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The Annual
ISLAMOPHOBIA AWARDS
Islamic Human
Right Commission,
May 31st 2003
Recently the Islamic
Human Rights Commission held its first Islamophobia Awards
ceremony. The winners had been chosen by a panel of judges following
public nominations for the different categories. The entertaining
evening included Islamic musical performances, comedy, a fund-raising
banquet and an auction of jewellery and arts. It offered a welcome
satirical look at the year's events and presented spoof awards
to the biggest Islamophobes.
Annual Islamophobia Awards ceremony held at the
Islamic Centre in London
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Recitation
of the Holy Qur'an
Br.Muhammad Ali Hussaini
The evening started with a recitation of a selected Surah
from the Holy Quran - Surah Buruj which talks of the persecution
of Muslims for no reason but because of their belief in Allah.
The Arabic is recited by Br. Muhammad Ali Hussaini followed
by a translation in English by Sr.Abidah.
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In the name of Allah,
the Beneficent, the Merciful.
I swear by the mansions
of the stars,
And the promised
day,
And the bearer of
witness and those against whom the witness is borne.
Cursed be the makers
of the pit,
Of the fire (kept
burning) with fuel,
When they sat by
it,
And they were witnesses
of what they did with the believers.
And they did not
take vengeance on them for aught except that they believed
in Allah, the Mighty, the Praised,
Whose is the kingdom
of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is a Witness
of all things.
Surely (as for) those
who persecute the believing men and the believing women,
then do not repent, they shall have the chastisement
of hell, and they shall have the chastisement of burning.
Surely (as for) those
who believe and do good, they shall have gardens beneath
which rivers flow, that is the great achievement.
Surely the might
of your Lord is great.
Surely He it is Who
originates and reproduces,
And He is the Forgiving,
the Loving,
Lord of the throne,
the Glorious,
The great doer of
what He will.
Has not there come
to you the story of the hosts,
Of Firon and Samood?
Nay! those who disbelieve
are in (the act of) giving the lie to the truth.
And Allah encompasses
them on every side.
Nay! it is a glorious
Quran,
In a guarded tablet.
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Introduction
As the delicious three course meal is served, Br Reza Kazim
spends a couple of minutes introducing the IHRC:
"The Islamic Human
Rights Commission is fundamentally about challenging injustice..."
This is followed by IHRC's in-house talented stand-up duo
Br.Nazim Ali and Sr.Romana Majid who host the rest of the
evening.
Br.Nazir Ali and Sr.Romana Majid
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Mecca
2 Medina
UK's First Muslim Hip Hop Group
Mecca2Medina performing at the awards banquet
The musical performance was provided by the UK's first Muslim
Hip Hop group, Mecca 2 Medina.
Mecca 2 Medina was formed in 1996 by three Muslims who were
studying together - Imran Kazi, Ismael Yasin, and Rakin Adbullah.
They formed the group with the aim of expanding the listener's
knowledge and understanding of Islam, whilst addressing social
issues they felt were afflicting their communities and society
as a whole. With in a month of releasing their first record,
an EP entitled "Life After Death" two more Muslims
joined the group - Abdul-Karim Talib and Dawud Saifullah.
Since then Mecca 2 Medina have released several records and
have appeared on major TV channels and radio stations.
For more information visit their website at http://www.mecca2m.com.
Drummer - Mecca2Medina
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Greatest
Lover Affair of the 21st Century?
Time for a bit of humour, Br. and Sr. Romana introduce the
greatest lover affair of the 21st century:
If you want to see what these people are laughing at - the
video to accompany the sound bite you just heard, please download
it below (quicktime movie).
Download
"Endless Love" Video (4.5Mb, duration 1min 15sec)
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In praise
of God
A traditional Iranian Tavashih group provides the second
musical performance of the evening. Using only their voices,
void of any musical instruments, they sing, creating harmonies
and melodies, in praise of God.
