An alarming picture of the physical violence, intimidation and discrimination faced by many of Britain’s two million Muslims on a daily basis, was portrayed yesterday in new academic research.
The 224-page report from the European Muslim Research Centre, based at the University of Exeter, said that the bulk of incidents went unreported by communities who had lost faith in the authorities to do anything about them.
In a complaint brought about by the Quillam Foundation, Ofcom examined the evidence of infringements by Islam Channel and found that of the 100 case studies presented to Ofcom for investigation by the Quillam Foundation’s 106 page report, only three religious and six current affairs programmes were deemed to have “raised some potential issues under the code”. Whilst concluding that, of these, three religious and two current affairs programmes had in fact breached the codes, these breaches were determined “not so serious or repeated to merit being considered for imposition of a statutory sanction”.
Islam Channel presented its case to support the position that these programmes were not in fact in breach of Ofcom codes and in four out of six cases Islam Channel’s arguments have been fully accepted by Ofcom. Whilst forming the opinion that two of these programmes were in breach of Ofcom codes, these breaches were determined “not so serious or repeated to merit being considered for imposition of a statutory sanction.”
These findings in Islam Channel’s favour recognized and accepted a number of fundamental points. The findings by Ofcom are in many respects of huge historic importance, particularly in respect to their recognition of the importance of the consensus viewpoint of the vast majority of the channel’s viewers and the right to freedom of expression “which is fundamental to allow the channel to broadcast an alternative perspective on current affairs”.
Quillam’s press release stated that “there are encouraging signs that the channel is now making efforts to improve its output and to give greater airtime to a wider range of more mainstream Muslim voices”. The Ofcom findings have however vindicated the fact that Islam Channel’s programming does not promote intolerance and sectarianism and does not provide a platform to individuals with a track record of promoting hatred and violence.
Market towns pose a threat to small Muslim communities
Muslims and their mosques face a higher level of threats and intimidation in UK suburbs and market towns than in big cities, according to a new report. Case studies reveal that examples such as a Muslim woman who was punched and called a “terrorist” in front of her petrified daughter are not uncommon.
Such attacks often go unreported, and in this case the woman was too scared to inform the police. She also played down the incident to reduce her child’s distress, and avoided explaining why she was singled out for wearing a burka and being a Muslim woman.
Over at Rolled Up Trousers Osama Saeed offers a balanced assessment of John Ware’s Panorama programme “British Schools, Islamic Rules”.
See also Yusuf Smith’s analysis at Indigo Jo Blogs.
Writing at the Middle East Monitor, Bob Lambert draws the lessons from Mohammad Sawalha’s successful libel action against theSpectator and Melanie Phillips.
Socialist Worker reports that anti-fascists in Preston are complaining that police intervention has allowed the English Defence League to hold its anti-Muslim demonstration in the Flag Market in the centre of the town, close to where the majority of Preston’s Asian community live, and despite Unite Against Fascism having already booked that area for its own anti-EDL protest. Socialist Worker earlier reported that police told Preston councillors that the EDL is a peaceful, non-racist organisation and that the real threat of public disorder came from UAF.
Five Chinese Crackers takes up John Ware’s Panorama documentary “British Schools, Islamic Rules”, pointing out that the programme relied on insinuation and general accusations that were not backed up by any precise facts or figures.
It fed into an anti-Muslim climate promoted by the right-wing press, who seized on the programme in order to claim that children “as young as six” are taught material that appears in textbooks used by fifteen-year-olds and invent scenarios of “ranting fanatics preaching at them”.
5cc concludes that Ware’s progamme “leaves far too much to the imagination, which is easily influenced by creepy music and shaky hidden camera footage, and far too much goes unexplained. When we’re being warned that right wing extremism is feeding Islamic extremism (which – along with exaggerated and alarmist coverage of ordinary Muslims – is feeding right wing extremism and on and on and on) we need an investigation like this to be thorough and authoritative.
