justice abroad. “We seek to be a partner for
peace, a partner for progress, a partner for a better life for all
our peoples,” she said.
This is the second time Hughes has visited the Middle
East since assuming her position at the State Department. After
leaving Qatar, she will travel to the United Arab Emirates and
Germany before returning to the United States.
Following is the text of Hughes’ prepared remarks:
(begin text)
U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
[Doha, Qatar]
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Under Secretary of State
for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs
Doha Speech
Your Highness, Sheikh Haamid Emir of Qatar, OIC
Secretary General Ihsanoglu, distinguished guests and friends, it’s
an honor and pleasure to be here with you. I thank the organizers
of this Forum and the many partners, including the Qatari
government, for their hard work in making this conference so
successful. I thank the Brookings project on US policy toward the
Islamic World. Brookings is a home for scholars and experts and
over the years has made important contributions to public policy
debate.
The theme of this year’s US-Islamic World Forum:
“Leaders Effect Change” underscores the crucial role that leaders
play in transforming societies. And as we all know, those leaders
come not just from government, or business or the great leaders of
our faith communities – leaders sometimes come from the most
unlikely of places.
Last fall, my country mourned the death of a woman who
never would have described herself as a great leader, but became one
-- from a most unlikely place. She was a black woman living in the
segregated south. She didn’t have power, or wealth or any position
of particular influence – she had something far more valuable: a
quiet dignity and an unshakeable belief in justice.
When Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus
to a white man, she was tired after a long day’s work as a
seamstress -- but most of all, she was tired of a life of indignity
and injustice in a country that was failing to live up to its
founding conviction that all of us are created equal.
Rosa Parks’ act of quiet defiance helped spark
America’s civil rights movement. She came to symbolize the
conscience of my country, a country that still strives every day to
live up to the pledge we make of liberty and justice for all. Rosa
Parks reminds us that we should never underestimate the difference
that one person of courage and conscience can make.
This fall will mark the 5th anniversary of a
terrible day in America. I was working at the White House on
September 11th, and I will never forget the shock, and horror, and
sorrow of realizing that terrorists had launched a massive and
unprovoked attack killing thousands of innocent people.
Those attacks were acts of hate and murder inspired by
a violent ideology that seeks to impose tyranny by force and fear.
The contrast with the peaceful means and noble ends of Rosa Parks
could not be starker. Yet those terror attacks also sparked a new
recognition – that just as America must work every day to advance
liberty and justice at home, we also have a vital interest in
fostering them abroad. As President Bush said in his second
inaugural: “For as long as whole regions of the world simmer in
resentment and tyranny – prone to ideologies that feed hatred and
excuse murder, violence will gather, and multiply in destructive
power, and cross the most defended borders and raise a mortal
threat. There is only one force of history that can break the reign
of hatred and resentment, and expose the pretensions of tyrants, and
reward the hopes of the decent and tolerant, and that is the force
of human freedom.” In the aftermath of September 11th,
America came to recognize that there will be no real security, no
lasting peace, until America stands with those brave voices crying
out for liberty and justice throughout the world.
Those voices sometimes come from unlikely places. I
think of a young woman from Pakistan who was brutally gang-raped,
then dared to speak out and challenge the status quo and foster
change by saying that rape is always a terrible crime and never a
matter of honor. For this young woman, speaking out could not have
been easy; history suggests that advocating change rarely is.
Change challenges us, shakes our certainty and our assumptions, make
us uncomfortable. Change is frequently feared and fought, yet
often, once it finally arrives, is seen in hindsight as not only
necessary but also too long in coming. As Secretary Rice said in
Cairo, “all great moral achievements begin with individuals who do
not accept that the reality of today must also be the reality of
tomorrow.” Throughout history, the prospect of change has set
people free to imagine a different and better world – and great
leaders not only see this potential, but seize it and help bring it
about.
Throughout the world today, brave leaders – some of
them from unlikely places -- are challenging the status quo,
advocating change, seeking to unleash that most powerful force of
human freedom to make their societies more just, more honest, more
open, more accountable.
A few hundred miles north of here, a heroic Iranian
journalist, Akbar Ganji fights a lonely battle for liberty in his
beloved land. Imprisoned for almost six years now, his so-called
crime was daring to bring to light through his writing the
involvement of government authorities in a series of killings of
writers and dissidents. He represents a new generation of Iranians
who will insist on change. The people of Iran desire liberty, they
deserve liberty and one day they will make Iran’s government worthy
of its great people. As Secretary Rice noted in her testimony this
week before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, America and
our international partners are very concerned about the
destabilizing policies of the Iranian regime throughout the region,
policies that support -- and export -- terrorism and violent
extremism. We are determined, as the Secretary said, to “actively
confront the aggressive policies of this Iranian regime…at the same
time, we are going to work to support the aspirations of the Iranian
people for freedom in their own country."
