Briefing Paper
Our stand on Multiculturalism, Citizenship, Extremism, & Expectations from the Commission on Integration and Cohesion
Prepared by MCB’s Research & Documentation Committee
January 2007
MCB Briefing Paper 1 1. Multiculturalism multiculturalism was never just a gift conferred by the powers that be Some countries in Europe, like or civic traditions. It was the hard- France, have a policy of earned outcome of a struggle assimilation in which minority against racism and inequality: cultures are absorbed into the “Multicultural Britain did not come majority culture. Hence sorry out of the much-vaunted British events such as the headscarf affair traditions of fair play, equality and that began in 1989 when three social justice. Rather, it was Muslim girls were forbidden from created out of decades of struggles donning what the authorities against racism by black deemed an ‘ostentatious religious communities - struggles for equal symbol’ in a state school. pay and against discrimination on the shop floor, struggles to make Britain adopted a course of the police protect communities from integration, that was described by racial attack, struggles for children the reforming Home Secretary Roy not to be streamed or bussed out of Jenkins in 1966 as ‘equal schools, struggles to include other 2 opportunity, accompanied by histories in educational curricula” . cultural diversity, in an atmosphere of mutual tolerance'. Anti-racism legislations such as the Race Relations Act (first enacted The MCB’s vision is of a multi- 1976 with subsequent faith, pluralist society with a amendments) were significant conscious policy of recognizing steps in removing the worst that people’s cultural and faith injustices in employment and the identities are not merely a housing sector. private matter, but ones that have public implications. This However by the 1980s one section vision does not imply cultural of society remained marginalised. separatism – the MCB is They were invisible in official committed to engagement and statistics. This was the multi-ethnic working for the common good. Muslim community, who possessed a distinct religio-cultural identity. We support Professor Parekh’s vision of a multicultural society as The Muslim community’s struggle one that respects all cultures and since the 1980s has been one for which values cultural diversity ‘as a parity with the other longer- part of its own self-understanding’1. established faith communities such as Catholics and Jews. It has not Multiculturalism in Britain today is been a campaign for special the outcome of two historical privileges. trends. On the one hand it is the logical development of a liberal For example the campaign to society’s respect for individual obtain voluntary aided status for rights, captured in Roy Jenkins’s statement. However 2 A. Sivanandan, ‘ It's anti-racism that was failed, not multiculturalism that failed’, http://www.irr.org.uk/2005/october/ak000021. 1 B. Parekh, Rethinking Multiculturalism: html cultural diversity and political theory, 2006
MCB Briefing Paper 2 the first Islamic school began in religion was among the top three 1989 and would only end in 19983. bases of their self-description4. The public recognition of this identity The truth seems to be that supports, rather than detracts, from ministers have hidden behind a community cohesion. technicality to avoid the precedent of supporting an Islamic school. As a second generation becomes The long period of agonising before more distant from its roots in the Lady Blatch's [Secretary of State rural Sylheti region of Bangladesh, for Education] announcement the religious identity rather than the suggests that excess capacity was cultural identity is easier to not the chief concern. Rather, the accommodate with being Government was unwilling to take British…In other words, the Muslim the right and fair decision. Some religious identity has been a people will applaud this mechanism for integration - disingenuous behaviour... They cite providing a young educated second fears that girls in Muslim schools generation the way to a dual would face a poorer education, identity as British Muslim. inconsistent with the sexual Tufayl Choudhury, 20065 equality that is meant to underpin the state system. These are dangerous myths, founded in It is a model and a practice that has ignorance...there is no good made Britain unique in the world – educational reason for refusing the bid for the Olympics 2012 government finance to Islamia. The succeeded because Lord Coe decision can only confirm Muslims' could draw on the London’s feeling that they are a persecuted diversity and harmonious minority suffering discrimination. community relations. He could say Ironically, a decision that reflects this because of the efforts of the fears that Muslims will not city’s mayor to engage with diverse assimilate may exacerbate their communities and draw them in as sense of isolation. stake holders. About 45% of The Independent, 20th August 1993 Britain’s 2 million Muslims6 live in London and – in the opinion of Multiculturalism in Britain is thus an many - would not exchange it for ongoing, unfolding movement. It is life in any other city in the world. a process that has evolved through the efforts of the grass roots and clear demonstrations of need. 4 Home Office Research Study 274, ‘Religion The MCB believes that a multi- in England and Wales: findings from the 2001 Home Office Citizenship Survey, Table 3.2. faith, pluralist society is a stronger The other top items were family and society; it makes us all ethnicity/culture. stakeholders. A Home Office 5 Comments made during a debate with survey has found that amongst its Professor Armatya Sen, reported by th ‘Black’ and ‘Asian’ respondents, Madeleine Bunting, 7 December 2006 http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/madeleine _bunting/2006/12/a_challenge_to_amartya_se 3 Islamia Primary School’s campaign, see n.html http://www.salaam.co.uk/education/index.php? 6 Extrapolation based on the 2001 Census file=./ips.php figure of 1.6 million and data on foreign migrant inflow
