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The OIC is celebrating its 40th anniversary

Interview with His Excellency Mr. Babacar Ba,

Ambassador of the Organization of the Islamic

Conference to the United Nations

Mr Ba is a career world were all deeply shoc- What is Islamophobia? It Q: Well, are you?
diplomat from Senegal ked and humiliated by this consists of actions and atti-
who was asked to take horrible attack. During a tudes-either in writing or Of course not! On the
charge of the OIC's meeting in Rabat, Morocco, declarations-aimed at contrai'y, Islam is a religion
affairs in Geneva. King Hassan n and King creating hatred and fear of promottng peace, respect
Faycal of Saudi Arabia the Muslim population, and love towards others, and
Q: The 01C is currently ,initiated the setting up of a especially in the Westein does not approve of
celebrating its fortieth Muslim organization whose world. It is a growing confrontation or hatred in
anniversary. When did it main objective was protec- phenomenon and has
all7 Wag.
all start and could you ting the holy sites of Islatn. created a kind of rejection of
please tell us a little The Palestinian issue was the Muslim poprilation. However, there is some
about your organiza- also ceitainly a matter of Unfoitunately, it is growing extremist using religion as a
tion? concern because it is in and it threatens the political weapon, and this is
Palestine that you find the coexistence of the different something we should
The OIC was set up in 1969. Al-Aqsa Mosque. con'irnunities. oppose everywhere.
It was a reaction to the Therefore, this question has Extremism can be found
events that had happened been an impoitant issue for What is even more wori'ying everywhere, among
earlier. There had been an the organization. is the fact that Islamaphobia Chi'istians, Muslirns or other
attack against the Al-Aqsa is being used by politicians religious or political
Mosque in Jei'usalem, which Q: Today, there is a lot in their political program- movements. Evei'y form of
is considered the third of talk about mes from the extreme iight extreinism should be contes-
holiest site in Islam. Islamophobia. to promote the idea that ted.
Muslims are a threat to
The Muslims around the Unfoitunately, yes. It is a Europa. The Member States of OIC
growing phenomenon.
10 4 2009 Diva

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