: Rich nations want to enslave Moslems - Mahathir : By Nelson Graves : KUALA LUMPUR, June 27 (Reuters) - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir : Mohamad opened a meeting of Islamic nations on Tuesday warning that : rich countries plan to use technology and the Internet to turn Moslem : countries into banana republics. : Mahathir used the opening ceremony of a four-day meeting of foreign : ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) to urge : Moslems to embrace modern science to defend themselves against what he : called predatory Western companies. : He said Islamic nations risked being colonised by rich countries that : have embraced science. Banks and industries in the rich industrialised : nations were ``ganging up,'' Mahathir added. : ``In the end we will become like the banana republics where the : managers of the plantations are more powerful than the presidents of : these countries. : ``At that stage, de facto we will no longer be independent. The : situation which prevailed in the first half of the century will : return,'' Mahathir said. : During Mahathir's 19-year rule, Malaysia has embarked on an ambitious : modernisation programme, building the world's tallest building and : promoting cutting-edge technology in the Multimedia Super Corridor, : Malaysia's answer to Silicon Valley. : ``Islam enjoins us to seek knowledge,'' he said. ``Enough of us must be : assigned to the acquisition of the necessary knowledge and skills of : the Information Age so as to enable us to catch up with our detractors : and enemies.'' : CONDEMNS CONSERVATIVES : Mahathir said opposition Islamic conservatives in Malaysia had : condemned the modernisation programme, and he decried those in the 56- : member OIC who rejected modern science. : ``I think that by failing to develop the Moslem countries, by failing : to defend them and the Moslem people, we are commiting even greater : sins which our personal devotion to the daily rituals of our faith will : not absolve us,'' he said. : Mahathir's exhortation to Moslems to embrace technology lent a thematic : thread to the first day of the OIC meeting, which later this week will : consider a resolution condemning the alleged use of technology by rich : countries to dominate poor nations. : ``We have in Malaysia the best example,'' said Oman's foreign minister, : Yousuf Alawi Abdullah, who was speaking on behalf of Arab nations. : Pakistani Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar said: ``He (Mahathir) reminds : us we are capable of adopting the appropriate policies to help : ourselves.'' : The 74-year-old Malaysian leader said that centuries ago Moslems had : the world's most highly developed culture and knowledge of science, but : they lost influence because they quarreled among themselves and shunned : the industrial revolution. : ``Clearly we are behind the rest of the world. Knowledge other than : Islamic knowledge is condemned by many of us as secular and we are : urged to reject them,'' he said, referring to Islamic fundamentalists : in some countries. : MUCK AND FILTH ON THE NET : Mahathir, who has spearheaded the Multimedia Super Corridor high- : technology platform in Malaysia's capital, said in many cases the : Internet clashed with Islamic values. : ``It is also about muck and filth and unmitigated lies spread by people : wishing to undermine the development of human society, including the : Moslem people,'' he said, noting that half of all business transactions : on the Internet involved pornography. : Mahathir took a swipe at unfettered capital flows that ``almost : bankrupted us, almost made us paupers and beggars, almost placed us : under the direction of foreign powers whose agenda is not the same as : ours and certainly is not Islamic.'' : OIC ministers will meet behind closed doors during the remaining three : days to discuss resolutions including statements condemning Russia's : policies towards Chechnya, Israel's stance at Mideast peace talks and : India's position in Kashmir. : One of the more controversial resolutions, strongly opposed by Baghdad, : denounces Iraq's ``aggression'' towards Kuwait. : Ministers will also seek a successor to OIC Secretary-General Azeddine : Laraki of Morocco. The leading candidates were believed to be from : Bangladesh and Turkey. : Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ : Before you buy. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html <A HREF="http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
