The Sultan discussed the number of severe refugee crises brought about by domestic conflict, political terror and religious persecution. More than 11 million people have been displaced from their homes by the war in Syria during the past six years. In nearby Myanmar, the horrific massacres of the Rohingya by the Myanmar government has been called "textbook ethnic cleansing" by the United Nations. As many as 58% of those who have found safety in Bangladesh are children with their parents and family members having been killed by the Myanmar military.
The Sultan also cited a recent report by the U.S. Institute for Peace that "inclusive peace processes are key to ending violent conflict," and that peace processes can be undermined by societal fragmentation and perceived or actual exclusion of certain groups from peace negotiations. A seemingly precarious peace agreement may be fundamentally strengthened by attempts to "knit together" the "frayed fabric of a society damaged by internal or external conflict. Peace processes must make every effort to include those individuals whose opinions have been traditionally marginalized or overlooked.
In the Philippines, for example, efforts were made to involve nearly 3,000 women, from a variety of social backgrounds, in the Mindanao peace process which Malaysia helped to facilitate. The insights and concerns shared by these women during consultations proved fundamental to the peace process development.
The Sultan noted that ultimately the task of maintaining peace falls to the young, and therefore the young must be included in the process of establishing peace. Following the civil war in Nepal, the active engagement of young people in peace consultations in the south-eastern district of the country, led to an 80 percent decrease in violent youth demonstrations. The peace agreement which ended the 10-year civil war in 2006 was secured through a program, which brought together the police and local communities, in order to establish trust and to overcome underlying tensions and prejudices between different groups, including the youth.
The World Conference on Islamic Thought and Civilization continued with two days of discussions among 11 international speakers, four from the United States, two from Indonesia and one each from Australia, Thailand, Singapore and South Africa, and 20 speakers from the Malaysia government, universities and humanitarian organizations and an audience of approximately 500 from all over Malaysia.
First director of the ASEAN Center for Islamic Global Peace and Non-Violence Dr. Surin Pitsuwan with Conference speakers Dr. Fauziah Hassan and Ann Wright
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In a very encouraging regional development for peace and non-violence, at the end of the conference, the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi announced the founding the ASEAN Center for Islamic Global Peace and Non-Violence which will be located at the Sultan Azlan Shah University in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia.
The Deputy Prime Minister named as the first director of the Center, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) 2008-2012. Dr. Pitsuwan served on the National Reconciliation Commission charged with bringing peace and security back to Thailand prior to the current military government.
Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia Dr. Ahmad Zahid Hamidi
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In his address to the conference at the closing plenary, the Deputy Prime Minister said that global peace is not just a state of non-violence or absence of wars, but was about food, education, jobs and homes for all. Peace is an ideal state of happiness, freedom and peace within and among all people and nations."
Speaking directly to terrorists using the name of Islam to justify their actions, Dr. Hamidi said, "What terrorist organizations are doing is completely against the concept of jihad in Islam. Jihad doesn't refer to holy wars, as it commonly perceived, but it means to struggle or strive. Intentionally harming an innocent person, whether Muslim or non-Muslim, is highly condemned in Islam. It is not part of jihad or anything close to that as it is sometimes made out to be."
The Deputy Prime Minister stated that "Islam seeks to protect the rights of every individual and promote love, tolerance, equality and justice, as well as peace in practice, doctrine and legislation."
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