news release

for immediate release

30 April 2010

The leaked emails from the Foreign Office, mocking the Pope’s visit to the UK, show a dangerous trend of intolerance and bigotry towards others’ faith and beliefs.

While there has been legitimate concern from within the Catholic Church itself, about the covering up of child abuse, the incidence of child abuse is by no means confined to the Catholic Church. Nor is this a justification for mockery of the Pope’s visit, which will be welcomed by millions of Catholics in this country for whom he is a spiritual leader.

It is inconceivable that a Jewish religious leader, or someone like the Dalai Lama, would be greeted by this type of abuse from within the government department that is responsible for the visit.

Sadly, many Muslim leaders in recent years have met with similar treatment.

This latest wave of anti-Catholicism reinforces the fundamental ethos of One Society Many Cultures that only respect for difference, and defence of the right of freedom of expression of those of all faiths and none, can form the basis for a cohesive and integrated society.

Bruce Kent, Vice-Chair of One Society Many Cultures and Vice President of Pax Christi said:

“Catholics are perfectly capable of poking fun at their own church and often do. But the ‘humour’ of this Foreign Office memo, which was circulated, is evidence of an official mindset which disregards the sensitivities of others.”

Anas Altikriti, Vice-Chair of One Society Many Cultures and Spokesperson for the British Muslim Initiative said:

“This incident sadly displays a deeply worrying lack of respect for other faiths, their tenets and their leaders. The visit of the Pope to the UK should be welcomed as an opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue within an atmosphere of mutual respect and recognition, and not made the subject of immature office pranks and mockery. The fight against bigotry, racism, intolerance and extremism is one in which all faith and religious denominations must play a part, and to demonise any is to compromise this common and shared cause.”

The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS) in the UK and Eire today raised serious concerns following Islamophobic abuse suffered by Abida Malik and her husband as they travelled by train between Leicester and Nottingham.

Faisal Hanjra, President of FOSIS, said today, “This incident has shocked many in the Muslim community. This was a young couple, minding their own business, travelling by train. They were both visibly identifiable as Muslims. A group of middle aged men boarded the train and subjected the couple to a barrage of verbal abuse and then went on to physically assault them, singling them out precisely because of their Muslim identity.”

Abida Malik, Vice-President of FOSIS, said, “I am upset and hurt by the Islamophobic attack on both myself and my husband. I am concerned of such attacks repeating, especially with the rise of the EDL and the BNP. There is so much to be done to tackle the ignorance within our British society – and I hope that through the work we do as FOSIS we can proactively tackle such anti-Muslim prejudice.”

Faisal Hanjra further added, “Political leaders must look urgently at the climate that has been created which allows for such abuse to go unchallenged. Physical attacks on Muslims because they are Muslim are on the rise – police, politicians and communities alike must start doing all they can to recognise this – and fight it. We urge all Muslims to be vigilant as they travel on public transport. We will be re-sending our Muslim student safety briefing, available on our website, to Muslim students over the next few days.”

The NUS Black Students Campaign condemns attack on Muslim student and joins calls for concerted campaign against Islamophobia.

Statement from Bellavia Ribeiro-Addy NUS Black Students Officer and co-convenor of the NUS Anti-Racism campaign:

“The NUS Black Students Campaign expresses full support for the victims of this vicious Islamophobic attack. We call on the authorities to bring those who perpetrated this crime to be brought to justice. The rise in racist hostilities is having its most violent impact on students and young people. It is concerning that Muslim students going about their everyday lives face physical and verbal abuse of this kind, which belongs to a bygone age. The reality is that the fascist BNP and the violent thugs of the EDL are targeting Mosques and Muslims whilst elements of the media and others in mainstream society continue to berate the Muslim community. Only last week, the EDL assembled in Dudley to oppose the building of a Mosque and this culminated in attacks on a Mosque in Dudley. The NUS Black Students Campaign pledges full support to FOSIS and Muslim students in challenging all forms of Islamophobia.”

Notes:

1. FOSIS (est. 1962) is the umbrella organisation of student groups in colleges and universities throughout the UK and Ireland, representing over 90,000 Muslim students. The NUS Black Students Campaign represents over 1 million African, Arab, Asian and Caribbean students.

2. For more information please contact FOSIS media email head.media@fosis.org.uk or alternatively visit our website www.fosis.org.uk
3. Muslim student safety advice can be found at:http://fosis.org.uk/student-affairs/projects/666-muslim-student-safety