Category Archives: UK

Britain must ‘combat Islamophobia’

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The UK government must combat Islamophobia and pursue a more Muslim-friendly foreign policy if British Muslims are to fully integrate into society, a new report says.

Released on Thursday by the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC), the report states that most British Muslims suffer from negative media coverage, lack of legal protection from discrimination, and a lack of respect by government and society at large.

The study, which is based on the feedback of more than 1000 British Muslims, also challenges the widely held assumption that the loyalty of British Muslims to the state is open to question.

Over the past few years certain sections of the British media and some British politicians have blamed Muslims for their alleged lack of affiliation to the UK, and charged them with ingratitude to the government and wider society.

However, the IHRC survey found that most British Muslims see no contradiction between Islam and good citizenship, and argue they are loyal to the state because of their religion.

Aljazeera, 18 November 2004

Peter Tatchell on dialogue with Muslims

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The rise of Islamophobia post-9/11, and the need for a united response to the Bush government’s “war on terror”, have increased the importance of the labour movement engaging in dialogue with Muslim communities and co-operating on those issues where there is common ground.

There are, unfortunately, various pseudo-leftists who reject such dialogue and co-operation. The gay rights organisations Outrage!, whose most prominent figure is Peter Tatchell, are a particularly virulent example of this trend. They of course deny accusations of Islamophobia and try to cover themselves by arguing that they are in favour of dialogue and co-operation with progressive, liberal Muslim groups. But they define these terms so as to exclude the overwhelming majority of Muslims in this country, and indeed internationally.

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Stay-at-home protest as schools ban Islamic dress

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Parents and pupils in one of Britain’s largest Muslim communities have clashed with their council after the introduction of a ban on girls wearing strict Islamic dress to school. At least three girls are staying away from classes in protest at the ban in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. Others face possible expulsion by continuing to wear the clothing in defiance of the restriction.

Sunday Times, 7 November 2004

Students’ demand for Ramadan’s withdrawal fails

Posted on by Bob Pitt

Angry cries from several far-left and Jewish student groups demanded Tariq Ramadan’s removal from the European Social Forum (ESF), which was held two weeks ago in London.

In an emergency motion put forth by the National Union of Students (NUS), the renowned European Islamic scholar was deemed a threat to student interests because of his support of Shari’ah (Islamic Law), which the resolution states “denies basic human rights for women and homosexuals.”

The move enraged Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS), the umbrella federation group of student Islamic societies in Britain, who said it was passed without any sound proof or consultation with a Muslim organisation. “They provided no evidence whatsoever,” said Jamal El-Shayyal, an executive member of FOSIS.

“If any of these people were to read one chapter of Ramadan’s [book] To Be a European Muslim they would see that any of the accusations levelled against him are not only false but ludicrous. Particularly seeing as he has recently been promoted by the Foreign Office as a model for integration and positive participation in Western societies.”

“If you’re going to call Ramadan an extremist then who’s next?” he added.

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Minutes of NUS NEC

Posted on by Bob Pitt

The 5 October 2004 meeting of the National Union of Students executive adopted a resolution calling for Tariq Ramadan’s invitation to speak at the European Social Forum to be withdrawn. It’s worth noting that Alan Clarke of the Alliance for Workers’ Liberty, who moved the motion, justified his call for a ban by citing the fact that Professor Ramadan’s US visa had been withdrawn. This was of course due to an intervention by the Department of Homeland Security – an organisation created by George W. Bush as part of the “war on terror”. Sometimes you think the AWL can’t possibly sink any lower – only for them to prove you utterly wrong.

NUS NEC minutes, 5 October 2004

Speech by Abeer Pharaon at Labour Party fringe meeting

Posted on by Bob Pitt

“This is about the fundamental freedom to choose. Those who chose not to wear the Hijab have joined forces with those who chose to wear it.”

Speech by Abeer Pharaon (Coordinator of Assembly for the Protection of Hijab) at the fringe meeting organised by National Assembly Against Racism at the 2004 Labour Party Conference.

From the Pro-Hijab website.

MCB raises Yusuf Islam detention with FCO minister

Posted on by Bob Pitt

MCB Deputy Secretary General Dr Abdul Bari met today, with Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) Minister of State Douglas Alexander to raise the grave concerns of the Muslim community about the detention of Yusuf Islam in the US.

Dr Abdul Bari said “Yusuf Islam is a deeply respected and very popular British Muslim figure and his detention by the US authorities is completely unacceptable.”

Mr Alexander assured Dr Abdul Bari that the British Government were taking these concerns seriously, and the Foreign Secretary, who is currently in the US, raised the issue with US Secretary of State Colin Powell. The Minister further stated that he understood from the US Authorities that Mr Islam would be departing from the US later today.

Muslim Council of Britain press release, 22 September 2004