Protest Note
to the British High Commissioner, Kuala Lumpur
on 11 Ocotber 2002
Protest Agaisnt War on Iraq
We represent four political parties and 11 non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) in Malaysia. We are registering our protest in the
strongest terms possible against the international relations posture that
Britain and, in particular, Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair, is taking by becoming
the strongest ally and partner of the United States of America's declaration of
war on Iraq.
Although Britain has published a dossier of the so-called evidence against Iraq
in order to justify military action, we find the evidence far from convincing,
full of flaws, involving the rehashing of old unproven accusations, and
characterized by double standards.
We firmly believe that any decision for military action against a sovereign
nation could only legally and morally be taken by the international community as
a whole - i.e. through the United Nations. We regret that Britain has supported
the United States' unilateral position on the matter, and is trying to justify
going to war even without the explicit endorsement of the United Nations.
The unilateral declaration of war on any sovereign nation by any superpower with
military might simply on the basis that that nation does not please the
superpower does not only make for an unacceptable precedent, but would put the
moral basis of the new world order in serious jeopardy.
Britain (following the lead of the United States) has declared that military
action against Iraq is justified based on the principle of pre-emptive action.
The application of this principle, however, implies stark double standards.
While pre-emptive measures are taken against Iraq on the basis of its assumed
potential for terrorism, the state-sponsored terrorism being waged by Israel on
the Palestinian people are allowed to go on unchecked and unabated.
Furthermore, we believe such an action against Iraq will only result in further
instability in an already volatile Middle East. It must also be noted that the
people of Iraq have suffered greatly as a result of the long United Nation
sanction, and a fresh war would only aggravate the sufferings of the helpless
Iraqi people.
Both United States and Britain have also indicated that this military initiative
is undertaken to facilitate 'regime change' in Iraq. While we may agree that the
state of democratic rule in Iraq is far from satisfactory, we believe that any
change in regime should be the prerogative of the Iraqi people, and no external
power has the legal and moral right to decide the future of Iraq or to express
the will of the Iraqi people on their behalf.
Furthermore, we do not believe that the war on Iraq is an outcome of Britain's
and the United States' concern for the democratic rights of the Iraqi people.
Indeed, some of the strongest allies of Britain and the US in that and other
regions are even more undemocratic. Rather, we believe that this is a war merely
to protect the United States interests in resources, such as oil, and to assure
Israel that Iraq is and forever emasculated.
We question Mr Blair's insistence to go to war in the name of the British
people, when substantial numbers of the people of Britain oppose such action, as
evident by the massive anti-war protest in Britain recently - as well as opinion
polls which consistently show strong opposition to the initiative.
Hence, with this protest, we also declare our solidarity with the people of the
world who oppose unilateral military action against Iraq - including a
substantial segment of the population in Britain and the United States itself.
We therefore urge Britain to exercise its moral responsibility to bring about a
peaceful and more equitable world order, by immediately calling off its plans to
take military action against Iraq. Instead, we believe Britain should press the
United States to allow the United Nations to decide on the appropriate action on
Iraq on behalf of the international community of nations.
Islamic Party of Malaysia (PAS)
National Justice Party (keADILan)
People's Party of Malaysia (PRM)
Democratic Action Party (DAP)
Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (ABIM)
Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM)
Suara Rakyat Malaysia (SUARAM)
Malaysian Sociological Research Institute MSRI
National Muslim Student Association of Malaysia (PKPIM)
Consumer Association of Penang (CAP)
Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM)
Teras Pengupayaan Melayu (TERAS)
Muslim Scholars Association of Malaysia (PUM)
Majlis Persidangan Mahasiswa Islam (MPMI)
Barisan Bertindak Mahasiswa Negara (BBMN)