"Peace is not only the absence of war, but the end of human oppression": Tawakkol Karman

Hugo Castillo
Photo: Enrique Osorno
Translation: Jordan Sheldahl
La Jornada Maya

Mérida, Yucatán
Miércoles 2 de octubre, 2019

Dressed in a hijab that leaves her face uncovered, Tawakkol Karman does not hesitate to vigorously recite the slogan with which she led the fight in her native Yemen: "Peace does not only mean that there is no war, it also means that there is no more human oppression”. Eight years after receiving the Nobel Prize for her work of peaceful resistance and support for women during the Arab Spring, the activist uses her newly earned fame to give voice to all who fight for freedom and equality in the world, regardless of religion, gender or race.

"I fight to end hatred and to promote a world in which we can all live peacefully, respecting our decisions," says the laureate before adding that contrary to what people believe, Islamic faith and gender do not prevent anyone from carrying out their work.

Within the framework of the 17th World Nobel Peace Prize Summit, and as part of the coverage of the meeting, [i]La Jornada Maya[/i] had the opportunity to talk with the Peace Prize winner about her work in the middle east and what it means to be a muslim woman who raises her voice in both the east and west.

[b]H. C. How has the fact that you are a muslim woman wearing a hijab affected your work as an activist in the west?[/b]

T. K. My hijab is a personal decision, it does not affect my work; I think that in a way it generates respect in people who [are] begin[ing] to know my struggles.
Moreover, I fervently believe that any woman, and indeed any human being, has the right to [wear] whatever she wants. No one should force women to wear a hijab or take it off, it is a right to be able to choose the way we want to dress and present ourselves to the world.

What we have to do as a society is not accept and denounce any form of racism. Discrimination in the West is not only against women wearing the Islamic veil, that is one of their manifestations; There is also rejection against minorities, skin colors, religions, and many other features.

In my role as an activist I fight to end hate and to promote a world in which we can all live peacefully, respecting our decisions.

[b]You come from a country with a strong Islamic and conservative tradition. How do you see a political liberation program headed by a woman there?[/b]

Look, Islam, in its foundations, has nothing against human rights, democracy [or] women; It is just a religion.

I believe that like any other faith, be it Buddhism, Judaism or Christianity, Islam fundamentally respects human values, be it the right to democracy, equality, freedom or dignity. The problem of radicalism does not come from the sacred texts, but from the "religious" people who interpret them in the worst way.

Christianity suffered greatly for this in the Middle Ages, and even today there are people who believe they are sent by God and practice religion badly. The same goes for Islam, because we have a lot of extremists who want to promote [themselves] as “the only truth” what they interpret from the sacred texts and try to make everyone follow the wrong rules, arguing that they have a divine knowledge.

[b]So, you are leading not only a political revolution but also a religious one?[/b]

Part of my job as an activist is to oppose Islamic extremists and tell them to shut up. Our revolution was also against them, but we could only face them and not be convinced by their ideas because we know Islam and its true democratic foundations.

People should know that many Islamic fundamentalists have a very close relationship with the dictators of the region, who use them to keep people at bay. It is not only a problem for women, but also for many men.

For example, these religious [extremists] say that protesting is haram, prohibited by the Koran, but what they really want is to avoid demonstrations against those who hold power and [ensure] that people continue to obey blindly. "Religion says it," they say falsely.

Believe me, Islam is not against any right. The only ones who affirm that are the dictators who seek to take advantage of religion.

[b]How would you change the perception that the West has about Islam and violence?[/b]

First, we must accept that all religions support democracies and human rights.

People, everywhere, have to understand that religious extremism is a big problem, because their battle is not only against us local activists, but also against the West. They defame everything that represents a danger to their influence, including us and Western values.

All social fighters, intellectuals and human rights promoters must unite to face this extreme segment within the Muslim community; we must make known the dangers that society is attracted to those who are attracted by their speech, and we must give voice to moderate religious [peoples], to those who support democracy and freedom, to those who believe in equal opportunities for all regardless of gender, religion or race.

What we live in the Middle East is not a battle between Islam and the West, but a battle between people who seek true freedom and those who promote oppression and discrimination.

In this fight we need the support of everyone, everywhere. In addition, we live in the 21st century, the era of social and political intransigence is over. Now it is up to young people to take charge, the new generation that believes in equality, tolerance and a new identity that does not take creeds, races or identities into account: "global citizenship".