TIME TO CHANGE OUR ATTITUDE TO MULTICULTURALISM

Manzoor Moghal has written the First Person column in today's Leicester Mercury. 

 

Time to change our attitude to multiculturalism

Chairman of the Muslim Forum Manzoor Moghal speaks out over David Cameron's recent speech

Our Prime Minister's recent salvo at the Muslim community and multiculturalism at the Munich Security Conference seemed to be somewhat gratuitous and very disingenuous. Multiculturalism as a policy supported by the state for several years has indeed been showing signs of fatigue and failure because of the way previous governments have been imposing their will on the communities through large amounts of funding which was misspent.

The recipients of such funding, who were encouraged to promote multiculturalism, were in turn expected to provide political support in electoral terms for the government. This has been the main weakness of the government's misguided policies on multiculturalism, but that does not mean that multiculturalism should cease to exist in the United Kingdom.

It is an undeniable fact that we are a multicultural society and will continue to be so, as indeed are many other countries in the world. What needs to change is the government's and society's attitude towards it. Our multicultural society should be allowed to evolve naturally through the inevitable interaction of these different cultures in all aspects of our lives in the UK, which would then result in a more cohesive and integrated society. It is the interference from government policies which is a problem, and not multiculturalism.

It  is a well known fact that there are some misguided and very vulnerable Muslim youth in the country who have been and will continue to be beguiled by preachers of hate against the West. Some of these elements have killed innocent citizens through their violence and caused huge damage, but that does not mean that the whole community should be directly or indirectly maligned – especially at a time when the likes of the English Degfence League are on a warpath against Islam and Muslims simply because they hate them through their ignorance and racism.

Our intelligence and security services seem to have brought extremist elements under control through their vigilance, and one would like to hope that these extremists are prevented from committing any further acts of violence. However, whilst combating violent extremism and endeavouring to abate extremism from misguided Muslim youth, the government should also feel obliged to review our foreign policies towards Muslim countries, which have been a very significant contributory factor in the radicalisation of Muslim youth both in Britain and in other parts of the world.

Simply to suggest that the illegal war against Iraq and the offensive against Afghanistan were in the past and therefore we should learn to move on, as suggested by Baroness Warsi at her lecture at the Univesity of Leicester, is naïve and supercilious. The alarming drift in Britain and Europe to right-wing politics should be a matter of great concern for all those who espouse democracy, liberty and equality. This alarming trend needs to be checked, and we need people of political maturity to do so.

Leicester's support for Pakistan flood victims

Today's edition of BBC Radio 4's "The World This Weekend" has an item on how Leicester is helping raise money for those affected by the floods in Pakistan. The feature includes an interview with Manzoor Mogul, Chair of the Muslim Forum of Leicester and long-standing member of Leicester Council of Faiths. You can hear this edition of "The World This Weekend" on the BBC iPlayer for the next seven days by clicking the link below. The Leicester feature starts twelve minutes into the broadcast and lasts five and a half minutes.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00thmvj/The_World_This_Weekend_29_08_2010/

OPEN-AIR PRAYER MEETING FOR HAITI EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS

While I was involved in the “Leicester on the Map” consultation yesterday, the Council of Faiths was holding an open-air prayer meeting for the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti. Here’s how it was reported on BBC Leicester's website:

Prayers were given in Leicester on Wednesday 3 February 2010 for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

Organised by Leicester Council of Faiths, the event aimed to raise awareness of Haiti's continuing struggle to recover.

Representatives from the Bahá'í, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh communities, gathered in Town Hall Square for the midday prayers.

A collection also took place, to raise funds for the earthquake appeal.

Chair of the Council of Faiths and Deputy Lord Mayor, Manjula Sood highlighted the ongoing issues affecting the people of Haiti and the scale of the natural disaster.

"It was very important for all of us to come together today and to show our solidarity, because Leicester people are very generous.

"When it comes to devastation or suffering they will always come together."

Vice Chair of the Council of Faiths and representative of the Orthodox Jewish community, Tony Nelson agreed that it is crucial Haiti is not forgotten.

"This has been a terrible disaster and it's very easy to say, 'Oh, it's a nine day wonder', but it certainly isn't.

"One only has to look at the television to see the pictures of the ongoing suffering that is still going on and we feel for our fellow human beings."

He continued, "I think raising the awareness so that people from their daily lives here can reflect and consider these terrible things that are happening in other parts of the world is a good thing."

Lord Mayor Cllr Roger Blackmore, who introduced the proceedings, said he thought it was "wonderful" that the city's faith groups had come together for an important cause.

"I've found that very moving and I'm very pleased to have been part of that."

He added that the day was also a chance to think of the people, such as fire-fighters, from Leicester who were directly aiding relief in Haiti.

It is not just direct action that can help the victims of the earthquake.

Sikh representative Resham Singh Sandhu wanted to give a message to the people of Leicestershire;

"This is the best cause or donation anybody could give to those who are really in need."