Confronting Anti-Muslim Hatred in Britain and Across Europe

The following statement was drawn up by the Enough Coalition Committee at a conference held on 21 May 2011 at the London Muslim Centre, attended by over 400 participants, and titled Confronting Anti-Muslim Hatred in Britain and Across Europe.

Official prejudice against Muslims is turning into state persecution in country after country across Europe.

In France we see the outrage of Muslim women arrested in the street for what they wear.

In Switzerland, minarets have been prohibited; elsewhere Halal food is banned from schools and immigration from ‘Muslim countries’ is openly discouraged.

In Germany there has been no official condemnation of an Islamophobic murder.

In Britain, Muslims face almost daily defamation in the media as well as threats and attacks on mosques. The police and authorities too often collude in this victimization.

Politicians across the spectrum are joining in the chorus of demonization. Unsurprisingly, statistics show an increase in physical attacks on Muslims almost everywhere.

Islamophobia is often dressed up as cultural critique, but it is a form of racism. It is used by the establishment to blame Muslims for the effects of government policies.

The foreign policy of the Western powers is creating anger across the Muslim world and beyond. It is making the world a more volatile and dangerous place. The vast majority of Muslims in Europe are integrated but, discrimination in housing, jobs and education creates barriers to this process.

None of this is the fault of the Muslim communities. On the contrary, Muslim are both discriminated against and scapegoated.

The Enough Coalition brings together organisations and individuals to actively challenge Islamophobia, and this conference is a step towards European co-ordination.

We believe that it is time for Muslims and non-Muslims alike across Europe to take a clear stand against this spreading menace.

We need to share information, research and analysis to expose the development of Islamophobia as a virulent form of modern racism; we must work to insure the proper recording and reporting of Islamophobic incidents and we must co-ordinate campaigns, actions and mobilisations to directly challenge anti Muslim racism.

We say enough. We will not be silenced. And we ask you to join us.

Enough Coalition Against Islamophobia 21 May 2011

info@enoughcoalition.org.uk

An Islamic group planning a so-called “mega mosque” in West Ham have won a challenge to keep their current base open.

Leaders of Tablighi Jamaat were bidding to overturn an enforcement notice served on their Riverine Centre in Canning Road by Newham Council in February 2010.

The council wanted to see the temporary facility – which consists of pre-fabricated and demountable buildings – shut down amid fears over traffic levels, land contamination and visual impact.

Temporary planning permission was granted in 2001, but expired in 2006, since when the group have continued to use the site.

At a public inquiry at Newham Town Hall, East Ham, held earlier this year, the group argued they should be granted a two-year extension.

And in a decision notice published today, planning inspector Graham Dudley granted their request – despite admitting harm would be caused to the area and that there was a history of non-compliance with planning guidelines.

He said the “substantial need” for religious facilities and the scarcity of land and finances for new community buildings outweighed the negative factors.

London 24, 23 May 2011

This will upset the right-wing Christian fundamentalists led by Alan Craig who formed an alliance with British Muslims for Secular Democracy and Taj Hargey to call for the TJ site to be shut down.

Incidentally, the photo of the so-called “mega-mosque” that appears alongside the London 24 report is the old Mangera Yvars design that was withdrawn long ago.

Update:  No, Alan Craig is not happy. A press release from Craig on behalf of Newham Concern (an organisation consisting of himself and a few of his right-wing evangelical cronies) has appeared on various far-right websites. It claims that the planning decision “will further boost the capital’s reputation as ‘Londonistan’.”

You can understand Craig’s resentment. All that effort he put into whipping up fear in the local community over Tablighi Jamaat, including slandering them as the inspiration behind various terrorist attacks in the UK – and the planning inspector refuses to close down their mosque. Sometimes life can be so unfair.

Speakers include:

Kenza Drider – France | Professor John Esposito – Georgetown University, USA | Tony Benn – Veteran anti-war campaigner | Mehdi Hasan – New Statesman | Dr Robert Lambert – European Muslim Research Centre | Hiba Aburwein – European Forum on Muslim Women, Belgium | Peter Oborne – Daily Telegraph | Azad Ali – Islamic Forum of Europe | Liz Fekete – Institute of Race Relations | Seumas Milne – The Guardian | Salma Yaqoob – Respect | Dr Sabine Schiffer – Germany | Dr Kamal el-Helbawy – Former Muslim Brotherhood spokesman | Dr Laura McDonald – Birmingham University | Marwan Muhammad – Collective Against Islamophobia in France | Muhammad Habibur-Rahman – London Muslim Centre | Dr AbdoolKarim Vakil – Muslim Council of Britain | Lindsey German – Stop the War Coalition | Dr Daud Abdullah – British Muslim Initiative | Nabeel Ahmed – Federation of Student Islamic Societies | John Rees – author, Imperialism and Resistance | Lez Levidow – Campaign Against Criminalising Communities | Mohammed Ali – Islam Channel | Sabby Dhalu – One Society Many Cultures | Rizwan Hussain – TV presenter | Lowkey – Rap artist and political activist

Organised by the Enough Coalition: The British Muslim Initiative, Friends of Al-Aqsa, Federation of Student Islamic Societies, Stop the War Coalition, Islamic Forum of Europe, One Society Many Cultures, Muslim Safety Forum.