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Most
Islamophobic British Politician of the Year
Sr.Romana Majid announces the nominees
Nominees for ‘Most Islamophobic British Politician of
the Year’:
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1) Nick Griffen,
leader of the racist, anti-Muslim British National Party:
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"Muslims
are the biggest problem at present, for several
reasons, because they have the highest birth
rate, which means their communities need living
space - that's what the ethnic cleansing is
about. They have political corruption in their
own countries, and when they have a chance to
get council places they are there for graft.
Most important of all is that Islam is an aggressive
religion."
‘Far right aims to gain foothold
in Oldham’,
Jeevan Vasagar, May 30, 2001 The Guardian
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2) David Blunkett,
Home Secretary:
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"This
is not to say, of course, that there isn't a
continuing tension between modernity and the
cultural practices of some of those entering
highly advanced countries . . . In as many as
30% of Asian British households, according to
the recent citizenship survey, English is not
spoken at home”
‘What does citizenship mean
today?’,
The Observer, September 15, 2002
"I don’t
preach that people should have to accept our
culture, but that they understand how best to
accommodate theirs to living in this country
as equal citizens.”
'Blunkett preaches doctrine of
Fortuyn'
The Times, 1 June 2002
Further
reasons:
- Two recent raids on mosques (Afghani refugee
family and Finsbury Park mosque).
- New powers under the Asylum, Immigration
and Nationality Act 2002 to revoke British
citizenship from holders of dual nationality
exclusively target Muslims
- Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001
again exclusively target Muslims
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3) William Hauge,
ex-Conservative Party leader:
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"I am
a friend and supporter of Israel and believe
Israel has a vital role to play in the region
… Israel may sometimes do things that we
don't approve of in the West, but the whole
point of having the State of Israel is that
the Jewish people can have self-determination.”
Jewish News, 12th March 1999
"They
[the US] pursue a ‘one-sided’ policy
on Israel because without it the Jews would
be driven into the sea”
'The resentments of old Europe'
The Spectator, March 8, 2003
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4) Andrew Dismore,
Labour MP (Hendon) and leading member of the Labour
Friends of Israel:
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"It
is clear that if any British Muslim says he
wants to travel to Afghanistan to try to kill
British or US soldiers, then that is clearly
against the public interest and his passport
should be removed”
'Britain placed under state of
emergency',
Kamal Ahmed, Antony Barnett and Martin Bright,
Sunday November 11, 2001, The Observer
To ask the
Secretary of State for the Home Department:
(1) what
action he proposes to take to restrict the activities
of those involved in recruiting British citizens
for paramilitary training (a) in the UK and
(b) overseas on behalf of Islamic fundamentalist
organisations; and if he will make a statement
[Hansard Parliamentary Notes,7437]
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200102/cmhansrd/vo011017/text/11017w04.htm
"I find
it hard to understand why action is not taken
against these people, their groups and their
material”
"Labour MP demands arrest
of 'anti-Semitic' Muslims",
Sean O'Neill, The Daily Telegraph, 05 Feb 2002
Further
Information:
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The winner is:
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Most Islamophobic British Politician:
Joint-Winners
Nick Griffen & David Blunkett
BNP member wrapped in England 'football'
flag collects the award,
he has a note from Mr Griffen:
"I'm shocked that a man of my integrity should
in any way be
linked to a fascist Islamophobe like David Blunkett..."
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Most
Islamophobic International Politician of the Year
Br.Nazir Ali announces the nominees
Nominees for ‘Most Islamophobic International Politician
of the Year’:
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1) Ariel Sharon,
Israeli Prime Minister:
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"I don’t
know something called International Principles.
I vow that I’ll burn every Palestinian
child (that) will be born in this area. The
Palestinian women and child is more dangerous
than the man, because the Palestinian child’s
existence infers that generations will go on,
but the man causes limited danger. I vow that
if I was just an Israeli civilian and I met
a Palestinian I would burn him and I would make
him suffer before killing him. With one hit
I've killed 750 Palestinians (in Rafah in 1956).
I wanted to encourage my soldiers by raping
Arabic girls as the Palestinian woman is a slave
for Jews, and we do whatever we want to her
and nobody tells us what we shall do but we
tell others what they shall do."
