M. Osman Siddique
Encyclopedia
M. Osman Siddique is an American
politician and former diplomat. He served as the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Fiji
and to the Republic of Nauru
, to the Kingdom of Tonga
and to Tuvalu
from 1999-2001. He was the US Ambassador during the 2000 Fijian coup d'état. Siddique is believed to be the second American-Muslim
to be appointed as an Ambassador from the United States; the first was Robert D. Crane
, appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 as U.S. ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.
, Bangladesh
in 1950. He is the sixth child of a nine-child family. He attended various schools including Holy Cross, Shaheen and St Gregory's High School. He later attended Notre Dame College and Dhaka University. In 1972, Siddique was admitted to the Graduate School of Business at Indiana University
in Bloomington, Indiana where he received his M.B.A. in 1974. Siddique married Catherine Mary Siddique and they have four children, Omar, Julene, Leila and Zachary. His eldest son Omar works for the United Nations Development Program. Elder daughter, Julene after receiving her Masters in Composition from the Royal College of Music in London, England, has become a formidable composer in her own rights. In 1976 he formed ITI/Travelogue, Inc., a corporate travel management company, which became "one of the top minority-owned businesses in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area and one of the largest travel management companies in the nation." He served as its President and Chief Executive Officer before entering public service. He was also a founding member of CorpNet International, "a consortium of domestic and international travel management companies, with revenues in excess of $1.5 billion." He also co-founded other ventures in banking, real estate and international trade. He has been featured in magazines and newspapers, including Forbes, Inc, Success and the Wall Street Journal.
Siddique served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Bryant College, a member of the Board of Directors of Partner's for Development, and on the board of Directors for the National Center for New Americans. He and his family continue to be active in several philanthropic and community based organizations in the greater Washington D.C. area.
Siddique is the son of the late Dr Muhammad Osman Ghani, a former Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University, former Pakistan's Ambassador, and former Member of the Bangladesh Parliament. His brothers are Osman Yousuf a businessman and member of the Democratic Party National Committee and Dr. M. Osman Farruk a former Education Minister of Bangladesh.
. On August 17, 1999 he was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Fiji
and to the Republic of Nauru
, to the Kingdom of Tonga
and to Tuvalu
. He took the oath on the Bible and the Quran, with the Quran on top”. Siddique was "the first Muslim to be appointed to represent the United States abroad as an Ambassador. Following his swearing-in ceremony, Siddique said he believed he was the first American ambassador of the Islamic faith to take the oath of office with his hand on the Holy Qur’an. The Christian Bible is traditionally used to swear in US officials and Siddique said his wife, Catherine Mary Siddique, provided one for the ceremony."
In 2000 Siddique accompanied President Bill Clinton
as the Chief of Protocol for his delegation on his trips to Bangladesh and India.
After his departure from the office in 2001 (at the end of Clinton's second term), his duties were temporarily filled by the embassy’s Chargé d'Affaires Hugh Neighbour until 2003 when David L. Lyon was appointed ambassador by President George W. Bush
.
Siddique is currently a member of the Council of American Ambassadors where "He is in the forefront of discussions and policy debates towards greater understanding between US foreign policy and the Islamic world."
of the situation, "I had tried to tell, and a lot of people tried to tell -- publicly and privately -- Mr Chaudhry, you know, the sensitive nature of the situation. But I guess it fall on deaf ears." Siddique stated that at one point America, alongside other countries offered to intervene, "We offered some assistance but it was rejected on the grounds that Fiji would like to resolve its problem its own way. ...I don't want to go into details but it included hostage negotiation teams and training, etc." Siddique announced the economic implications of the coup, saying that "Investment in Fiji will not take place unless democracy is re-established in the country. ...Neither the people nor the private sector want a future in which investors exist in a fortified island surrounded by seas of misery. Democracy gives us a chance to avoid that future. ...I want more American investments in Fiji but before any American dollar can come in, you have to make sure that the commercial environment is fair and not exposed to undue risks."
