Part IX: Decolonization, Nationalism, Sovereignty

Transcription

1 Part IX: Decolonization, Nationalism, Sovereignty Session 13 Islam, the Insurrection of the Jama at al-muslimeen, and Nationbuilding in Trinidad & Tobago Austerity, Failure, Crisis A Brief History of the Jama at al Muslimeen and Imam Yasin Abu Bakr A State within the State? The Roots of Revolt The Coup : July 27 August 1, 1990 Critiques of the Muslimeen The Aftermath: Forced Nation Re-Building 1

2 Austerity, Failure, Crisis Post-oil boom Trinidad, late 1980s early 1990s: austerity, structural adjustment : per capita income cut in half, unemployment doubled to over 25% National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), led by Prime Minister A.N.R. Robinson: from national unity to ethnic divide Frequent and widespread protests War of attrition with the Jama at al-muslimeen 2

3 A Brief History of the Jama at al Muslimeen and Imam Yasin Abu Bakr Origins: early 1970s U.S. Muslim and Black Power organizations Middle Eastern and Pakistani Muslim missionaries Abu Bakr: Dar Ul Islam (based in Atlanta), headed by former Black Panther, Jamil Abdullah al-amin (H. Rap Brown). Consolidation: disaffected members of the local Black Power movement Afro-Trinidadian members of Indian-dominated Muslim organizations disaffected Indian Muslims former Roman Catholics Pan-Islamism 3

4 Background on Yasin Abu Bakr: born Lennox Phillip on 18 October 1941, Diego Martin, Trinidad; raised in poverty; worked as a policeman; studied at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute in Toronto; converted to Islam in Canada. Jama at received support from Libya under Muammar Gaddafi and the World Islamic Call Society Ownership of businesses: construction, engineering, security, debt collection, poultry, bakeries, textiles Afro-Trinidadian religious decolonization: the symbolic return to Africa meant returning to Islam, rejecting Christianity. 4

5 We the willing led by the unknowing are doing the impossible for the grateful. We have done so much for so long with so little, we are now qualified to do anything with nothing. social welfare activities: food, clothing, medical treatment, drug rehabilitation, schooling, employment for many disadvantaged individuals (through businesses owned and operated by the Muslimeen), thus building up its membership into the hundreds in the 1980s Summit of People s Organizations (SOPO) 5

6 Uprising on 27 July 1990, by 114 armed Muslimeen Crisis: denunciation of the Robinson government s austerity policies conflicts with the state over the group s drug interdiction activities lack of regularization of lands bequeathed to the Jama at in the capital government complaints that the group was becoming a state within a state government corruption alleged government complicity in the drug trade 6

7 A State within the State? The Roots of Revolt Land dispute PNM to Islamic Missionaries Guild to the Jam at al- Muslimeen Mosque (masjid), schools, shops, offices wider context of discontent with maladministration by the government disputing government legitimacy 7

8 The perception of the government is that we threatened their position as the government...the governments are almost always...only supported by 28% [of the electorate]...the Minister of National Security said that we were a state within a state, and he could not allow that. state within a state, challenging constitutional authority, jurisdiction Over 100 police and army officers stationed on Jama at compound: national security reasons 8

9 The Jama at has a history of fighting against corruption...especially in the government. conflict over the importation of medicines (Libya, WHO, free drugs, returned); barred from importing specialized foods Abu Bakr: when the government denies these social amenities that is economic violence 9

10 When we live in a society like this we are operating in total contradiction. Our courts are there to protect the rich and protect a system that guarantees the oppression of the weak by the strong and we can't stand for that. It is completely against the Golden Rule. And unless this is changed, this Golden Rule will put us into eternal conflict with the State. As long as people continue to feed their dogs with steak and people have mansions and others nowhere to sleep, as long as people have fast speedboats and others do not have their basic needs like food and shelter, this rule must be enforced. ~ Abu Bakr support, among black, urban dispossessed campaign against drug dealers abandoned the traditional structure of party politics self-reliance Abu Bakr: We are their [the people s] teachers. They are not our teachers. 10

11 Jama at s Alternative Model: alternative centre of governance, Ministers with portfolios, schools, businesses, residences, courts, dispute resolution system, marriages; own foreign relations. Social welfare programs Rehabilitation for addicts and criminals Drug interdiction Neighbourhood law enforcement activities Involved with other mass organizations, opposition politics Allies in political, business, and military circles Independent business enterprises Global Muslim connections, international support network propagation of the faith, but, there is no compulsion in religion 11

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13 The Coup: July 27 August 1, armed members attacked police headquarters in the capital set fire to the studios of the National Broadcasting Service (NBS). 50 men, led by Bilaal Abdullah, invaded the Red House, took hostages: Robinson, members of his cabinet, government and opposition MPs Prime Minister Robinson: attack with full force Abu Bakr took over the facilities of Trinidad and Tobago Television (TTT) Armed services amassed; airport shut down, rumor that Libyan planes were to land Abu Bakr: cancellation of sales tax (VAT), new elections in 90 days do not loot 13

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18 Abu Bakr: Robinson is no longer the Prime Minister; I am still the Imam. 18

19 Not to take over Trinidad and forcibly convert everyone to Islam: this is all stupid [armed] people are going to make a whole people become...muslim just like that? That s not how people become Muslim...That s stupid man. Violence? I don t believe that the people in this country totally agree with the use of arms as a method of change...because they are all slaves!...the people in this country don t know anything at all: they don t know how to use a weapon...they have never served the country...other than those...in the police or in the military. 19

20 Critiques of the Muslimeen a) personality cultism, the paramount leader b) authoritarianism c) rigid hierarchy d) martial masculinism e) violent coercion as an instrument of politics Muslimeen and the state together form a community of method Same old politics of irresponsible declaration and agitation 20

21 The Aftermath: Forced Nation Re-Building introspection? examine the dominant system of values? questioning the viability of outward-oriented and externally-guided capitalist development? inter-ethnic relations the validity of Western democracy? conservative local media, state-owned or controlled by local conglomerates, end to self-questioning Trinidad s ruling elites instead clamped down Emphasis on attitude change: reinforcing the message that Trinidad and Tobago was the mother of all, and it was vital to respect mother, to never hurt mother. Civilization and democracy vs. the evil forces of destruction 21