In an interview with General Ouze Merham, when
questioned about the loss of Zionist soldiers
during the massacres of Rafah and Khan Yunis in
1956.*
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*
Whilst this quotation can be found on several reputable
sites, we could not independently verify its authenticity.
If you know the source please do let us know. It is
interesting that those that have questioned its authenticity
have not pointed to Sharons genocidal words, which have
been verified by his own actions, but rather his use
of the term "Palestinian" in 1956 and the
lack of further information on General Ouze Merham.
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2) Vladmir Putin,
Russian Prime Minister:
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"Islamic
Fundamentalism is a danger growing like virus.
You are in
danger. They speak about the necessity of killing
all kafirs [nonbelievers], all non-Muslims,
all 'cross-bearers,' as they call them. If you
are a Christian, you are in danger. If you decide
to become a Muslim, even this will not save
you, because they consider traditional Islam
to be hostile to their aims. Even in this case,
you are in danger. If you want to become a complete
Islamic radical and are ready to undergo circumcision,
then I invite you to Moscow. We are a multidenominational
country. We have specialists in this question
[circumcision]. I will recommend that they carry
out the operation in such a way so that afterwards,
nothing else will grow.”
'EU/Russia: Is European Silence
On Putin Outburst Good Manners Or Good Politics?'
By Jeremy Bransten, Russia Weekly,
14 November 2002
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3) Silvio Berlusconi,
Italian Prime Minister:
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"Europe
must revive on the basis of common Christian
roots…”
Berlusconi breaks ranks over Islam,
John Hooper and Kate Connolly in Berlin,
Thursday September 27, 2001, The Guardian
"We
should be conscious of the superiority of our
civilisation, which consists of a value system
that has given people widespread prosperity
in those countries that embrace it, and guarantees
respect for human rights and religion ... This
respect certainly does not exist in the Islamic
countries … [the West would] continue to
conquer peoples", [as it had] "already
done with the Communist world, and the moderate
Arab states."
'Islam is inferior, says Berlusconi'
by Bruce Johnston
28 November 2001, The Daily Telegraph
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4) Praveen Togadia,
leader of the Hindu fundamentalist VHP (World Hindu
Council) party:
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"Ayodhya
excavation establishes the existence of a temple,
there is no guarantee that the Muslims will
give up their claim. They are not honest”
Vacate Kashi, Mathura lands: VHP
to Muslims,
Press Trust of India, March 27 2003
"Muslims
have also contributed to the youth who are willing
to be cannon fodder in the name of jehad …
Muslim community has contributed Ghaznavi, Aurangzeb,
Jinnah and Imam Bukhari—all symbols of
vandalism … Globally, it is Muslims who
are fighting everywhere, whether it is against
the Christians in Chechnya and Bosnia, against
the Jews in Israel or against the Roman Catholics
in Philippines. Islam has an exclusive totalitarian
system believing in jehad, terming the non-Muslims
as kafirs. This intolerance is basically responsible
for the Hindu-Muslim problem"
INTERVIEW:: Dr Pravin Togadia
15 Oct 2002, The
Milli Gazette
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The winner is:
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Most Islamophobic International Politician: Winner
Ariel Sharon, Israeli Prime Minister
A Palestinian freedom-fighter collects
the award
on Ariel Sharons behalf,
"Make sure you give this to Sharon personally"
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Most
Islamophobic Media
Personality of the Year
Among the nominees, Polly Toynbee
- Islamophobic columnist of the Guardian newspaper.
Nominees for ‘Most Islamophobic Media Personality’:
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1) Melanie Phillips,
Daily Mail columnist:
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"We
have a fifth column in our midst... Thousands
of alienated young Muslims, most of them born
and bred here but who regard themselves as an
army within, are waiting for an opportunity
to help to destroy the society that sustains
them. We now stare into the abyss, aghast. "
The Sunday Times article ‘Britain ignores
the angry Muslims within at its peril’
4 Nov 2001
"Since
most of the mass immigration now convulsing
Europe is composed of Muslims, it is therefore
hardly surprising that anti-immigrant feeling
is largely anti-Muslim feeling. The sheer weight
of numbers, plus the refusal to assimilate to
western values, makes this an unprecedented
crisis for western liberalism. The crisis is
forcing it to confront the fundamental questions
of what constitutes a country, national identity
and the very nature of a liberal society."
