In order to build such solidarity we must ask people to moderate what they share on this list. The instantaneous nature of e-mail lists can confuse the important distinction between people who have close knowledge of a situation, and people who cannot possibly be in that position. We are not in some virtual New International which can make correct judgements on what should happen in all countries. We are in a complex interlocking network in which we gradually learn more and also learn what sort of contributions help build solidarity and what undermine it.
There may be many reasons for bitter antagonistic contradictions within a movement, including the effects of oppression and exploitation, agents provocateurs, opportunism, errors, the ideological effects of the economic base on the superstructure eg to the extent to which tribal structures or attitudes of mind are ways of ensuring economic as well as social cohesion, where it is difficult to rely on trust. Some deep mistrust is inevitable, but full ventilation of that mistrust from within countries of muslim background, without at the very least an attempt to put it in context, is unhelpful.
I hope this post is not misunderstood as itself taking sides, but I would add my voice to those who want to see some sort of self-moderation from people contributing from within muslim cultures, in the interests of wider solidarity. Perhaps that is even more important where someone thinks they have a very strong case.
Chris Burford London
