Wief: More Water Under The Broken Bridge

The World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF), yet another big event where the political leaders of the Muslim world has a hay day of speeches mired in rhetoric, is bound to be yet another failed state of affairs. The very reason for the constant failure in such forums is definitely the lack of acceptance of the views of the non-state actors for example.

The WIEF is altogether bound to be the 'Economic' arm of the Organization of Islamic conference (OIC). The OIC is an example of the failed state of affairs that has gripped the political leadership of the Muslim world.

It is acceptable to have an international Muslim political force that can break the Western hegemony that has today been transformed into a formidable military force fighting Muslim liberation movements in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia.

However, it is doubtful that an 'Islamic Economic' force will be useful to the masses and will achieve any targets it sets. The WIEF is the affair of the filthy rich and that of the high political class. It is an organization based on the adamant need for these political leaders feel the sense of 'unity' among the Muslim leading classes across the world.

But, like the OIC, is it far away from the aspirations of the Muslim masses that are being oppressed by the very  Muslim capitalist classes in power in most of the Muslim world.

I believe the mixing of the OIC with the WIEF simply means the mixture of powerful lobbies that will work for their own pockets and will suppress the small and needy business class of the Muslim world. The OIC itself has so far failed to fix the broken homes of the Muslims that fell under the bombs of the Israelis and the Serbs or the hordes of extremists in Thailand, India or even the ruling class in Pakistan. Linking the economic needs of the Islamic world to the OIC will simply turn into a situation of the cow working but the horse enjoying the benefits. If you know what I mean!

On the other hand, the WIEF meeting at Kuala LUmpur has offered nothing for the small and medium Muslim entrepreneurs. It has failed so far to engage the need to modernize the new economic values that is found on the Internet and the need to accelerate the technological and infrastructural development of the rest of the Muslim world. Without such developments the Muslim world will never become a powerful economic force.

Finally, I find it totally useless to 'unite' Musilm businessmen under one roof since we cannot ignore the fact that there is a bigger world out there where the purchasing power of the non-Muslim world is much more powerful than thatof the Muslims in general! Hence, the Muslims need to concentrate on diversification and on cooperation with the rest of the world, instead of entering a ghetto where it will only be killed by the ego of the Muslim capitalits and opportunists.

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