allAfrica.com * Museveni Urges Islamic Bloc On Sudan New Vision (Kampala) NEWS 18 June 2008 Posted to the web 19 June 2008 By Joyce Namutebi, Henry Mukasa, Cyprian Musoke and Anne Mugisa Kampala PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni in a passionate appeal urged the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to resolve the conflict between Arabs and Africans in Sudan. "You can't expect black people to be killed and we keep quiet," Museveni told the over 160 foreign ministers and delegates from the 57 OIC member countries gathered at Munyonyo Speke Resort yesterday. Opening the 35th Council of Foreign Ministers, he reminded the delegates that most of Africa's liberation fighters, including himself, had supported the Palestinian cause. "In the same way we support Palestine, we support the conflict between blacks and Arabs in Sudan to be resolved. We can't support Palestine and keep quiet when the black people are being killed. OIC should resolve it." The issue risked undermining the organisation's unity, which had been a source of strength when fighting for Africa's independence, he warned. "It is a dangerous situation to undermine our unity, which helped us defeat colonialism. We should remove all issues that can cause division within us." Museveni was referring to the Darfur conflict, which has killed between 200,000 and 400,000 people and displaced 2.5 million since 2003, according to NGOs. He was also referring to the North/South war, which covered most of the post-independence period, killing an estimated 2 million and forcing 4 million to flee. Though the southern war ended with the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, there are concerns about the slow implementation and resumed fighting in the oil-rich Abyei area. Apologising for his direct style, he added: "I don't believe in hypocrisy, going to a meeting and we say: 'we are together when we are not. Our diplomacy is direct'." On the Palestinian cause, he reiterated Uganda's position of a "two state solution: one Jewish, one Palestine." That position, he added, never changed, even when the Palestinian leaders "made a mistake" and supported former Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. "Amin was killing us. Even then we supported the Palestine cause." Explaining that 12% of the population in Uganda are Muslims, 85% Christians and 3% practicing indigenous religions, he said Ugandans believe in tolerance and peaceful co-existence. "Although we converted to a new religion, we kept our ancient attitude of unity. In this part of the world, we don't believe in extremism. We don't believe in chauvinism and egocentricism. We believe in symbiosis other than domination." He pointed out that, although he does not eat fish, mutton, pork, chicken, he has been at the forefront promoting the processing of fish and pork. Nobody had a right to impose his views on others, he lectured. "That is the philosophy of our approach. We realise and accept and appreciate our diversity. We utilise this diversity to benefit and modernise our endowed country." Diversity, he said, was a source of strength and wealth rather than a source of weakness. "If there's any contribution Uganda can make to the OIC it is this: Live and Let Live." The OIC, having a combined population of 1.4 billion, could be a force to reckon with if properly harnessed, he argued. He also supported the business forum's proposal to adopt a multiple entry visa for businessmen in OIC countries, noting that it was cumbersome to apply for a new visa every time they wanted to visit. Foreign minister Sam Kutesa was yesterday elected as the new chairman of the council. He replaces Pakistan's foreign minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi, whose country hosted the 34th session in Islamabad. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 2008 New Vision. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quantcast