MCB Briefing Paper 3 The East London Mosque in the public sphere; and Whitechapel gives the call to prayer toleration of ‘difference’ in on a public address system – the private sphere something unthinkable in France or - the right to have one’s Germany. Other examples of ‘difference’(minority ethnicity multiculturalism in practice include: etc) recognised and - inclusion of a question on supported in the public and religious affiliation in the Census private spheres - Voluntary-aided status to seven …Multiculturalism requires support Muslim faith schools for both conceptions”.7 - Metropolitan Police’s new uniform dress code We believe most reasonable - Department of Health’s support people in Britain would accept for minority faiths hospital that people should be able to be chaplaincy different, yet treated equally. - Ministry of Defence’s relaxed rules to allow Muslim servicemen to The MCB is aware of the need for wear trimmed beards, catering for accomodation and compromises: dietary needs and the appointment of an imam for chaplaincy work In its dialogue with immigrants, the - Prison Service’s appointment of a liberal society needs to show why it full-time Muslims Advisor deserves their moral - FCO’s support of the British Hajj allegiance….The latter [immigrants] Delegation could legitimately argue that when they are able to offer good reasons Survey after survey have shown for their cultural beliefs and that Muslims see themselves both practices, these should be as British and Muslim, keen to respected and suitably become active citizens and accomodated. .. Such an appeal to comfortable with the multicultural mutual cultural respect has several model. The BBC Multiculturalism advantages. It reassures Poll (August 2005) established that immigrants that their culture is 82% of Muslims believe valued by the wider society and multiculturalism makes Britain a that they need not panic and turn better place to live (62% of the inwards or become intransigent. It national population also hold this reassures the wider society that it view). remains in charge of its cultural affairs, that immigrants can be The MCB is not unaware of the trusted not to undermine it with wider implications of irresponsible demands, and that multiculturalism. An important the relations between the two are aspect has been clarified by based on a rational dialogue Professor Modood: “There seems conducted in a spirit of mutual [then] to be two distinct commitment to a common life. conceptions of equal citizenship, Professor Bhikhu Parekh, 20068 with each based on a different view of what is ‘public’ and what is 7 ‘Clash of Civilisations’? Muslims and the private’… Politics of Multiculturalism in Britain’ , 2001 8 ‘Europe, Liberalism and the ‘Muslim - the right to assimilate to the question’’, in ‘Multiculturalism, Muslims and majority/dominant culture in Citizenship – A European Approach’, Routledge 2006
MCB Briefing Paper 4 Multiculturalism is thus not passive years we’ve focused far too much co-existence or grudging on the ‘multi’ and not enough on tolerance, but interaction offering the common culture. We’ve opportunities for exploration and emphasized what divides us over creativity. Man does not live by what unites us. We have allowed bread alone and there are deeper tolerance of diversity to harden into human needs. From a faith the effective isolation of community’s perspective, the communities, in which some people opportunity to place moral and think special separate values ought spiritual concerns in the public to apply”. 10 In July 2006 he also space – on the public agenda – is explained that “We are becoming also important. more segregated residentially… to the formation of communities that In a multicultural society, are shut off from the outside world; community relations are not that simply makes the situation worse. But that is what we are fostered by the suppression of 11 difference but by the celebration of seeing emerging”. goodwill…..Catholocism received an injection of devotional The charge of isolationism has inspiration from Islam in the Middle come from ministerial quarters as Ages, for which it has every reason well, for example, the view that to be eternally grateful, and it is to “Muslims are welcome but Muslim Muslims that Catholics can turn immigrants could be very isolationist and need to integrate now for inspiration in the value of 12 fasting. more”. The Tablet, editorial, 4th March 2006 The MCB challenges the notion that Muslim communities are Multiculturalism and Segregation inherently self-segregating. Moreover there is no factual Trevor Phillips, chair of the basis for the claim that Commission for Racial Equality segregation and community (CRE) - and now designated head isolation has markedly increased of the Commission on Equality & in Britain since the advent of Human Rights (CEHR) – has multiculturist policies. unexpectedly renounced multiculturalism. In April 2004 an Professor Ceri Peach, drawing on interviewer asked him whether Census data has concluded that multiculturalism 'should be killed “London Muslims, as a whole, are off'. Phillips responded, “Yes, let’s do that. Multiculturalism suggests separateness. We are now in a 10 http://www.cre.gov.uk/Default.aspx.LocID- different world”. 9 0hgnew07s.RefLocID-0hg00900c002.Lang- EN.htm In September 2005, in a speech in 11 http://www.cre.gov.uk/Default.aspx.LocID- Manchester entitled ‘After 7/7: 0hgnew0hn.RefLocID-0hg00900c002.Lang- sleepwalking to segregation’, EN.htm Phillips observed that “In recent 12 A remark attributed to Peter Hain when Minister for Europe, The Guardian, 13th May 9 The Times, 3rd April 2004 2002
