Ambassador Muhamed
Sacirbey (
Former Bosnian
foreign minister and ambassador to the United Nations
Journalists are
needed to report the truth and humanitarian aid workers endeavour to save the
lives of innocents -- this was a lesson all learned during the aggression and
particularly genocide attempted upon the Muslims, religious or not, over the
last two decades in Bosnia & Herzegovina, (BiH). The truth seekers and
those who put out their hand to help any fellow human being are not only
blessed but the friends we value for their work and motives. Today, from Syria,
Iraq, Myanmar, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Ukraine to so many other
places where conflict consumes lives and truth, many in BiH feel the need to
now reach out and speak on behalf of victims and those who offer to provide aid
for the suffering and information about their condition.
The killing of
innocents in the name of ISIL or "Islamic State" is contradictory to
the teachings of Islam. James Foley and Steven Sotloff are two of many
journalists and humanitarian workers who have been abducted and some killed.
The targeting of minority communities as well as fellow Muslims has already
been the focus of condemnation by leaders of the Islamic community in BiH,
including former Reisu-l-ulema (High Imam) Dr. Mustafa Ceric and Dr. Mirnes
Kovac of the Preporod Islamic Newspaper. Let there be no doubt that those who
commit such horrific acts in the name of the "Islamic State" or Islam
will be judged by the Muslim community of BiH (traditionally also Sunni) as
violating Islamic values as well as inconsistent with our experience.
The case of David
Haines, abducted in Syria, stands out: as Dr. Muhamed Jusic describes:
"David Haines
is a man who spent most of his life helping people in need all around the
world. He worked keenly to help Muslim refugees and returnees in Bosnia and
Herzegovina during and after the war of 1992-95. Muslims in Bosnia are grateful
to all people who helped them in a difficult time, and David Haines was one of
their sincere friends."
The full statement
of the Leadership of the Islamic Community in BiH and its current
Reisu-l-ulema, Husein Kavazovic, is cited below:
Reisu-l-ulema of
Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina Husein Kavazović appeals for the
life of humanitarian worker David Haines who has been held captive in Syria
since March 2013. In a press release published by Islamic Community`s Press
Service- MINA highest religious authority of Bosniac Muslims and Muslims in
Bosnia and Herzegovina stated:
After I learned that
the life of humanitarian worker David Haines, a citizen of Great Britain, is
under threat, I appeal to those who are keeping him in captivity to
unconditionally release him so he can reunite with his family. Islam teaches us
that human life is sacred. David Haines is a man who spent most of his life
helping people in need all around the world. He worked keenly to help Muslim refugees
and returnees in Bosnia and Herzegovina during and after the war of 1992-95.
Muslims in Bosnia are grateful to all people who helped them in a difficult
time, and David Haines was one of their sincere friends.
The release of the
detained aid worker is the only rational, moral and religiously justified act,
as his life and current position will not help his captors to solve their
problems or win their wars against their enemies. Instead, by releasing him,
they will show their human nature and their virtue.
Having suffered
grave injustices and death themselves, Muslims of Bosnia and Herzegovina feel
that it is their moral and religious obligation to express their serious
concerns when innocent people are being killed or tortured. For this reason,
and in the peaceful spirit of Islam, I appeal for the release of the detained
British aid worker as the killing of an innocent person equals the killing of
the whole humankind.