Faced with a coup it did not agree with on Saturday, July 8, 2000 the United States government took the step of recalling its ambassador, it announced that Siddique was "recalled to the United States for consultations with the United States government regarding the crisis in Fiji." Explaining why they pulled the ambassador the State department announced that they US deplores "both hostage taking and efforts to deny political rights to citizens of Fiji. ...[protested] the appointment of an un-elected government by the military, even if composed of civilians...[and noted] the absence of any Indo-Fijians or women in the interim administration".
for President. His appearances included speaking at an event to rally Asian Americans in Washington DC, and appearing at a Pompano Beach Masjid in an effort to rally American-Muslims to the Democratic ticket. At these events Siddique "vehemently criticized the continuous repression of the Muslim community and stated that true believers of Islam wouldn’t engage in terrorism. He also told the audience that the time had come for the Muslim community to unite and vote collectively for John Kerry. He also urged the Asian community to do the same. Siddique told the group that the Democratic Party was a true friend of the Asian community and that he [being made an ambassador] was an example of that friendship".
Siddique wrote an editorial for the Washington Times. In the editorial he condemned ethnic and religious profiling and called American-Muslims to action, saying “Too many American Muslims hold back from publicly speaking out against extremist ideologies that threaten us all because they fear being stigmatized by their coreligionists for cooperating with security agencies. Why is this? In part it is because some Muslim immigrants are relatively recent arrivals from nations in which security forces were corrupt and could not be trusted. Some shy from cooperation because of their immigration status or the status of those around them. Still others hold back because they disagree strongly with American foreign policy. They truly believe that the current administration is fighting a war against Islam under the guise of fighting terrorism. Regrettably, this sentiment is widespread among Muslims, more so abroad but to a substantial degree in America as well. Our government may act incompetently and unwisely. But I'm confident that it holds no animosity toward Muslims simply because they are Muslims. …It's often said that freedom is never cheap. For American Muslims, the price we must pay is taking responsibility for serving as sentries in our community. Our primary communal allegiance must be to the nation in which we thrive.”
Siddique wrote a letter critical of Pope Benedict XVI
's decision to quote a medieval Christian scholar who "denigrated the teachings of Prophet Muhammad as 'evil and inhuman' and further downgraded his ministry to one that was conquered by the 'power of the sword.'" Siddique maintained that the Pope's apology on the matter and call for dialog was valid and an honorable reply to Muslims concerns and that violence that was motivated by these comments was indefensible. He wrote, "Pope Benedict XVI has subsequently expressed his regrets and remorse several times. Unfortunately, the Muslim reaction was quick, violent and predictable. it is now time to move forward. Pope Benedict has demonstrated in word and deed his desire to do just that. Muslims must now show their respect for Catholics and other Christians. ...Reciprocity is in order, as the Pope alluded to in his comments to diplomats from 22 Muslim nations and representatives of Italy’s Muslim community gathered at his Castel Gandolfo summer retreat. He said a “more authentic reciprocal knowledge” is required between the faiths. By that he means that Muslims must show the same respect toward Christianity, and must allow Christians living in Muslim nations the same rights, that they demand for themselves from Christians and Christian-led nations. Why should it be any other way?" Siddique than criticized Saudi Arabia for building a $50 million Islamic Center in Rome, but forbidding "even a modest church to open in Saudi Arabia". He took Afghanistan to task for making Muslims "subject to capital punishment should they embrace Christianity". He concluded "It is time for Muslims to show Islam’s generosity of spirit not only toward Pope Benedict XVI, but toward Christendom as a whole. As the Koran notes, Allah made us different so that we might get to know each other."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and former diplomat. He served as the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
and to the Republic of Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
, to the Kingdom of Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
and to Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
from 1999-2001. He was the US Ambassador during the 2000 Fijian coup d'état. Siddique is believed to be the second American-Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
to be appointed as an Ambassador from the United States; the first was Robert D. Crane
Robert D. Crane
Dr. Robert Dickson Crane is the former adviser to the late President of the United States Richard Nixon, and is former Deputy Director of the United States National Security Council...
, appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 as U.S. ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.
Background
Siddique was born in DhakaDhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
, Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
in 1950. He is the sixth child of a nine-child family. He attended various schools including Holy Cross, Shaheen and St Gregory's High School. He later attended Notre Dame College and Dhaka University. In 1972, Siddique was admitted to the Graduate School of Business at Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
in Bloomington, Indiana where he received his M.B.A. in 1974. Siddique married Catherine Mary Siddique and they have four children, Omar, Julene, Leila and Zachary. His eldest son Omar works for the United Nations Development Program. Elder daughter, Julene after receiving her Masters in Composition from the Royal College of Music in London, England, has become a formidable composer in her own rights. In 1976 he formed ITI/Travelogue, Inc., a corporate travel management company, which became "one of the top minority-owned businesses in the metropolitan Washington, D.C., area and one of the largest travel management companies in the nation." He served as its President and Chief Executive Officer before entering public service. He was also a founding member of CorpNet International, "a consortium of domestic and international travel management companies, with revenues in excess of $1.5 billion." He also co-founded other ventures in banking, real estate and international trade. He has been featured in magazines and newspapers, including Forbes, Inc, Success and the Wall Street Journal.