MCB Briefing Paper 5 much less segregated than Jews, consolidating into segregation Sikhs or Hindus”.13 across all the main areas of life: residence, school, workplace, Also drawing on 2001 Census data church”16. the statistician Ludi Simpson states that “In all parts of Britain, the Goodhart’s claim that diversity children of immigrants are moving reduces trust between sections of away from so-called ghettos. After society is not factual and is a couple of generations the mixing challenged by UK data. A Home will be far more noticeable and the Office survey has found that there population growth of these groups was no simple relationship between will have slowed and probably diversity and levels of trust”.17 stopped."14 He notes that “new non-White majority areas are those The data uncovered by Simpson, neighbouring the previous ones Peach and others should be and represent not retreat into one’s sufficient to disabuse those who own group, but immigration away link multiculturalism with social from the original settlement areas”. fractures. 15 Arun Kundnani sets the context for In his famous article in the the present-day connurbations of Prospect magazine, David immigrant populations, “In Oldham, Goodhart attacked multiculturalism Burnley and Bradford, for example, because it reduced trust within Pakistanis and Bangladeshis were society. He stated, “The difference recruited to work in the textile mills now in a developed country such from the 1960s onwards. But soon as Britain is that we not only live afterwards, the mills began to be among stranger citizens but we 'outsourced' to places where labour must share with them …Robert was cheaper. Those towns found Putnam, the analyst of social themselves left on the scrapheap, capital, has also found a link with the only remaining jobs in the between high ethnic mix and low service sector, particularly the local trust in the US. There is some authorities… At the same time, British evidence supporting this link whites were prioritised for the new too…. Immigrants from the same estates being built to rehouse those place are bound to want to who had lived in the old houses congregate together, but policy around the mills. And with whites in should try to prevent that a rush to flee the ghettoes, property prices were kept low, giving further
13 encouragement to Asians to seek C Peach, ‘Islam, ethnicity and South Asian to buy their own cheap homes in religions in the London 2001 Census’, Trans Inst Br Geogr NS 31 353-370, 2006 14 See University of Manchester note, 16 Prospect, February 2004. ‘Research reveals that Britain is mixing 17 Home Office survey No. 253, Diversity, racially’, 15th November 2005 trust and community participation in England, http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/pr 2005. Interestingly this survey found that essreleases/segregation/ “people who follow a religion were 15 L Simpson & J Goodwin-White, ‘Radical significantly more likely to be trustful or to demography’, formally volunteer”. It also found that http://www.radstats.org.uk/no091/GoodwinWh Muslims were significantly more likely “to ite_Simpson91.pdf report generalised trust or to participate in civic activities”
MCB Briefing Paper 6 these areas. Segregation in is not evidence-based. The housing led to segregation in proponents of monoculturalism schools. And the mechanism of use emotive language such as the parental choice, introduced at the emergence of Muslim ghettoes with end of the 1980s, meant that, in “pierced Pakistani skinhead gangs schools with catchment areas that swaggering down the streets of ought to have produced mixed Northern England”.21 Even intakes, white parents chose to Goodhart, quoted earlier, offers an send their children to majority-white imagery of ‘congregating schools a little further away18. immigrants'. The xenopophobia is palpable. Kenan Malik, another critic of multiculturalism has argued that it What is also insidious is the “has not simply entrenched the suggestion that Muslims are a divisions created by racism, but source of destabilisation because made cross-cultural they are seeking to live by ‘special interaction more difficult by separate values’. In fact in encouraging people to assert their February 2006, Trevor Phillips cultural differences”.19 Again there went further. He pronounced that is little hard data to back this “Muslims who wish to live under a contention. system of shariah law should leave Britain…we have one set of laws ... Recently, MORI updated a poll they and that's the end of the story. If have run over many years, about you want to have laws decided in attitudes to race and ethnicity. Only another way, you have to live 25 per cent of Brits say they would somewhere else." This was blatant prefer to live in an all-white area. In scare-mongering comment based some European countries it's over on a Sunday Telegraph poll 40 per cent. Only 12 per cent of published on 19th February 2006, whites would mind if a close that reported “four out of 10 British relative married a black or Asian Muslims want sharia law introduced person; those who would not mind into parts of the country”. The were over 50 per cent. Just five survey question put to respondents years ago the figures were 33 per was ill-defined (e.g. not cent minding and just 22 per cent distinguishing between criminal and not minding. civil matters) yet it served as grist Prime Minister Blair, 8th December 200620 to his mill. Muslims in Britain are grateful to Lord Nazir Ahmed for his The notion that multiculturalism is pointed response.22 problemmatic and socially divisive 21 Mark Steyn, August 2002 http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0802/stey 18 ‘Cant on Cohesion’, August 2006, n1.asp http://www.irr.org.uk/2006/august/ak000009.h tml 22 As Lord Nazir put it so lucidly in Muslim
19 Weekly: “halal and kosher meat too is part of Kenan Malik, The real value of diversity, Shariah. We allow such slaughter methods in http://www.kenanmalik.com/essays/diversity.h Britain in accordance with Shariah Law. Islamic tml burials, including purification of the deceased through a prescribed method, is allowed in 20 http://www.number- Britain in accordance with Shariah Law. Islamic 10.gov.uk/output/Page10563.asp banking and finance are advertised by international banks on our high street, in
