Source/Credit: abc27 | News
By Dennis Buterbaugh | February 21, 2011
The vast majority of people in countries with recent uprisings are Muslims. Local Muslims are watching with interest.
"Love for all, hatred for none," is the theme of Harrisburg's Ahmadiyya Muslim Community. Established in the former Lakeside Lutheran Church last year, mosque spokesman Dr. Mubashir Mumtaz said there is no doubt that change is needed in countries where people have no voice in government. But he said that change needs to be peaceful.
"[People should be] expressing views in a complete non-violent fashion," said Dr. Mumtaz. "It gives you the freedom of using diplomacy, using dialogue, writing articles."
Dr. Mumtaz said restraint is needed by any government itself, too. While Libya's government is attacking and killing demonstrators in Tripoli, the Egyptian government showed restraint during that country's uprisings. When the will of the people was for the Egyptian president to step down, he did.
As to whether a U.S.-type democracy is needed in Middle Eastern countries that now have dictators, Dr. Mumtaz said that's not our decision at all.
"That's for the people of that country to decide," he said. "[There] might be a different form of government for Egypt. But Yemen might require a different form of government. [That's ok] as long as the basic principals of liberty, freedom and justice for all are practiced."
Dr. Mumtaz is a heart surgeon. He points out that his native country of Pakistan has elements of a democracy, but still has violent religious persecution.
Read original post here: Local Muslims watch Middle East uprisings
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