Siddique served as a member of the Board of Trustees of Bryant College, a member of the Board of Directors of Partner's for Development, and on the board of Directors for the National Center for New Americans. He and his family continue to be active in several philanthropic and community based organizations in the greater Washington D.C. area.
Siddique is the son of the late Dr Muhammad Osman Ghani, a former Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University, former Pakistan's Ambassador, and former Member of the Bangladesh Parliament. His brothers are Osman Yousuf a businessman and member of the Democratic Party National Committee and Dr. M. Osman Farruk a former Education Minister of Bangladesh.
Public service
Siddique served on several Presidential delegations including the White House Conference on Travel and Tourism and the First Hemispheric Trade and Commerce Forum. He also served on the National Democratic Institute's International Observer Delegation to the Bangladesh Parliamentary Elections in 1996. He was nominated for an ambassadorship by President Clinton on May 27, 1999. He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on August 5, 1999 where he had been introduced by Senator John WarnerJohn Warner
John William Warner, KBE is an American Republican politician who served as Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974 and as a five-term United States Senator from Virginia from January 2, 1979, to January 3, 2009...
. On August 17, 1999 he was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
and to the Republic of Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
, to the Kingdom of Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
and to Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
. He took the oath on the Bible and the Quran, with the Quran on top”. Siddique was "the first Muslim to be appointed to represent the United States abroad as an Ambassador. Following his swearing-in ceremony, Siddique said he believed he was the first American ambassador of the Islamic faith to take the oath of office with his hand on the Holy Qur’an. The Christian Bible is traditionally used to swear in US officials and Siddique said his wife, Catherine Mary Siddique, provided one for the ceremony."
In 2000 Siddique accompanied President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
as the Chief of Protocol for his delegation on his trips to Bangladesh and India.
After his departure from the office in 2001 (at the end of Clinton's second term), his duties were temporarily filled by the embassy’s Chargé d'Affaires Hugh Neighbour until 2003 when David L. Lyon was appointed ambassador by President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
Siddique is currently a member of the Council of American Ambassadors where "He is in the forefront of discussions and policy debates towards greater understanding between US foreign policy and the Islamic world."
Fiji coup of 2000
Siddique was the American Ambassador during the 2000 Fijian coup d'état; he was interviewed by Chris Masters of the Australian Broadcasting Company's Four Corners about the situation. Siddique told Chris that as the government was losing popular support, America tried to inform Mahendra ChaudhryMahendra Chaudhry
Mahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
of the situation, "I had tried to tell, and a lot of people tried to tell -- publicly and privately -- Mr Chaudhry, you know, the sensitive nature of the situation. But I guess it fall on deaf ears." Siddique stated that at one point America, alongside other countries offered to intervene, "We offered some assistance but it was rejected on the grounds that Fiji would like to resolve its problem its own way. ...I don't want to go into details but it included hostage negotiation teams and training, etc." Siddique announced the economic implications of the coup, saying that "Investment in Fiji will not take place unless democracy is re-established in the country. ...Neither the people nor the private sector want a future in which investors exist in a fortified island surrounded by seas of misery. Democracy gives us a chance to avoid that future. ...I want more American investments in Fiji but before any American dollar can come in, you have to make sure that the commercial environment is fair and not exposed to undue risks."
Faced with a coup it did not agree with on Saturday, July 8, 2000 the United States government took the step of recalling its ambassador, it announced that Siddique was "recalled to the United States for consultations with the United States government regarding the crisis in Fiji." Explaining why they pulled the ambassador the State department announced that they US deplores "both hostage taking and efforts to deny political rights to citizens of Fiji. ...[protested] the appointment of an un-elected government by the military, even if composed of civilians...[and noted] the absence of any Indo-Fijians or women in the interim administration".
Kerry campaign
In 2004 Siddique campaigned on behalf of the John KerryJohn Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
for President. His appearances included speaking at an event to rally Asian Americans in Washington DC, and appearing at a Pompano Beach Masjid in an effort to rally American-Muslims to the Democratic ticket. At these events Siddique "vehemently criticized the continuous repression of the Muslim community and stated that true believers of Islam wouldn’t engage in terrorism. He also told the audience that the time had come for the Muslim community to unite and vote collectively for John Kerry. He also urged the Asian community to do the same. Siddique told the group that the Democratic Party was a true friend of the Asian community and that he [being made an ambassador] was an example of that friendship".