Spectator Magazine, May 2002
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2) Nicky Campbell,
Radio 5 presenter:
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"Miss
World v Islam: What is more harmful to women
- Miss World or Islam?”
Title of show, Cambell Phone-in
BBC Radio 5, 25 Nov 2002
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3) Robert Kilroy-Silk,
BBC presenter and Daily Express columnist:
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"they
(Muslims) are backward and evil, and if it is
being racist to say so then I must be and happy
and proud to be so."
The Daily Express
15 Jan 1995
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4) Polly Toynbee,
The Guardian columnist:
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"The
pens sharpen - Islamophobia! No such thing.
Primitive Middle Eastern religions (and most
others) are much the same - Islam, Christianity
and Judaism all define themselves through disgust
for women's bodies.”
Behind the burka, Polly Toynbee
September 28, 2001 The Guardian
"More
moderate versions of the garb - dull, uniform
coat to the ground and the plain headscarf -
have much the same effect, inspiring lascivious
thoughts they are designed to stifle..."
"Religious
politics scar India, Kashmir, Northern Ireland,
Sri Lanka, Sudan ... the list of countries wrecked
by religion is long. But the present danger
is caused by Islamist theocracy … There
is no point in pretending it is not so. Wherever
Islam either is the government or bears down
upon the government, it imposes harsh regimes
that deny the most basic human rights."
Last chance to speak out, Polly
Toynbee
October 5, 2001, The Guardian
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The winner is
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Most Islamophobic Media Personality: Winner
Melanie Phillips, Daily Mail columnist
A lady from the liberated country of
Afghanistan collects the award,
"she did want to say something but the Americans
wont let her"
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Most
Islamophobic Media
of the Year
Nominees for ‘Most Islamophobic Media’:
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1) The Daily
Mail:
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"Fanatics
with a death wish: I was born in Britain but I
am a Muslim first"
Headline
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2) The Daily
Telegraph:
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"Gangsters
destroy distilleries in the name of Islamic
purity”
"Islamic
schools where zealots learn to hate West”
"London
to host Islamic ‘celebration’ of Sept
11”
"Islamic
extremists join Battle in Britain”
Headlines
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3) The Sun:
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"We
can only hope that the courageous refusal of
so many prominent politicians, religious leaders
and others to sign the Pledge to British Muslims
is a turning-point. Tolerance is a two-way street.
As Dave Allen used to sign off - goodnight,
and may your God go with you"
The Sun opinion piece
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4) Fox Network
News:
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"U.S.
Islamic Schools Teaching Homegrown Hate”
"Muslims
in Netherlands Being Recruited for Suicide Missions"
"Husband
Arrested in Killing of Wife and Two In-Laws
over Islam Belief"
"Warm
Words for Bin Laden as Muslim Fundamentalists
Gather in Britain"
Headlines
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The winner is:
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Most Islamophobic Media: Winner
Fox Network News
First Asian fox hunter comes to collect
the award!
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Sister
Muddassar Arani - International Human Rights Lawyer
Muddassar Arani, International Human Rights
Lawyer
Sr. Muddassar Arani is an international human right lawyer.
She is on the advisory board of the Islamic Human Rights Commission
and has recently been nominated for an award by Liberty for
her human rights work.
"Unfortunately Islamophobia
has left its hallmarks in the recent legislation's that have
been passed which have been targeted towards the Muslim community.
We had the anti-terrorist
act 2000 which came in to force which was primarily going
to target the Muslim community. But that was not enough, what
happened then was that we had the anti-terrorism crime and
security act 2001 that widened the scope - where Muslims that
were living in this country but unfortunately did not hold
a British passport could be interned indefinitely without
evidence, without access to their lawyers, with out even evidence
being produced and shown to them or their lawyers and this
unfortunately created a Muslim concentration camp, in my opinion,
in Balmarsh prison. But Balmarsh isn't the only place a Muslim
concentration camp has been created in, we know that there
is another Muslim concentration camp in Cuba that exists.