MCB Briefing Paper 7 As repeatedly argued in this paper, “the violent disturbances …were social policy should not be viewed blamed on the fact of segregated through the prism of 7/7 and anti- communities and segregated terrorism measures. The CEHR is schools. Some of these schools, going to be society’s gatekeeper on amongst the most under-resourced equality and discrimination issues and under-achieving in the country, and it is important that it avoids had rolls of 90% plus Muslims, such conflations. while some neighbouring schools were 90% plus white. The former came to be called, including in Religious or faith identity and racial official reports, as ‘Muslim schools’. or ethnic identity do not have to In fact, they were nothing of the clash. In a plural society, with a sort. They were local, bottom-of- positive social environment, they the-pack comprehensive schools are complementary. It is only when which had suffered decades of religion turns to fanaticism and race under-investment and ‘white flight’ turns to racism that society and the but were run by white teachers world turns ugly. according to a secular national curriculum. ‘Muslim schools’ then Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, The Quest for came to be seen as the source of Sanity, MCB 2002 the problem of divided cities, cultural backwardness, riots, lack of Britishness and breeding ground Schooling and Segregation for militant Islam. Muslim-run schools were lumped in the same The MCB notes that the category of ‘Muslim schools’ even Government set up a Community though all the evidence suggested Cohesion Review Team, headed that their pupils (mainly juniors and up by Professor Cantle, following girls) did not engage in riots and the disturbances in towns in the terrorism, and,despite limited North West in the summer of 2001. resources, achieved better exam Cantle pointed a finger at results than local authority ‘secular’ ‘segregated schooling’ as a major schools23.” cause for the unrest. Professor Modood views in this Post 7/7 there have been calls to regard should be taken on board: stop voluntary aided Islamic schools, of which there are currently only seven. The MCB accordance with Shariah Law…A few years ago believes that this will be a litmus I stood shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish test of the future of a multi- community, especially the women, when they felt a change in British Family Law was ethnic, multi-faith Britain. There required to recognise a Jewish religious has to be a level playing field divorce. It was unfair that Jewish women had with respect to parental choice to wait months, sometimes years, for the religious divorce to be finalized, when Christian and faith education for all women had the whole thing over within one sections of British society. procedure through the civil courts. It was unequal treatment of British citizens on grounds of faith. The Law was changed. And I didn’t hear ….any [one] asking any Jewish woman to ‘go back to Israel’ for making such a 23 demand” (The Muslim Weekly, 22nd ‘Clash of Civilisations’? Muslims and the September 2006). Politics of Multiculturalism in Britain, 2001
MCB Briefing Paper 8 2. Citizenship - As citizens of Britain, we have a social contract to maintain the A large proportion of Britain’s Asian peace and stability of this country. population fail to pass the cricket No one must be tempted to test. Which side do they cheer for? commit any criminal or subversive 25 It’s an interesting test. Are you still activity harking back to where you came from or where you are? - As citizens of this country and an Norman Tebbit, 1990 integral part of British society, we not only have rights, but also have Two surveys should set the record obligations. We do not claim any straight: special rights. All we expect is - the YouGov Poll conducted fairness and equality. Let there be in July 2005 found that 79% no doubt in our minds that we of Muslims indicated they have the obligation to participate. felt ‘very loyal’ or ‘fairly loyal’ We have the obligation to towards Britain. contribute. We have the - a MORI poll for ‘Eastern obligations of good- Eye’ in November 2001 neighbourliness, of being reported that 87% of concerned for others, to share Muslims surveyed felt ‘loyal their joys and feel their pains, to to Britain’. provide support and help wherever we can. This is what our Is the quaint Tebbit test only put to faith requires of us. This is our Asian Muslims? During the 2006 unilateral responsibility. We have football world cup, it was not an obligation to encourage all that uncommon to find a Scotsman is good and discourage all that is supporting France rather than harmful26. England! And are the YouGov or MORI-type surveys ever put to The MCB believes that it is Catholics of Irish descent on possible to pursue both the mainland England, or the dual vision of a multicultural Britain Anglo-Israeli passport holders? and fulfilling the responsibilities of active citizenship. The MCB concurs with the views expressed by the Institute for Muslims balance a sense of Public Policy Research (IPPR) that allegiance to the global Muslim “if citizens do not exercise a certain community with responsibilities of amount of responsibility in addition citizenship to their nation state – to exercising their rights, the the ummah and qawm respectively communities in which they live in Islamic terminology. fragment and the democratic framework on which our liberties Here are three examples of basic depend weakens”24. Islamic values that contribute to such dialogue and cohesion: The MCB has frequently spelt out the responsibilities of citizenship:
25 MCB Newsletter 2001 , ‘Our Social Contract’ 24 IPPR, Citizenship in a multicultural democracy, Ian Kearns and Rick Muir, 2006 26 MCB Annual Report, 2004
MCB Briefing Paper 9 - hospitality and good integration. Anyone who does this neighbourliness. This is a is entitled to all the benefits our cultural and moral value. We society grants (having the roads should not eat if our neighbour swept, receiving hospital treatment, is going hungry. We thus gaining access to schools). And if respond immediately to the this is a free society, we have the teaching in the New right to be treated fairly, without Testament, ‘whoever does not discrimination. For the past 16 love the brother that can be years Britain’s minorities have had seen, does not love God who to endure the repeatedly cited cannot be seen’. In fact our Norman Tebbit cricket test. Now, traditional definition of surely, is the time to ditch it and neighbour extends to seven move to a new tax-and-law pact: I’ll houses in all directions! promise to pay my taxes and to respect the law; you agree to shut - respect for the privacy of the up about my status”27. individual. We are familiar with the incident when the Caliph Citizenship and the place of Umar stood corrected after he history had entered a person’s home without permission to accost There is a view, with which the him for consuming alcohol. MCB disagrees, that a sense of What people do in the privacy shared citizenship ought to be of their own homes is their constructed on a single view of business. history – a single national story.
