US embassy cable - 05OTTAWA3102

UNCLAS OTTAWA 003102 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KISL, KDEM, PHUM, PREL, KPAO, KIRF, CA 
SUBJECT: ISLAMIC SCHOLAR EXHORTS CANADIAN MUSLIMS TO FIGHT 
EXTREMIST FAITH 
 
REF: OTTAWA 2891 (NOTAL) 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  HANDLE ACCORDINGLY. 
 
1. (U) On September 28, 2005, poloff attended a conference 
entitled "Building the Dialogue Gaps Towards a Culture of 
Peace" hosted by WEBB Canada (Women Engaging in Bridge 
Building) at which keynote speaker Dr. Mohamed Fathi Osman 
challenged the Muslim community to embrace a faith that is 
forward-looking and oriented to peace.  The conference was 
well attended, drawing a religiously and ethnically diverse 
audience of approximately 350 men and women.  Other speakers 
included Canadian Habitat for Humanity Executive Director, 
Donna Hicks; Founder and President of Teachers Without 
Borders, Dr. Fred Mednick; CEO of Iqbal International 
Institute on Research, Education and Dialogue in Lahore, 
Pakistan, Dr. Riffat Hassan (currently a professor of 
religious studies and humanities at the University of 
Louisville); Director of UNIFEM in Pakistan, Mariam Mehdi; 
and Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada Assistant 
Deputy Minister, Marc Whittingham. 
 
2. (U) An Islamic scholar born in Egypt, educated in Egypt 
and at Princeton University, and now living in California, 
Dr. Osman spoke with passion as he challenged Muslims to be 
proactive and forthright in explaining and defining Islam in 
21st century terms, not historical ones.  In his estimation, 
the post-9/11 environment had understandably "exposed" 
Muslims as a group to the world, and the Muslim community and 
faith were being put "under a microscope."  In the age of 
globalization, it was not acceptable or constructive to 
identify Islam,s golden period as being in the Middle Ages. 
Rather, through mass communications and dialogue, Muslims 
have a responsibility to allay the doubts and fears of 
outside observers by participating constructively in modern 
life. Osman urged the community to respond. 
 
3. (U) According to Dr. Osman, Muslims and their leaders must 
examine the way in which they want to present their faith to 
the world and to clearly identify the elements of Islam that 
comprise a permanent belief system --"the essence of Islam" 
rather than the "temporary actions" that had cast a dark 
shadow on the community.  Islam and its practitioners had 
long been "sick," Osman said, and the essential task was to 
emerge from "centuries of stagnation" and identify with a 
"culture of peace, not a culture of conflict," proving that 
Muslims can indeed embrace peace and cooperation and evolve 
as it had in the past when it emerged from Arabian peninsula. 
 
 
4. (SBU) COMMENT: Approximately eighteen percent of Canada's 
population is foreign-born, and high-level Canadian 
government officials view the recruitment of immigrants as a 
solution to the country's labor shortages and declining birth 
rates. The recent appointment of Haitian immigrant Michaelle 
Jean as Governor General (Queen Elizabeth's representative) 
has reinvigorated debate about the deep divisions between 
francophone and anglophone Canada--known as the "two 
solitudes"--and drawn attention to the challenges of 
integrating new Canadian citizens. 
 
5. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED: In two recent surveys Canadians 
identified "multiculturalism and ethnic diversity" as the 
most unique and defining characteristics of being Canadian, 
as well as providing an answer to extremism. How Canadian 
Muslims (some 700,000 strong) see themselves in this panoply 
of cultures may shed some light on the success of 
"multiculturalism" policy in combatting extremism.  Post 
plans to engage inter-faith and ethnic groups that promote 
co-existence, peace and dialogue in order to better 
understand their views of Canadian multi-culturalism and the 
interplay between human rights and national security. 
 
Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa 
 
WILKINS