Fear of anti-Muslim backlash in Britain

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, SEPT 14. Britain's Muslim community is bracing itself against a backlash after sporadic incidents of racial abuse and intimidation which, it believes, have been prompted by media reports linking Muslims with Tuesday's terrorist mayhem in America. Its fears were fuelled after newspapers this morning highlighted the activities of Muslim extremist groups clandestinely operating in Britain despite an official ban.

A siege mentality began to take shape following reports that mosques in some place had been defaced with anti- Islamic graffiti, and Muslim institutions were receiving threatening phonecalls. Three Islamia schools in London were closed down after their staff and students complained of harassment. Muslim girls, wearing headscarves, were reported to be particularly vulnerable to racist abuse. Suggestions that Arabs stop wearing their traditional dress to avoid identification have been condemned by some Muslim activists as cowardice.

As fears of a backlash heightened, representatives of Muslim organisations demanded police protection for mosques and other Islamic institutions. They also called upon the media to exercise ``restraint'' and not to play up the denominational identity of those behind the terrorist attacks in U.S. There was widespread resentment over what Muslims regarded as attempts to ``pillory'' the entire community as terrorists.

Dr. Syed Aziz Pasha, general secretary of the Union of Muslim Organisations of UK and Ireland, told the The Hindu that the ``anti-Islamic slant'' in sections of the media was being exploited by racists to whip up Islamaphobia. ``We have suggested to the authorities that they issue an advice to the media to be more restrained,'' he said.

His organisation, he pointed out, had condemned the U.S. events in the strongest terms possible and stated that there was no justification for Tuesday's carnage. ``Islam is a religion of peace and does not permit killing innocent people,'' he said disagreeing sharply with some Muslim activists who have qualified their condemnation of what happened in America with a criticism of American foreign policy. He said fears of a backlash were genuine and he and other community leaders had conveyed their concerns to the police.

A spokesman of the Muslim Council of Britain which claims to be the most representative of Muslims here said that the community was living in ``fear'' and blamed the media for portraying all Muslims as ``black sheep''. ``Unfortunately the word Muslim has been made out such that the Muslim community in its entirety is held responsible, which is not right,'' said Mr. Yousuf Bhailok, general secretary of MCB.

An official of the trust which runs Islamia schools said:``We had a number of abusive calls saying:you scum, we'll get you for this.''

The growing Muslim fears came even as the Government tried to emphasise that it was wrong to stigmatise any faith for the events in America. ``This is terrorism against the world, and that includes the Muslim faith,'' the Prime Minister, Mr. Tony Blair's official spokesman said. On Wednesday, Mr. Blair had welcomed the condemnation by the Muslim Council of Britain and said:``The vast majority of Muslims are decent, upright people who share our horror at what has happened.''

Meanwhile, despite widespread unease that Britain should not blindly commit itself to any retaliatory action by Washington Mr. Blair today won cross-party endorsement for his offer of unqualified support to America.

The consensus during a special session of Parliament today was that the international community should unite to fight terrorism, and the strongest support came from the new leader of the Opposition, Mr. Ian Duncan Smith, who was elected leader of the Tory party on Thursday.

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : Malaysia for world meet
Next     : The stars seem farther without the stairway