Letter on 9/11 anniversary
In 2006 on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacksSeptember 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
Siddique wrote an editorial for the Washington Times. In the editorial he condemned ethnic and religious profiling and called American-Muslims to action, saying “Too many American Muslims hold back from publicly speaking out against extremist ideologies that threaten us all because they fear being stigmatized by their coreligionists for cooperating with security agencies. Why is this? In part it is because some Muslim immigrants are relatively recent arrivals from nations in which security forces were corrupt and could not be trusted. Some shy from cooperation because of their immigration status or the status of those around them. Still others hold back because they disagree strongly with American foreign policy. They truly believe that the current administration is fighting a war against Islam under the guise of fighting terrorism. Regrettably, this sentiment is widespread among Muslims, more so abroad but to a substantial degree in America as well. Our government may act incompetently and unwisely. But I'm confident that it holds no animosity toward Muslims simply because they are Muslims. …It's often said that freedom is never cheap. For American Muslims, the price we must pay is taking responsibility for serving as sentries in our community. Our primary communal allegiance must be to the nation in which we thrive.”
Statement on Pope Benedict XVI
During the Pope Benedict XVI Islam controversyPope Benedict XVI Islam controversy
The Regensburg lecture was delivered on 12 September 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI at the University of Regensburg in Germany, where he had once served as a professor of theology. It was entitled "Glaube, Vernunft und Universität — Erinnerungen und Reflexionen"...
Siddique wrote a letter critical of Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
's decision to quote a medieval Christian scholar who "denigrated the teachings of Prophet Muhammad as 'evil and inhuman' and further downgraded his ministry to one that was conquered by the 'power of the sword.'" Siddique maintained that the Pope's apology on the matter and call for dialog was valid and an honorable reply to Muslims concerns and that violence that was motivated by these comments was indefensible. He wrote, "Pope Benedict XVI has subsequently expressed his regrets and remorse several times. Unfortunately, the Muslim reaction was quick, violent and predictable. it is now time to move forward. Pope Benedict has demonstrated in word and deed his desire to do just that. Muslims must now show their respect for Catholics and other Christians. ...Reciprocity is in order, as the Pope alluded to in his comments to diplomats from 22 Muslim nations and representatives of Italy’s Muslim community gathered at his Castel Gandolfo summer retreat. He said a “more authentic reciprocal knowledge” is required between the faiths. By that he means that Muslims must show the same respect toward Christianity, and must allow Christians living in Muslim nations the same rights, that they demand for themselves from Christians and Christian-led nations. Why should it be any other way?" Siddique than criticized Saudi Arabia for building a $50 million Islamic Center in Rome, but forbidding "even a modest church to open in Saudi Arabia". He took Afghanistan to task for making Muslims "subject to capital punishment should they embrace Christianity". He concluded "It is time for Muslims to show Islam’s generosity of spirit not only toward Pope Benedict XVI, but toward Christendom as a whole. As the Koran notes, Allah made us different so that we might get to know each other."
Business awards
Siddique's company ITI/Travelogue, Inc. was honored with the Arthur Anderson and Washington Business Journal's FasTrack Award in 1994 as the fastest growing companies in the D.C. area. Siddique was also twice named as a finalist for Inc. Magazine's Entrepreneur of the Year Award.Quote
"My proudest day as an American Muslim came in 1999 when I was sworn in at the State Department to be this nation's ambassador to Fiji and its Pacific island neighbors Tonga, Tuvalu and Nauru. Almost 30 years earlier I had come to the United States as a student from my native Bangladesh. Now, I was the first Muslim U.S. ambassador to serve as chief of mission. I swore to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution with my hand on a copy of the Koran. My pride in faith and country remain rock solid."See also
- Ambassador Zalmay KhalilzadZalmay KhalilzadZalmay Mamozy Khalilzad is a counselor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and president of Khalilzad Associates, an international business consulting firm based in Washington, DC. He was the United States Ambassador to the United Nations under President George W. Bush...
, Muslim-American. - Siddique's use of the Quran and the Bible at his swearing in ceremony was made into a point of contention in 2006 during the Quran Oath Controversy of the 110th United States Congress.