Asia Buzz: Peace, Brother!

Thursday, October 11, 2001

They came bearing banners and chanting "Allah Akbar!" (God is Great). One hundred strong, they lined up in orderly rows on the tree-lined avenue outside the United States embassy in Bangkok and denounced America in full-throated fury. They called themselves "Muslims for Peace."

One by one, the various leaders of this Thai Muslim group took turns at a microphone to rail against American "terrorism" directed at the people of Afghanistan by "Big Satan" George W. Bush. They said there was no evidence that Osama bin Laden was responsible for the murder of more than 6,000 innocent civilians on September 11. They said the evidence against him was faked. They said it was not possible for Muslims to commit violent acts. They called for jihad (a holy war) and the death of America. They proclaimed themselves for peace and brotherhood. They said the people who flew the planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were Jews. It's an ugly refrain that's been heard this week from Pakistan to Indonesia. The Jews were responsible. All the Jews were given advance warning about the attacks and were able to escape before the planes hit. Members of Muslims for Peace handed out leaflets accusing America of "distorting the news."

[an error occurred while processing this directive]Traffic slowed as curious Thais craned to get a look at the men in white skullcaps and beards raising their fists and chanting "Allah Akbar" over and over. They were all men, not a woman among them. Some passersby chuckled. Others looked fearful. Scores of riot police scanned the crowd with stern eyes searching for potential knuckleheads who might want to martyr themselves by tossing a grenade or aiming some other weapon at the embassy compound.

"How can they live in Thailand and defend the Taliban?" asked Somsak Sunthanand, a taxi driver. "Remember how they blew up those statues of the Buddha?" Just six months ago when the Taliban dynamited two ancient Buddha statues at Bamiyan, Afghanistan, prominent Thai politicians were comparing the Afghan rulers to the genocidal Khmer Rouge of Cambodia. Now that the U.S. is launching air attacks against those same rulers, some of those same politicians are against allowing America -- Thailand's most important military ally and trading partner -- to use a Thai military airbase at U-Tapao.

After an hour's worth of chanting "God is Great" with clenched fists, leaders of Muslims for Peace began granting interviews to dozens of news organizations covering the rally. It didn't last long. Mulid Theemasen, one of the leaders, read a statement in English that said, "We condemn the violence of America to use the military to bomb Afghanistan as solving the problem instead of using peaceful methods."

So, I asked Mr. Mulid if he condemns America for not using peaceful methods to solve this conflict, why didn't Muslims for Peace also condemn Osama bin Laden for calling on Muslims to kill American civilians? "Because of the Middle East," he shot back. "So let me get this straight," I said. "You're condemning the U.S. for using violence, but you're saying that if Muslims are unhappy with the situation in the Middle East it's all right for them to use violence against innocent American civilians?"

Mulid looked me in the eye and smiled. As he was nodding yes, three other members of Muslims for Peace grabbed him by the arms and spun him around. Interview over. They turned their backs and began running down the avenue, shielded by a phalanx of Thai police, laughing all the way.

So much for dialogue.