The Gulf Crisis and New World Order — Page 318
Sixteellth Friday Senno11 Mar 08, 1991 technology-based plants. Besides these, there are many other maladies which continue to afflict Third world industries as a consequence of which their ability to repay the loans continues to diminish while the burden of their debts continues to escalate. Almost all of South America has now been strangulated by the chains of debt. I do not know of a single country receiving aid from America or from some other rich country for which the burden of debt is becoming lighter. This is a burden which increases day by day till a large portion of the national income is consumed up in paying the interest on the loans. Thus the countries which accept aid or go begging for aid have never, ever been seen to stand on their own feet. The recipient nations receive humiliating treatment, and in the event of any policy differences, threats of termination of the aid follow, which in tum not only ruin the national economies of these countries, but also have a devastating affect on the national character. ESTABLISHMENT OF A NEW ISLAMIC SYSTEM OF ASSISTANCE Thus, not only the honour, but also other far-reaching interests demand most vehemently that the offers of aid from the major aid giving countries be politely turned down. And those Muslim countries which have been blessed with the wealth of oil should join with those non-Muslim countries which are willing to participate in the spirit of the Quranic injunction: • ,, • 'f,. , ,,, ·'-:. = 11 "·. 11 J. . 1·· c•. : 15_,. . . . ,� L) !>',\al "cooperate with one another in good works". So they should set up a new aid-providing system under Islamic rules in which priority should be given in the first instance, to help those poor countries of the Third world which are constantly threatened by severe starvation and famine, to attain self-sufficiency in food. Or they should be strengthened economically to such a degree that they become capable of purchasing food from abroad. FOOD USED TO ENSLAVE POOR NATIONS The present attitude of the world towards the famine-stricken African countries is most disgraceful as well as ineffective. Famines do not arise in countries as unexpected and sudden eruption of a volcano. Expert economists know years in advance, where and when 318