How many more concentration camps are they going to build
for us Muslims?
But it doesn't stop there,
that wasn't enough to satisfy the government. Unfortunately
what happened was that we had the new act that came in to
force this year. Some people may have heard about this act
- this was the immigration, nationality and asylum act 2003.
And what does this act do? It attempts to rope in more Muslim
people, Muslim people who hold dual nationality. What effects
can this have on people who hold dual nationality? It is very
important for Muslim people to be aware of this. It can mean
that the secretary of state can deprive you of your British
citizenship - not because you have done any criminal activity,
or wrong doings - because there is a terrorist act [for that]
that can catch you - but no, what will happen is those people
who haven't done anything wrong can be caught in this, and
your British nationality can be taken away.
Sr .Muddassar Arani, International Human Rights
Lawyer
But hold on, what were
we told? We were told by the press that this act has been
passed for one man alone and only one man alone. Who is this
man, who is the states enemy number one? I think some people
may guess this - its obviously Shaykh Abu Hamza. He has received
a letter from the secretary of state to deprive him of his
nationality. But then we are falsely lead to believe that
he is the only man that this act is going to bite. Please
don't be misled by this. Unfortunately this act is going to
bite other people - other Muslims who cannot be targeted or
detained under the terrorism act - either the terrorism act
2000 or the terrorism act 2001. So this act is going further
- beyond that - it wants to take you all in, even if it doesn't
have evidence against you.
So you may be sitting their
thinking so what? I'll tell you so what - it is very important
for you to realise that if you have dual nationality, and
if you do not give up your other nationality, if you are vocal
- if you exercise your freedom of expression, the secretary
will write a simple letter and take away your nationality.
You can appeal, if you lose the appeal procedure what will
happen to you then? Under the 2001 act you can be detained
indefinitely in Belmarsh prison without access to lawyers,
with out access to any evidence held against you, without
a trial. There are 50 Muslim brothers who are going through
this procedure at the moment, but its very important to ensure
that other Muslim people are aware of this and this word spreads
because we cannot allow this situation to occur.
But the
abuse doesn't end there - the list is endless unfortunately.
I'm dealing with a case where
I dread to think what this man, the father of this child,
would have been thinking when he had a live firearm put to
his head and he had a ten year old child - his son - in the
car with him. Live firearm not just put to my clients head,
but his sons. Oh we forgot he's a Muslim so he must be a terrorist!
Then the father had to endure the police officers stating
to the client - the father - 'we will shoot your son's brains
off' and used abusive and filthy language. A Mosque is not
a place for me to repeat that abusive and filthy language.
The audience moved by Sr. Muddasir Arani's
talk
But it doesn't stop there.
The unfortunate sorry saga continues. Another case, another
example of the abuse that's taking place. A Muslim couple
who have Islamically married, attend a registry office to
under go a civil marriage. Nothing extraordinary about that
- everybody accepts that internationally, nationally, everywhere
its accepted they want to get married they go to the registry
office. What happens? The woman is taken in to the room, armed
police officers - nine men with real firearms in their possession
arrest the lady - the bride to be, handcuffed her and take
her away. And the poor groom, I do feel sorry for him, he's
left waiting - not even informed where his wife to be has
been taken. She gets taken to the police station and what
happens then? She's told by the officers 'You cannot get married
- you are not allowed to get married'. Is this the kind of
law that we are living under? If that isn't an abuse what
kind of abuse would one call this? Its an outrage - 'You cannot
get married'. Why not? For Gods sake its not a criminal offence
to get married. The poor women collapses at the police station.
She doesn't know her rights - she doesn't ask for a solicitor
to be present to represent her. She is detained for 36 hours
in police custody in London. What happens then? Released without
charge. She has been through such a trauma - that was supposed
to be their happy occasion for them - a time to get married,
and yet what happens? It is an abuse that's taking place.