In Kuwait, a brave woman named Roula al-Dashti spoke
out to the men leading her country with a compelling message: “half
a democracy is not a democracy.” She challenged the status quo,
recruited student leaders from Kuwait University to join her cause
and helped women gain the right to vote and run for office in
Kuwait.
Some of these leaders advocating change have paid a
terrible price. In Egypt, Nobel Prize winning author Naguib Mahfouz
can no longer write as a result of an attempt on his life by violent
extremists. The only Arab author ever to be awarded a Nobel Prize
for Literature, Mahfouz is beloved for his sensitive portrayals of
Egyptian and Arab character. As a supporter of Anwar Sadat’s peace
initiative with Israel, he made a brave statement in favor of
Egypt’s future. His characters have become household words in Egypt
and the Arab world, and those who tried to silence him instead made
his voice even more influential.
In Lebanon, one year ago this week, Prime Minister
Rafik Hariri was brutally murdered. Yet this enormous loss for
Lebanon sparked a great change he would have welcomed in his life,
as the Lebanese people discovered the power of their voices and
demanded an end to Syrian domination and occupation of their
country.
And, tonight, we remember someone who should be with us
but is not, Mustafa Akkad. A Muslim and an immigrant to America, he
was a son of Aleppo who loved both America and his homeland. He
tried through film to present an Islam that is compassionate, humane
and spiritual. His death and that of his daughter in the Amman
hotel bombings are tragic losses for all who appreciated his art and
his spirit.
Throughout the Islamic world, people are beginning to
make their voices heard in free elections. I’ll never forget waking
up in the morning and seeing the pictures in my newspaper, somewhat
blurry because of the tears in my eyes – of the long lines of men
and women in Afghanistan and later Iraq – defying the threat of
death to vote for a better future -- and raising purple ink-stained
fingers in triumph. Think about the enormity of what we have
witnessed in a very short time: two elections in Afghanistan for a
president and a parliament; three elections in Iraq for a
constitution, an interim and permanent government, two in Egypt for
President and Parliament, two in the Palestinian territories, one in
Lebanon, and municipal elections in Saudi Arabia. Some of these
elections were more open and freer than others, each had a very
different outcome, yet each was a part of fostering freedom by
encouraging debate, stimulating discussion, allowing greater
participation of people who deserve to chart their own course to
their future.
Recently, the Palestinian people had an election and
voted for change. I want the Palestinian people to know that
America shares your hope for a better life and your dream of a state
of your own living side by side in peace with Israel, and we are
working to help you achieve both. We congratulate you on
conducting free, fair and open elections. You made your voices
heard – you want better services and an end to corruption. We also
believe you want to live and work and raise your children in peace.
President Bush spoke of that dream – of two free and democratic
states living side by side in peace and freedom. That vision of
course is only possible if we all accept the idea of two states.
The two-state concept is at the heart of two peace treaties, and
many international decisions, agreements and understandings – yet it
is still not accepted by some. But to live, to work, to go to
school, to live free and productive lives, people must feel free
from violence and terror – and must understand that others should
have that same freedom from fear. America and the international
community, which care deeply about the Palestinian people, have
quite reasonably said that we must all share the same principles –
principles we have agreed on through years of negotiations– to
arrive at our common goal of Palestinian statehood. And so to
deliver on its promises to achieve a better future for the
Palestinian people, it is the responsibility of any Palestinian
government to renounce violence and terror, to recognize Israel’s
right to exist and to accept previous agreements and obligations,
including the roadmap. This is the only way forward.
And let me be clear: America believes in democracy
even when we strongly disagree with the views of those elected, just
as America believes in free speech even when we are deeply offended
by what is sometimes said.
Of course, with freedom comes responsibility,
maa-alhurria, mas’uliya. Governments have responsibilities to their
people -- to establish the rule of law, protect human rights,
including the rights of women and minorities, fight corruption and
widen political participation. Elections are an important part of
democracy, but they are only a part – a thriving democracy requires
independent political parties, non-governmental organizations, a
free press, and civic institutions that allow people to assemble
freely and engage in discussion and debate without fear or
government harassment. The challenge for leaders in this region is
to listen to their people’s call for greater freedom: allow them to
form political parties, let them gather and speak more freely, give
them access to newsprint so they can run their own newspapers.
In a free society, individuals have community
responsibilities as well. We have a responsibility to respect and
appreciate, even celebrate, the views of others. In a genuine
democracy, all have a right to express their views, share ideas and
participate as equals. In a society built on freedom and justice,
we have the right to offend one another but the responsibility to do
our best not to. In my country certain racial and ethnic slurs are
no longer used by civil people even though there is no law
prohibiting it – and while newspapers would be free to publish them
most would never do so – just as many American newspapers chose not
to reprint the cartoons depicting the Prophet because they recognize
they are deeply offensive, even blasphemous to the precious
convictions of our Muslim friends and neighbors.