“Instead we have vague claims and infuriating ‘aha! Found you out!’ style finger pointing followed by scary music and hidden cameras recording someone picking up a book that might have said something nasty and antisemitic and might have been taught alongside some other books that might have said something else and might have been used to poison children’s minds.”
LAUNCH OF ALL PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP ON ISLAMOPHOBIA
An All Party Parliamentary Group on Islamophobia has been launched in the House of Commons.
At its inaugural Annual General Meeting, members elected Keighley and Ilkley Conservative MP Kris Hopkins to serve as its Chair with Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader Simon Hughes and Labour peer Lord Janner of Braunstone as Vice-Chairs. The Group has so far attracted the interest of more than 20 MPs and peers from across both Houses of Parliament.
Mr Hopkins thanked attendees for being part of what he described as a “momentous occasion.” He said: “Whilst challenges will undoubtedly arise in the weeks and months ahead, my colleagues and I are hugely committed to the task in hand. I believe there is already a very strong resolve amongst members to better understand the complex issues involved, and to propose considered, evidence-based policies to tackle Islamophobia wherever it exists.”
Liberal Democrat Deputy Leader and Bermondsey and Old Southwark MP Simon Hughes said: “Hatred of Islam and pandering to prejudice has been one of the dark spots of the last 20 years not just in this country but in other parts of the world. All great world faiths have sadly included bigoted and prejudiced fanatics. This is never a justification for whipping up hate and fear against people who are the followers of Islam.
“In a multifaith country and an increasingly multifaith Parliament it is important that politicians of all parties work together to tackle and educate against prejudice wherever it occurs. I am honoured to be one of the inaugural officers of the new All Party Group on Islamophobia.”
Labour MP for Blackburn and former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said: “The establishment of this Group is an important development in our collective efforts to provide a wider understanding of the essentials of the Muslim faith, and protection not least for the millions of devout and law-abiding members of the Muslim faith in the UK who have had to put up with the peddling of myths and worse about their beliefs. I therefore greatly welcome the initiative, and will do all I can to make the Group a success.”
ENGAGE will serve as the secretariat to the Group. Its CEO, Mohammed Asif, said: “There are many Muslim organisations which have worked for many months to see this project come to fruition. It’s been a long, hard struggle but the work now begins in earnest with parliamentarians taking the reins and leading the way. There will be many challenges moving forward but we intend to travel to all parts of the UK to take evidence and record experiences to ensure members hear the voices of the Muslim community.”
For further information, please email info@iengage.org.uk
“After a series of reverses in the political arena, Islamist sympathisers yesterday established a key bridgehead in Parliament.” Yes, it’s Andrew Gilligan – who else? – responding to the launch this week of an All Party Parliamentary Group on Islamophobia.
Gilligan claims that members of the APPG are being “used” by ENGAGE, who he describes as “an organisation of Islamist sympathisers which has consistently defended fundamentalist organisations such as the East London Mosque and the Islamic Forum of Europe”. By that reasoning, of course, London Assembly member Andrew Boff qualifies as a fundamentalist sympathiser. And, in view of his friendly relations with the East London Mosque, Boris Johnson probably does too.
Gilligan complains that ENGAGE not only defended the East London Mosque against his hysterical witch-hunting, but it also opposed the Home Office’s ban on Zakir Naik entering the UK, failed to endorse Gilligan’s criticisms of an iERA report on Islamophobia and defended Caroline Spelman, the Environment Secretary, against Yasmin Alibhai-Brown’s attack on her support for the right to wear the face-veil.
If Gilligan wants to convince anyone that ENGAGE are a gang of dangerous Islamist extremists intent on subverting the mother of parliaments he’ll have to come up with something more damning than that. Unfortunately, given Gilligan’s long record of inventing fraudulent accusations against those he wants to discredit, he probably will.
Update: See “A response to Andrew Gilligan’s smears about ENGAGE”, ENGAGE, 26 November 2010
Writing at the Middle East Monitor, Bob Lambert draws the lessons from Mohammad Sawalha’s successful libel action against the Spectator and Melanie Phillips.