Its very important for
us all to understand the abuses that are taking place and
the list is endless. I am dealing with so many cases where
people don't have anybody else to speak up for them, to fight
for them. Its very important for everybody to assist us in
this fight, to curtail the abuses that are taking place because
if we don't do so nobody else will do so on our behalf. Its
very important for us to forget our differences and to unite.
If we unite we will be able to do something together. It doesn't
matter what religion you are, it doesn't matter what race
you are, none of that matters. Its peoples liberties that
matter - forget your differences and unite and work together.
Its a very hard long struggle, but I wish there were more
people out there fighting for these people. Its so sad that
I have people coming from Newcastle to see me because they
cant get local lawyers to fight for them. Please assist and
help us curtail this - thank you."
Related Items
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Islamophobe
of the Year
Nominees for ‘Islamophobe of the Year’:
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1) George Bush
Jnr, President of the USA:
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"Over
time it's going to be important for nations
to know they will be held accountable for inactivity
… You're either with us or against us in
the fight against terror"
"Bush says it is time for
action",
6 Nov 2001, cnn.com
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2) Franklin Graham,
evangelical preacher:
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"This
nation has been attacked, we've been attacked
by men who claim to worship Allah. We have been
attacked by a people, a group, in the name of
Islam, and the clerics, the religious leaders
of Islam have not denounced it”
"Now
they recognize Jesus, but they don't recognize
his deity. They've even taken excerpts out of
the Old Testament and New Testament, and thrown
it into the Qur'an, to sprinkle a few Bible
verses throughout to give it validity. But the
Qur'an is not the word of God. The Holy Bible
is God's word”
"Franklin Graham on Islam",
Religion and Ethics Newsweekly,
May 16 2003
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3) John Ashcroft,
U.S Attorney General:
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"Islam
is a religion in which God requires you to send
your son to die for him. Christianity is a faith
in which God sends his son to die for you"
Los Angeles Time, February 16
2002
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4) Donald Rumsfeld,
U.S. Secretary of Defence:
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"If
you're suggesting, how we would feel about an
Iranian-type [Islamic] government [in Iraq]
with a few clerics running everything in the
country, the answer is: That isn't going to
happen”
Rumsfeld says no Iranian-style
government for Iraq,
CBC News, 25th April 2003
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The winner is:
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Islamophobe of the Year: Winner
George Bush Jnr, President of the USA
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Fund-raising
Auction
To help raise funds an auction was held as part of the evenings
events. The lots consisted of jewellery and art. The on-line
catalogue showing the lots can still be viewed here.
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Massoud
Shadjareh - Chairman, Islamic Human Rights Commission
Massoud Shadjereh, Chairman of Islamic Human
Rights Commission
Massoud Shadjareh rounded the evening by thanking everyone
and warned Islamophobes out there that we are watching them.
He ended on a positive note by praising a Judo teacher who
had the courage to fight Islamophobia.
"It is very important
for us to stand up against those Islamophobes and to say that
we recognise your hatred of us, we see it and we make mark
of it and we will remember, and we are going to expose you
from this year on. Every year, inshallah, we will get together
and expose those Islamophobes. And let us move forward. Also
we need to recognise that in this society not everyone is
an Islamophobe. We have got many people from the community
at large who have been standing shoulder-to-shoulder with
us and helping and supporting our community. As much as we
have Islamophobes and xenophobic people that have been recognised
and awarded today we have also got nice people. And for that
end I need to share with you one individual case this year.
There was a Judo teacher
in North London who took a number of his students to France
for a competition. One of those students was a young girl
with a scarf. When they went for this competition, the French
authorities refused to allow that young little girl to enter
and do her competition [because he wore a scarf]. And what
this teacher and the rest of the team did was that they actually
removed themselves from the competition [in protest], every
single one of them, and they gave those awards that they had
already won back and they said if you are going to treat our
colleague in that way we are not going stand with you. I have
spoken to that teacher - that teacher is not particularly
a friend of Muslims or friends of anyone - that teacher has
made that stand because he feels that everyone should be treated
equally, and that is something we should praise. To that end
we are going to send a letter praising that behaviour. And
we should inshallah from this year onwards not only expose
islamophobes but also take one individual who has fought Islamophobia
and praise them for that."
