At cultural event hosted by CIOG
President Bharrat Jagdeo joined hundreds of Muslims at a cultural event hosted by the Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC) Saturday evening to mark the 30th anniversary of the organisation.
During his remarks following presentations by Donald Ramotar, the PPP/C General Secretary, and Shaikh Abrahim Habash on the Palestinian issue, the President urged his audience not to fall prey to mental slavery.
He noted that although physical slavery may have been defeated, mental slavery, which is more pernicious and subtle, is one of the biggest problems faced by the world today.
“We suffer from too much indifference in this world. We’ve become complacent, and because of indifference and complacency, people can think for us and if they think for us, they control us,” he declared.
He stressed that this new battle for the minds of people lies in the dissemination of ideas through an active propaganda mechanism.
The Head of State referenced his argument by referring to the Palestinian issue that had been discussed, noting that the Zionist regime has a strong propaganda machine that undermines Islam and the Palestinian cause.
The Palestinian issue has suffered from indifference because Zionism goes out actively to cultivate a world opinion, particularly among…Christians and Hindus and other groups around the world, a view of Islam which is alien to the Holy Qur’aan,” he pointed out.
He said that the propaganda efforts of the Zionists are so strong that even Muslims question their faith and feel that the Qur’aan sanctions actions that are deplorable.
During the discussions, it was pointed out that there was a marked difference between the Jewish faith, which is peaceable, and the Zionist empire, which is secular in nature.
The cultural presentation included recitations from the Qur’aan and the singing of qaseedas (Islamic songs) by Qari Syed Sadaqat Ali of Pakistan along with the presentations from Ramotar and Shaikh Habash. (GINA)
