REPUBLIKA.CO.ID,REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) -formerly called the Organization of the Islamic Conference- opens the first meeting of Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) on Monday. The establishment of IPHRC is considered as a significant landmark in the four decade long history of OIC.
The meeting will be held until February 24 is attended in by 18 independent commission members from 18 OIC member states including Indonesia, Malaysia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, United Arab Emirates, Sudan, Guinea, Nigeria, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Chad, and Cameroon.
On the first day of the meeting, commission members discussed about chairman election and adoption of meeting agenda and work program. The Secretary General of OIC, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu in his opening speech earlier in the day said the establishment of IPHRC was a significant landmark in the four decade long history of OIC.
"It aptly reflects the ongoing process of moderation and modernization at the organization. It also reflects OIC member states` priority interest in and commitment to human rights," he said.
He admitts that there is a deep seated misperceptions about Islam`s relation with human rights during the past years. "While no country in the world can claim a perfect human rights record, there always is room for improvement including in the OIC member states. It is, however, unfortunate that the matter has been politicized and blown out of proportions. Islam is being wrongly associated with human rights violations," he said.
Unlike the negative image imposed to Islam during the past years, he said, Islam in fact had had the normative potential to adapt to the modern life and standards and push for better implementation of human rights, both at the social and political levels. The OIC is the second largest inter-governmental organization after the United Nations, and has members from 57 states spread across four continents.
The organization is the collective voice of the Muslim world, safeguarding and protecting the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among the various peoples of the world.
The Organization was established based upon a decision at the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco, on 12th Rajab 1389 Hijra (25 September 1969) following an act of criminal arson at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.
Over the last 40 years, the membership has grown from its 25 founding members to 57 states. The Organization has the singular honor to galvanize the “ummah” –the people- into a unified body and has actively represented Muslims by espousing all causes close to the hearts of over 1.5 billion Muslims throughout the world.
The Organization also has consultative and cooperative relations with the UN and other inter-governmental organizations to protect the vital interests of Muslims and to work for the settlement of conflicts and disputes involving Member States.
In safeguarding the true values of Islam and Muslims, the organization has taken various steps to remove misperceptions and has strongly advocated elimination of discrimination against Muslims in all forms and manifestations.
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