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Hijab,
Judo and a Stand for Justice
On Sunday, 10 June 2002, about 100
people from four British Judo Clubs attended a ‘friendly’
match alongside several French judo clubs near Paris..
All was proceeding well; children and
youth from the British teams had won over 35 medals;
everyone was enjoying the day.
Then, a 10-year old competitor on a
British team was forbidden from taking part in the match.
Why? Because this young girl Zainab wore a Muslim head
covering along with her judo uniform. If she would remove
the head covering, she would be allowed to play.
Leigh Davies, of the Willesden Judo
Club, protested the French ruling, but to no avail.
When Leigh called on the British contingent to walk
out, all 100 British Participants did so immediately.
Without being told to do so, the children and youth
who had played and won, began to renounce their medals
to the French hosts.
Afterwards I asked children how they
felt about walking out of the match, and returning their
hard-earned medals. The children referred to how angry
they were by the way Zainab had been treated. They kept
asking, why would someone be kept from a game just because
she follows her religion by wearing a head covering?
Many said that they never want to see that kind of people
again. Repeatedly, children said they were proud of
Zainab for taking a stand for what she believes in.
10 year old Zainab
In turn, I am extremely proud of all
the 100 people from the British side, children and adults,
who stood beside Zainab. They are of many races and
religions, but they are united in their respect for
sport and for fair play.
I am Zainab’s Mom:
I humbly request each of you to write to Leigh Davies
of Willesden Judo Club, the person that initiated this
demonstration of justice.
Even if only in a few words, please
take the time out to show gratitude and appreciation.
This brave and forceful stand taken
by so many people on behalf of fair play and justice
should not pass by, without the acknowledgement it deserves..
Please send an email to Leigh Davies
of Willesden Judo Club(the person that initiated this
demonstration of justice) : leighdavies@willesdenjudo.freeserve.co.uk
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Press
Coverage of Awards
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Channel
4 News, 31 May 2003
Download
Video Clip of news segment featuring the awards.(
real video, 713Kb, 1min 13sec dur)
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Blunkett
hit by 'Islamophobia' claims
Financial Times, 30 May 2003
The home secretary has been voted as Britain's most
Islamophobic politician.
Blunkett will share the award with BNP leader Nick
Griffin after he gained the most votes in an online
poll run by the Islamic Human Rights Commission.
The organisation, which seeks to promote justice "for
all peoples regardless of their racial, confessional
or political background", will announce the result
at "The Annual Islamophobic Awards".
The commission presents the awards as "an unparalleled
night of fun and entertainment" which "takes
a satirical look at the year's events".
Despite the flippant nature of the award, critics say
it demonstrates genuine disquiet amongst the Islamic
community about the home secretary's approach.
Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the commission, said
the awards should "send a clear message" to
the Home Office.
"The Muslim community is watching and listening
to what you are saying," he said.
David Blunkett has made no secret of his desire to
encourage public discussion on race relations.
Some Muslims feel that Blunkett has gone too far in
courting controversy.
In the past he has remarked that ethnic tensions arising
from asylum applications are "like a coiled spring".
And he once stated that "ethnic minorities in Britain
should adopt British norms of acceptability."
The introduction of new laws to crack down on terrorisism
have also been identified as a reason why the home secretary
has been nominated for the award.
Plans to strip citizenship from duel passport holders
in the event of them acting in a way that is prejudicial
to the national interest is felt to be biased against
members of the Islamic community.
A Home Office spokesman rubbished claims that the home
secretary was in any way Islamophobic.
"To suggest that the home secretary is Islamophobic
is ridiculous and offensive," she said.
The home secretary will not attend Saturday's awards
ceremony although organisers plan to present a certificate
to his department.
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Further Information
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