Monday, November 28, 2011

Those who support democracy must welcome the rise of political Islam



From Tunisia to Egypt, Islamists are gaining the popular vote. Far from threatening stability, this makes it a real possibility

Wadah Khanfar
(Wadah Khanfar was the director general of the al-Jazeera network)
guardian.co.uk, Sunday 27 November 2011

Note:

I don't agree with a lot of statements made in this comment, but I am posting it anyway.

A look at what Hamas has done in Gaza should give pause to those who elect "Islamists" to power. I strongly believe that religion and politics should not be combined, or else the results will be disastrous.

"....The region has suffered a lot as a result of attempts to exclude Islamists and deny them a role in the public sphere. Undoubtedly, Islamists' participation in governance will give rise to a number of challenges, both within the Islamic ranks and with regard to relations with other local and international forces. Islamists should be careful not to fall into the trap of feeling overconfident: they must accommodate other trends, even if it means making painful concessions. Our societies need political consensus, and the participation of all political groups, regardless of their electoral weight. It is this interplay between Islamists and others that will both guarantee the maturation of the Arab democratic transition and lead to an Arab political consensus and stability that has been missing for decades."

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