As we discuss these often difficult issues, we must not
allow the extremes to define us – and that’s frankly a very
difficult task in a world of instant news where rumors can spark
riots and violence gets far more attention than peaceful protest.
Both western and Islamic voices have denounced the cartoons as
offensive. Both western and Muslim voices have called for tolerance
and respect. Both western and Islamic voices denounced the
violence. Protestors were wrong to threaten lives and vandalize
property, governments and others were wrong to try to manipulate
genuine anger – yet thousands of people also marched peacefully,
exercising their own right to express themselves. I also hope that
governments, journalists and others will take this opportunity for
introspection and speak out forcefully against anti-Semitic and
anti-Christian statements that appear too often in the publications
of this region.
Five years after September 11th, some are
claiming the cartoon controversy speaks to a clash of civilizations
– but that is exactly the clash our enemies are trying to provoke
and we must not allow it.
Five years after the sudden fires of September 11th,
we have learned a great deal.
First, Americans, the peoples of the Islamic world,
and decent people throughout the world face a common threat, and we
must face it together. Terrorists attacked not only America,
but everyone who dares disagree with them or stands in their way or
those who simply find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong
time. Since September 11, terrorists have continued to strike,
killing hundreds of innocent victims in Afghanistan, Indonesia,
Iraq, Jordan, Egypt, Great Britain, Russia, and Spain and many
others. And many of those killed were Muslims.
Second, our opponents are trying to make this a
matter of religion, when theirs is truly a political ideology of
tyranny and hate. Urging young people to strap bombs on their
bodies to kill themselves and as many innocents as possible is not a
legitimate tenet of any faith. Islam, Christianity, Judaism – all
the world’s great religions -- view life as precious, and the taking
of innocent life as wrong. We know from their own statements and
writings that the extremists real agenda is take over one or more of
the proud nation states in the Islamic world and impose a
super-state in which violent extremists would dictate the fate of
millions. The people of Afghanistan know better than anyone the
political agenda these extremists want to impose on the rest of us –
because they were forced to endure it. The Taliban stifled debate,
creativity, expression. Listening to music, watching television,
flying kites– even laughing out loud – were banned. Women were
virtual prisoners in their homes, unable to freely go to the market,
banned from working even if they had no husband or other means of
support. Little girls were not allowed to go to school or even to
learn to read at home. The people of Afghanistan have lived the
ideology our opponents espouse, and in a recent poll an overwhelming
majority rejected it. 82 percent said overthrowing the Taliban
government was good for Afghanistan. Muslim communities throughout
the world should take note that the Muslims who know the violent
extremists the best emphatically reject them.
Third, all of us must work to foster greater
interfaith understanding and dialogue. People’s faith
convictions are deeply held, and precious. I know, because mine
are to me. I worry that America’s freedom of religion is sometimes
mistaken for freedom from religion. Americans believe in the
separation of church and state – that means our government does not
dictate how Americans can worship – people are free to worship as
they wish. Many Americans are deeply committed to their faith, and
all people of faith have a great deal in common. As a Christian, my
Savior says my highest priorities are to love God and love my
neighbor – and my Muslim and Jewish friends share that belief.
Americans respect all religions, including Islam and an estimated 7
million Muslims live, work and worship freely in my country. As a
government official, I represent people of all faiths, as well as
those who have no faith at all. In a country as diverse as ours, we
must all honor the beliefs held sacred by each other – and the best
way to do this is through dialogue and respect and understanding.
Finally, I believe it is incumbent on all of us to
work to foster common interests and common values between our
diverse peoples. We have much to learn from each other and we
have more that can unite us than divide us. We all value education
and want its benefits for our children. We value science and
technology and want to explore new frontiers together. We all want
to protect our families. We all want to live honorable and decent
lives, lives that we hope can make a difference for good.
I view my job as waging peace. And I use the word
waging very intentionally because achieving peace, helping to bring
about a freer and better world will take the wholehearted commitment
of each of us. As this conference suggests, leaders effect change
– and I want to take this opportunity to challenge every one of us –
in government, in business, in journalism, in think tanks -- and a
lot of individuals out there who may become leaders from unlikely
places -- to raise our voices against terror and to confront the
culture of hate. We must come together as a world community to say
no matter how legitimate the grievance, no matter how valid the
cause – the wanton killing of innocents is not ever right and not
ever acceptable. We must do for terror what was done to slavery and
make it an international pariah. If we truly desire to reach a
better understanding of each other, if we truly want our dialogue to
produce results, we have to stop demonizing each other and replace
hate with hope.
My country is known as a land of opportunity, where
people who are willing to work hard can achieve their dreams. As a
mother who loves my own and other children dearly -- I want that
opportunity for all the world’s children. America works and will
continue to work with the many nations of the Islamic world in a
spirit of partnership – we seek to be a partner for peace, a partner
for progress, a partner for a better life for all our peoples. And
I am convinced that together we can effect change and bring about a
world of greater liberty and justice for all.
Thank you.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information
Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
|