U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
[Doha, Qatar]
Saturday, February 18, 2006Under
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.
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