Obama’s ‘Change’ for the Muslim World

Obama’s ‘Change’ for the Muslim World

By  Muhammed Qassim IOL Correspondent

“Change has come” is what President Barack Obama told the world after the historical political victory in the United States of America when he became the first African American elected as President.

Forty years after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King and riots for civil and voting rights, this stunning political victory happened.

Today, American Muslims are looking for a piece in the change pie and some think it’s on its way.

“He has rejected the false choice between safety and American ideals by saying we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord. I believe that President Barack Obama has already created a good will towards the Muslim world in his inauguration speech,” said Ms. Samina Faheem Sundas, the founder and Executive Director of the American Muslim Voice Foundation. 
  
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Talking about Obama’s change towards the Muslims world, Samina Fahim added: “Only after two days of his presidency on Thursday, Jan.22, President Obama signed Executive Order Regarding Guantanamo Bay Detainees.

Obama’s order requires closure of the Guantanamo detention camp, and also “establishes a review process with the goal of disposing of the detainees before closing the facility.”

The order asked Clinton, the Secretary of State, to work in cooperation with the international community regarding the transfer of the detainees.

“The executive order also requires that conditions of confinement at Guantanamo, until its closure, comply with Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions and all other applicable laws,” The order said.

“The Executive Order Regarding Detainee Policy creates a special task force, co-chaired by the Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense, to conduct a review of detainee policy going forward. The special taskforce must submit its report to the president within 180 days.”

Obama’s second day in office was marked by the appointment of George Mitchell, an American with half Lebanese origins, as a Middle East Envoy. Mitchell greatly shaped Northern Ireland’s peace process when he was Northern Ireland’s Special Envoy. Whether he is expected to be as influential in the Middle East as he was in Northern Ireland isn’t a simple guessing to be made.

Other envoys include; Richard Holbrooke to Afghanistan and Pakistan, while Dennis Ross to Iran.

“Only time will tell how these envoys will help in bringing peace to the volatile area of the Middle East in particular and the Muslim world at large? However, at the AMV we remain hopeful that President Obama will completely reverse the policy of arrogance, arbitrariness and war that has created a negative image of our country during the Bush era,” Samina said.

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Talking to IslamOnline.net about the change policies of President Barack Obama, Director of the Middle East Study Center at Ohio State University, Dr. Alam Payind said: “What Obama said in his speech about the different religions, like Islam and others is very much important. Obama’s policies will let the people of all religions live peacefully.

“The orders of the closure of Gitmo and not using torture are indeed very big changes for the Muslim world.”

Pointing towards the US relations with the governments and people of the Islamic world he said: “The US has good relations with some of the governments of the Muslim world like Afghanistan, but the people of these countries are not on good terms with the US. The people of Iran want good relations with the US but the government does not have good relations with the US. Obama wants bilateral and mutual respect.”

The Muslim community of America believes that now is the proper time for Obama to implement his “change” policies. Upon Gitmo’s closure decision; many heaved a sigh of relief as Obama’s first promise begins to shape. 

“It is the most significant act in terms of race relationship since the civil war. Due to Obama’s change policy and due to the reaction to the eight long years of policies of the Bush administration, Obama has won the elections. Yet, the Muslim community is very much unhappy from “Mr. Change” due to his silence on the Israeli brutalities over Muslims in Gaza,” said Naeem Baig, Secretary General of the Islamic Circle of North America told IslamOnline.net.