Endless anti-terror laws and anti-Muslim rhetoric are in danger of creating a witch-hunt scenario against Muslims, according to supporters of a strongly worded public statement signed by representatives of Britain's Muslim community.
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The statement comes in the wake of revelations earlier this week
that the British Home Office is thinking of launching a “more
assertive” campaign against Muslim extremism. It would
include penalizing benefit claimants who do not learn English and
forcing those applying for UK visas to commit to “British
values.”
The signatories accuse the British government of
“criminalizing” Islam and silencing “legitimate
critique and dissent” in what it says is “the ongoing
demonization of Muslims in Britain [and] their values, as well as
prominent scholars, speakers and organizations.”
“We reject the portrayal of Muslims and the Muslim community
as a security threat. The latest act of parliament, the
Counter-Terrorism and Security Act, threatens to create a
‘McCarthyite’ witch-hunt against Muslims, with nursery workers,
schoolteachers and universities expected to look out for signs of
increased Islamic practice as signs of ‘radicalisation,’”
the statement reads.
“Such a narrative will only further damage social cohesion as
it incites suspicion and ill feeling in the broader
community,” it says.
The statement says that exploiting public fears about security is
as dishonorable as scapegoating immigrants, and deflects
attention from real issues facing the country – such as the
economy and the National Health Service (NHS). The exploitation
of such fears plays into the hands of the big political parties
who will “try and outdo each other in their nastiness”
in the run-up to elections.
The statement cast a light on “endless anti-terror laws.” Since
2000, there have been 10 separate pieces of legislation which
have given huge powers to the state and fueled media hysteria.
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The list of over 70 signatories includes Moazzam Begg – a former
Guantanamo Bay inmate and current outreach director for Cage, an
independent advocacy organization which aims to empower
communities affected by the war on terror. Islamic thinkers –
such as Arzu Merali from the Islamic Human Rights Commission and
Musharraf Hussain, chief imam of the Karimia Institute and an
advisor at the Quilliam Foundation – also signed the petition.
Signatories also included members of Hizb ut-Tahrir, an Islamist
organization regarded as controversial. It is banned in several
countries, including Germany.
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) did not put its name to the
statement, saying the organization found it difficult to sign
because it represents 500 mosques with different opinions.
However, individual members of the MCB did sign it.
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Tauriq Ishaq, a senior spokesman for the Muslim Action Forum
(MAF), told the Guardian that many Muslims are feeling alienated
and disillusioned.
“People are being asked to compromise their faith and many
feel there is no alternative here. The current environment has
contributed to issues like young people leaving to go to
Syria,” he said.
The signatories also drew attention to the double standards of
the UK government, which lectures about peace building while also
maintaining support for brutal regimes and dictators in many
Muslim countries when the government stands to benefit from such
actions.