- family life and marriage. The For example Goodhart, in the marriage contract between a Prospect article cited earlier,noted: man and a woman is the “British values grow, in part, out of central pillar supporting the a specific history and even Islamic vision of family…. geography. Too rapid a change in the make-up of a community not MCB Annual Report, 2006 only changes the present, it also, potentially, changes our link with The MCB deprecates the the past….we may lose a sense of patronising and pressurising responsibility for our own history – attempts for Muslims to make the good things as well as the declarations of loyalty. shameful things in it – if too many citizens no longer identify with it… Joseph Harker spoke for many …The teaching of British history, Muslims when he declared, “Britain and in particular the history of the should make no more demands of empire and of subsequent its minority populations than it does immigration into Britain, should be of its own “pure-bloods”. …And a central part of the school paying taxes involves striving to curriculum. At the same time, work, to pay your way, and to take immigrants should be encouraged part in the most basic act of a to become part of the British ‘we’, progressive society: giving part of your wealth for the general good of all. This is a true, practical mark of 27 Writing in The Guardian, 15th September 2006
MCB Briefing Paper 10 even while bringing their own very willingness to treat others in the different perspective on its same way we would like to be formation.”28 treated ourselves.
The history of empire is Jonathan Steele is quite correct in controversial and unlikely to observing that “recognizing our true provide the social cement which history is what the chancellor’s Goodhart seeks. Any attempt to Britishness campaign should focus create an ‘official history’ will be on” 31. challenged by second and third generation immigrants familiar with 3. EXTREMISM their own family histories and lore.
Mike Davis for example explains, The British Muslim position about “the European empires, together terrorism or political violence has with Japan and the United States, been clear and categorical….as rapaciously exploited the early as March 2004 we had issued opportunity to wrest new colonies, a public guideline for imams, expropriate communal lands, and ulama, chairs & secretaries of tap novel resources of plantation Mosques, Islamic Organisations and mine labour. What seemed and Institutions to help them play a from a metropolitan perspective the pro-active role in discharging their nineteenth century’s final blaze of Islamic duty in helping to preserve imperial glory was, from an Asian the peace of the nation as well as or African viewpoint, only the protecting the community against hideous light of a giant funeral falling into any trap or pyre”29. provocation…. This has always been our position: rejecting The MCB has supported Gordon terror and extremism of any Brown’s reference to moral and kind, Muslim or otherwise, ethical values – a strong sense of though more unforgiving, if it duty and fair play – as a basis for a came from any ‘Muslim’ cohesive society30. quarter…. This is the leadership
that the community has displayed The MCB believes a more secure and continues to do so whenever foundation than a ‘single called for. One can, therefore, national story’ is the shared rightly assert that despite all the heritage of Judeo-Christian- unhappiness concerning certain Islamic values: hospitality and unethical aspects of our foreign good neighbourliness; respect policy, and all the injustices that for the privacy of the individual; continue to play upon the emotions family life and marriage;a of the young and the angry, if Britain has been particularly calm 28 Prospect, February 2004 and secure, it was no less due to the strong and unequivocal 29 Late Victorian Holocausts, Verso, 2001 leadership provided by the Muslim community…
30 Speech to the British Council, July 2004 But like in all societies there are http://politics.guardian.co.uk/labour/story/0,90 61,1256550,00.html 31 20th January 2006, The Guardian
MCB Briefing Paper 11 always the useful Muslim idiots too, terrorism33. More recently a as well as a few sadist criminals, national paper ran a headline, willing to serve as a tool for murder “Becket asks Muslims to stand up or mayhem, and not in the service to extremists”34. All this is not of any noble cause. The question is withstanding the repeated how do we deal with this serious statements condemning 9/11 and problem? Certainly not by throwing 7/7 from mosques and Muslim the baby out with the bath water! representative bodies. More recently another minister is Post July 2005, however, instead reported to have told a journalist of dealing with the underlying that “it is Muslims’ responsibility to factors, isolating the pathogen deal with extremism”35. and treating it with the strongest medicine, it is the Muslim … opponents of multiculturalism community itself, all of the 2 have used the post-9/11, post- million, which seems to have London bombings climate to push become the subject of mass their agenda. Multiculturalism, it is medication. A medication argued, elevates difference and supposed to cure and cleanse it of therefore enhances segregation. all traces of the virus of The Trojan horse for this argument ‘extremism’, ‘radicalism’ – in fact is the debate about Britain's Muslim anything that is generally communities, much of which is diagnosed as ‘Islamic terrorism’, simply Islamophobic. The rightwing ‘Islamofascism’, Islamo-Nazism’ et press is now rampant with the cetera. Terminology which is argument that multiculturalism deeply reprehensible equating as it intensifies segregation. The truth is does a noble faith with ignoble that vile anti-Muslim prejudice, ideologies and criminality. using the religion of a community to Extract from Sir Iqbal Sacranie’s address to the attempt to sideline and blame it for MCB’s Ninth Annual General Meeting, June many of society's ills, is the cutting 2006 edge of racism in British society The MCB has been surprised by statements that place the onus on Lee Jasper, 12th October 2005, The Guardian. tackling extremism on a small, largely deprived community – a Statements by politicians and the third of all Muslims live in the 10% media which link acts of political most deprived neighbourhoods in violence by individuals with the the country32. Muslim community more generally,
