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MUSLIMS IN
THE UK HAVE NOT BEEN GIVEN PREFERENTIAL TREATMENT, CHURCH OF ENGLAND
REPORT
Published: 08/10/2006
The Ramadhan Foundation responds to the leaked report from the Church
of England in the Sunday Telegraph titled cohesion and integration by
saying that Muslims in the UK have been working hard to create a
society where Tolerance and peaceful coexistence is the norm. This
report is wrong in suggesting that Muslims are getting preferential
treatment from this government.
Since 7/7 we have seen the government introduce
legislation that is discriminating against Muslims, there has been a
rise in Islamophobic attacks against innocent people, and continued
negative attacks on Islam and Muslims, our faith is being ridiculed
on a daily basis and under the stupid notion of freedom of speech.
Only on Friday two Muslim women had their veils
ripped off and were racially abused in the street, the only crime
they did was to be Muslim.
This leaked report talks about multi faith but is totally
focusing on Islam where the equality in that, the Muslim community is
concerned that this is another attack on Muslims in the UK and this
would only give ammunition to the bigots and extremists.
The Muslim community recognises and accepts that
in the UK there is a majority of Christians however this does not
mean that the government or society does have a duty to protect
minority communities in the UK, this means that all faith communities
should be afforded tolerance, equality and justice. This means the Government has a
moral and legislative duty to ensure that its services are provided
to all communities regardless of faith or ethnicity.
Encouraging financial institutions to make
products that are compliant with religious rulings is not
preferential treatment but good customer service. Muslims in the UK are an integral
part of UK society and signs that businesses are realising the benefits
to themselves and the UK economy of this contribution. We welcome debate and dialogue with
the Church of England and all faith communities but this report is
wrongly focusing on one community.
An excellent example is faith schools, there are
over 5000 state funded Christian schools but when other faith
communities ask for similar schools we are told we are creating
division. The Muslim community
is here to stay and we will not allow those people on the far right
to create an atmosphere of hatred in our nation - we urge the Church
of England to be responsible when it comes to reports such as this.
Mr. Shazad Anwar , Chief Executive comments:
"This report is highly inaccurate in terms
of the alleged preferential treatment of Muslims in the UK, this is
plainly not the case, the constant attacks on Islam by Government,
commentators, media and those on the right are creating an atmosphere
of hatred towards Muslims.
We are ready to understand what the CoE is
saying and discuss how we can create a society where mutual respect
and tolerance is something that should always be at the thoughts of
our minds.
The Government does not just represent
Christians but the whole of the United Kingdom, that includes
Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and even those with no faith
and therefore services offered to minority communities is our right
not preferential treatment.
We are clear of the challenges of the future but
the United Kingdom was, still and will remain a multi faith and multi
cultural society and this should be celebrated not attacked.
END
Notes for Editors
The Ramadhan Foundation is the UK's
leading Muslim youth organisation that is working for peaceful
co-existence and dialogue for all communities. Based in Greater
Manchester and working to also establish the platform for human unity
amongst our communities in the UK.
For
further information contact:
Mr.
Mohammed Shafiq
Press
Spokesman
Mohammed.shafiq@ramadhanfoundation.com
07814835912
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