lead to a deterioration of One example of this trend is the community cohesion and fuels remark of Denis MacShane MP xenophobia. An Evening Standard while an FCO minister, who told poll of Londoners in September Muslims that they had to choose 2006 indicated that more than a between the ‘British way’ of political third felt nervous or uncomfortable dialogue and non-violence and the while travelling near a person of ‘way of terrorists’ and use clearer Asian or north African appearance, and stronger language against
33 Statement made in November 2003 34 th 32 Review of the Evidence Base on Faith The Guardian, 9 November 2006 35 Communities, DCLG, April 2006 In October 2005, to Madeleine Bunting
MCB Briefing Paper 12 and a half of these have moved entered the popular imagination, seats.36 The European Centre on based on a sample of 100 from a Racism and Xenophobia in community of 2 million! documenting Islamophobia cited the findings of a survey in which However even one criminal act is 43% of youth in British regional one to many. The problems of towns and cities becoming more violent extremism can only be Islamophobic – 10% of 13-14 year tackled by a partnership 37 olds supported the BNP. What including the community, is the degree of xenophobia that government, schools, police and tipped Germany in the 1930s employers together with a towards a murderous ethnic and recognition of the anger cultural racism? prompted by some of the country’s foreign policies. Statistics are presented to convey an impression that a very large One cannot isolate policies that number of Muslims in Britain lead to violence abroad with its support violent extremism. These repercussions within. As noted by can be traced back to a YouGov a recent distinguished visitor to the poll of British Muslims conducted MCB, “we are now in an era of soon after 7/7, which included the security for all or security for question. ‘Do you think the none".40 bombing attacks in London on July 7 were justified or not?’ The A recent report from Demos notes sample size of the poll was 526, of “building meaningful relationships whom only 100 answered this with Muslim communities will particular question. Eighty eight require the government to take indicated it was not justified, 6 said their grievances seriously, which they did not know, while another 6 could open up difficult discussions responded with a ‘Yes’.38 On this and disagreements for the basis media reports stated that 6% government, not least around of Muslims in Britain supported the foreign policy and the war in Iraq” terrorists. For example one 41. broadsheet made a further extrapolation: “Six per cent may The factors contributing to seem a small proportion but in radicalisation and recourse to absolute numbers it amounts to violent extremism are complex and about 100,000 individuals who, if inter-related, and the attempt to not prepared to carry out terrorist place the problem on one door step acts, are ready to support those is unfair and counter-productive. At who do”.39 The figure of 100,000 one stage the government – in its dangerous Muslims has now belief that ‘mosques are at the cause of extremism’ - put forward 36 Joe Murphy, Evening Standard, 5 September proposals that would have given 2006
37 40 EUMC, December 2006 Sayyid Mohamed Khatami, November 2006 38 YouGov Poll, ‘Muslims’, http://www.mcb.org.uk/media/ntext.php?ann_i http://www.yougov.com/archives/pdf/TEL050 d=597 101030_1.pdf 41 ‘Bringing it Home’, by R Briggs, C Fieschi 39 Daily Telegraph, 23rd July 2005 & H Lownsbrough, Demos 2006
MCB Briefing Paper 13 unprecedented powers to the Muslim men and women. This data police to interfere in the affairs of has been collected through youth places of worship. Objections were interviews (the MCB ‘Muslims raised by the MCB, some Church voices’ project, on-going since leaders and the Association of August 2005), focus groups and Chief Police Officers.42 imam’s interviews (the MCB ‘Voices from the minarets’ project’, A wide consultation with mosque September – November 200544) imams undertaken by the MCB and other means including the concluded that “mosques are being Secretary General’s ‘Engaging the mis-identified and stereotyped as community’ tour in August 2006. incubators of violent extremism, This work is facing up to while the social reality is that they ‘uncomfortable problems’ and also serve as centres of moderation; the identify examples of ‘good bombers were indoctrinated by a practice’. The ‘Voices from the sub-culture outside the mosque; Minarets’ project included a the notion of influential 'back-door' consultation event in May 2006 mosques is a figment of the attended by over 300 leading imagination”. The Home Office took Islamic scholars, imams and heed and withdrew the proposals mosque trustees from across the ‘for the present time’. UK representing a wide cross section of the Muslim community The recent report from the City of and all schools of thought. There is London Police, ‘Problems and a commitment to improving the Practical Solutions to tackle quality of service provided through Extremism and Muslim Youth and mosques and facilitating the Community issues’ validates the participation of young persons and community’s stand. This report women in decision-making. The notes, “the attention given to a tour in summer 2006 by the MCB’s presumed cadre of extremist and office bearers of 22 towns and foreign imams preaching in cities has also helped to identify mosques is seriously misplaced”43. good practice projects such as the youth and interfaith work carried The Muslim community itself has out by its affiliate the Bristol Muslim done much soul-searching and Cultural Society. self-analysis. The MCB for example is in the process of Extremism and the anti-terrorism collecting data on concerns and legislation priorities in the community, particularly amongst younger It is only the law enforcement and security agencies that are really 42 For a review see privy to the scale of the threats http://www.salaam.co.uk/themeofthemonth/sep facing society. The perception of tember03_index.php?l=6#c Muslims is that they are being
43 unfairly targetted and victimised. Mehmood Naqshbandi, July 2006, The Times/ITV news poll in July http://www.defac.ac.uk/colleges/arag/documen t- 2006 found that two-third of listings/monographs/MNaqshbandi_25aug06.p df/view?searchterm=Muslim 44 Downloadable from http://www.mcb.org.uk/uploads/vfm.pdf
MCB Briefing Paper 14 Muslims believed that the anti- The Institute of Race Relations terror laws were not applied fairly.45 calculated that between 11 September 2001 and 31st In recent months two senior officers December 2004, 701 people were in the Met have themselves voiced arrested for offences under the new their concerns. Terrorism Act, many of whom were Muslims: only 17 people were Assistant Commissioner Tarique convicted under the Act, of which Ghaffur in his speech to the only three relate to some form of National Black Police Officers Islamic terrorism. The Association in August 2006 noted: consequence of this type of wide- “There is a very real danger that scale enforcement has been to the counter-terrorism label is also create a strong feeling of mass being used by other law- stereotyping within the Muslim enforcement agencies to the effect community and in fact the wider that there is a real risk of non-Muslim South Asian criminalising minority communities. communities46”. The impact of this will be that just at the time we need the confidence More recently Andy Hayman, the and trust of these communities, Metropolitan Police's assistant they may retreat inside themselves. commissioner responsible for anti- We therefore need proper terror probes: few arrests or accountability and transparency charges arose from such searches. round all policy and direction that "It is very unlikely that a terrorist is affects communities. In the face of going to be carrying bomb-making this global terrorist threat, the equipment around... in the street," police service must also come to he told a London police authority terms with the new reality and learn hearing. "So, I am not sure what a number of important lessons. In purpose it serves, especially as it particular, the police need to think upsets so many people, with some very carefully about the emerging sections of our community feeling wider consequences, especially unfairly targeted.”It seems a big issues relating to minority price to pay."47 communities. These remarks from the heart of Not only has anti-terrorism and the Police establishment must not security legislation been tightened go unnoticed. across many European countries with the effect of indirectly The Demos report cited above discriminating against Muslims, but notes, “the government’s tendency other equally unwanted practices to hold the whole of the Muslim have also emerged, including community accountable for the 'passenger profiling' as well as increased stop and search and 46 th arrest under Terrorism legislation. Speech delivered on 7 August 2006 These practices tend to be based http://www.nbpa.co.uk/images/AGM2006/nbp a_ghaffur_060807.doc.doc more on physical appearance than being intelligence-led. 47 BBC report, 12th December, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/6171775 45 The Times, 4th July 2006 .stm
MCB Briefing Paper 15 actions of the few – within an welcomes the inclusion of a already tense climate of commissioner representing the Islamophobia and alienation – has Hindu Forum of Britain, it is puzzled had the effect of driving a wedge by the absence of a representative between the Muslim community from the Muslim community’s and the rest of British society, largest umbrella body. rather than between the extremists and everyone else. A lazy In the absence of any further parlance in which the words details on the Commission’s ‘extremist’ and ‘radical’ have advisers, the MCB also notes the become interchangeable has absence amongst the list of meant that any Muslim expressing commissioners of established anything other than unremitting academics and other experts, support for the government is particularly those prominent in the under suspicion.” Runnymede Trust’s ‘Commission on the Future of Multi-Ethnic 4. COMMISSION ON Britain’.
INTEGRATION AND The MCB considers it inappropriate COHESION that a study on community cohesion should overlap with The Commission, as announced by issues of extremism: cohesion Secretary of State Ruth Kelly, will cannot be a vehicle for an anti- be: terrorism policy. It should not - Examining the issues that raise be about “standing up to tensions between different groups extremism” - there is only a in different areas, and that lead to distant relationship between segregation and conflict integration and extremism, as - Suggesting how local community Madeleine Bunting has clarified: and political leadership can push further against perceived barriers to “It is crucial to delink terrorism from cohesion and integration the integration and diversity - Looking at how local communities agenda. They have nothing to do themselves can be empowered to with each other, so nail the myth - tackle extremist ideologies perpetrated by politicians and - Developing approaches that build commentators - that integration is local areas’ own capacity to an anti-terrorism strategy…. prevent problems, and ensure they have the structures in place to So go back to basics and reiterate recover from periods of tension that integration is about equality of opportunity, breaking down Fourteen commissioners have intergenerational cycles of poverty, been appointed48. While the MCB and harmonious social relations. These goals may - or may not, 48 Darra Singh (Chair, Local Government); depending on international affairs - Ramesh Kallidai (Hindu Forum of Britain); Nargis Khan councillor, Labour); Dr Ebrahim Adia (councillor, Labour); Hamza Vayani Professor Michael Keith (sociologist, (youth worker); Dr Harriet Crabtree Goldsmith College); Leonie McCarthy (Interfaith); Steve Douglas and Decima (Asylum), Ed Cox (local government); Francis (community cohesion); Frank Hunt Samantha Tedcastle (regeneration in Burnley). (Unions), Ch Supt Steve Jordan (Police);
MCB Briefing Paper 16 reduce the appeal of terrorism in The MCB stands by its record of the long run, but any serious verbal condemnation of those who government should be interested in engage in criminal activity and also them in their own right, not simply its practical actions through as a means to the end of defeating publications and the mosque terrorism”. network. Madeleine Bunting, The Guardian, 4th December 2006 The lack of consultation in the
establishment of the Commission and its conceptual confusions, A further conceptual confusion is have raised questions in the minds the linkage of community cohesion of MCB’s affiliates. with participation in the National Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) To the MCB, the approach of The MCB has merely called, from marginalising key community the outset, for the event to be institutions is as ill-advised. inclusive.49 It is simplistic to connect this principled stand with Many sections of society, the MCB ‘the fight against extremism’50. included, would much rather have seen a judicial inquiry on the events of July 2005 rather than a Commission on Integration and 49 In a communication to the Home Office Cohesion. in December 1999, the MCB stated “The Muslim Council of Britain is fully supportive of the concept of a Remembrance The MCB however has been Day…The Holocaust was indeed a assured by the Prime Minister’s universal catastrophe for humanity when recent comments on the need to genocide and persecution were directed celebrate multiculturalism. As against mainly the Jewish people in Nazi Germany. The Muslim Council of Britain former President Clinton once suggests that following the Holocaust a remarked in the context of number of similar tragedies have befallen affirmative action and civil rights: humanity…without in any way wishing to mend it, don’t end it. minimise the enormity of the Holocaust or create parity with what happened in Germany during the Nazi rule, the Muslim So it is not that we need to Council of Britain strongly feels that it dispense with multicultural Britain. would be inappropriate not to remember On the contrary we should continue and highlight these crimes against celebrating it. But we need - in the humanity at the same time….”. face of the challenge to our values - to re-assert also the duty to
integrate, to stress what we hold in 50 Ruth Kelly MP’s speech, 11th October common and to say: these are the 2006: “ There are also some people who shared boundaries within which we don’t feel it right to join in the commemorations of Holocaust Memorial Day even though it has helped raise marks, above all, our common humanity awareness not just of the Jewish and respect for each other. When society’s holocaust, but also more contemporary core values are transgressed, it can, as a atrocities like the Rwanda genocide. minimum, lead to resentment. But at worst That’s also their right. But I can’t help if we fail to assert and act to implement wondering why those in leadership our shared values this makes us weaker in positions who say they want to achieve the fight against extremism and allows it to religious tolerance and a cohesive society flourish.[emphasis added] would choose to boycott an event which
MCB Briefing Paper 17 all are obliged to live, precisely in the good spiritual health nurtured order to preserve our right to our within the Islamic community. own different faiths, races and Professor Leslie Francis & Mandy Robbins, ‘Spiritual Health and Urban Hope’. Epsworth creeds”. Prime Minister Blair, 8th December Press, 2005 2006 http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/ Page10563.asp The Muslim community would avail This clears the air and presumably opportunities offered by the the Secretary of State will now Commission to provide factual distance herself from her own evidence for the success of earlier ambivalance51. multiculturalism in engaging marginalised communities in The MCB hopes the Commission making them stakeholders in will be open-minded and not start society. from the assumption that religious belief and faith are problems. On The MCB would strike a note of the contrary, these are factors for warning that if policies on the betterment of society. community cohesion and integration are interconnected with There are significant ways in the Government’s policies on which young people affiliated with ‘extremism’ and ‘terrorism’ then this the Islamic tradition enjoy higher would only create tensions and levels of spiritual health in alienation. comparison with young people who belong to no religious Finally, the MCB’s policy has tradition…in the environmental always been, and remains one of domain young Islamic affiliates constructive engagement. display greater concern for world development issues…in the personal domain [they] express a © MCB 2007 greater sense of purpose in life …these findings demonstrate the Acknowledgements: Rumman Ahmed, Inayat significant contribution to urban Bunglawala, BBRC, Faizal Dawjee, Musa Dhalla, Khurshid Drabu, Maleiha Malik, Unaiza hope which can be generated by Malik, Tariq Modood, Salma Yaqoob, Shenaz Yusuf – for suggestions, ideas & interactions. The views expressed here are solely those of 51 At the launch of the Commission she MCB’s Research & Documentation Committee (ReDoc). For further information or to observed, “…we have moved from a participate in its work email [email protected] period of uniform consensus on the value of multiculturalism, to one where we can This paper is downloadable from http://www.mcb.org.uk/downloads/MCB ReDoc encourage that debate by questioning Briefing Paper PRINTRUN.pdf whether it is encouraging separateness…In our attempt to avoid Or obtainable in hardcopy format from MCB, imposing a single British identity and PO Box 57330, London E1 2WJ culture, have we ended up with some communities living in isolation of each other, with no common bonds between them? I think we face the clear possibility that we are experiencing diversity no longer as a country, but as a set of local communities”.
MCB Briefing Paper 18 Aims and Objectives of the MCB
9 To promote cooperation, consensus and unity on Muslim affairs in the UK
9 To encourage and strengthen all existing efforts being made for the benefit of the Muslim community
9 To work for a more enlightened appreciation of Islam and Muslims in the wider society
9 To establish a position for the Muslim community within British society that is fair and based on due rights
9 To work for the eradication of disadvantages and forms of discrimination faced by Muslims
9 To foster better community relations and work for
the good of society as a whole
The Muslim Council of Britain is an inclusive umbrella body that represents the interests of Muslims in Britain. It is made up of over 400
national, regional and local organizations, mosques, specialist institutions and professional bodies. Write in or email for an affiliation pack.
The MCB - PO Box 57330, London E1 2WJ Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0) 845 26 26 786 Fax: +44 (0) 207 247 7079 Website www.mcb.org.uk
MCB Briefing Paper 19
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MCB Briefing Paper 20