Yesterday afternoon I was very pleased and honoured to speak at a meeting of Somali women in Harrow at the Harrow East Labour Party premises in Wealdstone. They were a very lively group, full of passion and aspirations for themselves and their community; it was great to meet such a group of women.
As you may expect, the discussion was well-informed, in particular about the discrimination they felt the Muslim community currently faces. Their main concern was that many innocent Muslims are targeted by the police as part of the action against terrorism and suffer as a result. I promised to take this up and do what I could.
We also talked about female genital mutilation, illegal in Britain but still practised in some African communities here. All the women present were totally opposed to FGM and the majority thought more education against the awful procedure was required.
Following the meeting I went door knocking with Harrow East MP Tony McNulty and Councillor Phillip O’Dell, returning to a lovely meal prepared by the Somali women. My thanks to them for their hospitality and particular thanks to Hanan Ibrahim and Amina Musa, two leading women in the Somali community who organised the event.
Filed under: Labour Party | Tagged: Amina Musa, Cllr Phillip O'Dell, European Elections, Hanan Ibrahim, Tony McNulty MP
Brent and Harrow Unite Against Fascism
WE MUST ALL DEFEND THE HARROW CENTRAL MOSQUE
We call on all residents and workers in Harrow to show their disgust and outrage at the threats recently made to the Central Mosque in Harrow by the racists and fascists. Islamophobia is just as unacceptable as any other form of racism. Its aim is to divide people, using scapegoats, as was the case in Nazi Germany during the 30s with anti-semitism.
We stand by our Muslim brothers and sisters in solidarity against this threat, just as we do when synagogues, churches and temples are attacked. An insult to one is an insult to all. Racism is abhorrent and has no place in our society. We can not allow this evil and bigoted hatred to raise its ugly head.
Today it may be Muslims; tomorrow it could be Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, Gays, Travellers and any other innocent minorities. The Fascists have only one purpose in attacking the religious freedoms that we fought for and that is to impose their so-called Master Race philosophy through fear, intimidation and violence. The result, if unchallenged was 6 million killed in Hitler’s Concentration Camps during the Holocaust. Bosnia and Rwanda stand as further reminders OF the effects of ethnic cleansing and genocide.
In the 1930s, the fascist Oswald Mosley and his Blackshirts were defeated by united action of ordinary people in the East End at Cable Street and so shown the door. In the late 70s, at Lewisham, the same happened to the National Front. The BNP and other racist groups believe that they can succeed. The moment that happens we will all be worse off. Prevention is better than cure for a disease, and this is a disease. Do not allow this insult to all be ignored.
In Birmingham, Liverpool and elsewhere, the so-called English Defence League was routed by joint opposition from anti-fascists and anti-racist groups and local young people. Unity is Strength. We must all stand together and reject this evil in its infancy so that it does not get a hold and strangle us. They threaten the Central Mosque today. They have made similar threats to Muslims in Luton and elsewhere for tomorrow. In the future it could be a synagogue or temple that they attack.
Harrow is a multi-cultural and multi-religious society. Muslims have every right to attend a mosque in peace, as is everyone else’s right. The fascists and racists will not be allowed to prevent this or to divide our communities.
There is no place for these Nazis in Harrow. We are convinced that the people of Harrow reject this racist and fascist threat. An injury to one is an injury to all. In this case, the Fascists have added insult to injury by planning their demonstration against the Mosque in the holy month of Ramadan. We plan to hold a public meeting in Harrow and launch a local branch of Unite Against Fascism. If any of your readers would like to be involved or to add their names to our statement in defence of the Mosque, they can contact us on [email protected]
From Sarah Cox,Alf Filer, and other supporters of Unite Against Fascism from Brent & Harrow
Brent and Harrow Unite Against Fascism fully endorses the Declaration of Unity issued by Harrow Council, especially in its total opposition to racism and intolerance.
While there are those who feel that they are quite within their rights to attack and insult people because of their religion, race, orientation or beliefs, we assert that Islamophobia and homophobia are completely unacceptable, as are anti-Semitism and all forms of racism. We reject any attempt to scapegoat one section of our community by those who wish to blame innocent minorities in this country for issues such as housing and unemployment.
Harrow is, and must remain, a united community for all in our society, whether they be Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist or of no religion, whether they be black or white, Eastern European, traveller or trade unionist, gay or straight, men or women, young or old.
We would like to invite your readers to celebrate Harrow’s diversity and our united opposition to bigotry and intolerance at our Festival of Unity, at Victoria Hall, Sheepcote Road, Harrow, on Saturday, November 21, from 7pm. There will be entertainment, food and speakers representing the wide nature of our united and harmonious community.
Pete Firmin, president Brent Trades Union Council
Alf Filer, Vince Dawes, Liz Lindsay, Sarah Cox, Brent & Harrow Unite Against Fascism
REMINDER: WE NEED ALL THE VOLUNTEERS WE CAN GET TO HELP OUT ON THE STALL ON SATURDAY IN HARROW TOWN CENTRE (on the pedestrianised precinct between St Anne’s and St George’s shopping centres) FROM 12 NOON. WE NEED TO MAKE A REAL SPLASH AND MAKE SURE THAT NEWS OF OUR EVENT THE FOLLOWING SATURDAY GETS OUT TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
Please email [email protected] or ring or text 07951 084 101 if you are able to come and help
Support the anti-fascist rally against the Islamaphobic and racists SOIE on Dec. 13th- opposite the Harrow Central Mosque organised by Brent and Harrow Unite Against Fasism
DEFEND HARROW’S DIVERSE & UNITED COMMUNITY
“Stop the Islamisation of Europe” and the
“English Defence League” a group of racist
football hooligans with links to the fascist
BNP are threatening to invade Harrow on
Sunday December 13th to demonstrate
against the Harrow Central Mosque. We
cannot stand by and let these racists attack
any section of our community. An injury
to one is an injury to all.
Islamophobia – bigotry against Muslims – is
as unacceptable as any other form of
racism. Its aim is to divide us by making
scapegoats of one community as the Nazis
did with the Jews in the 1930s. Today they
threaten the mosque, tomorrow it could be a
synagogue, temple or church. Today they
threaten Muslims, tomorrow it could be
Jews, Hindus, Sikhs, blacks, gays, travellers
or any other minority.
Fascists have been beaten before by
people standing united against them: at
Cable Street in the 1930s, Lewisham in the
1970s and in Derbyshire this Summer where
black and white, young and old, Hindu,
Christian, Muslim and Jew, gay and straight
all came together to oppose the BNP’s
fascist rally. In September we made it clear
that these thugs are not welcome in
Harrow. Now we must make Harrow a
No-Go Zone for Nazis.
Please sign the statement of support for Harrow Central Mosque
Join the demonstration on Sunday December 13th
We are black, white, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Sikh and Jew
Assemble 12 noon Sunday December 13th on the wide pavement
outside Harrow Civic Centre opposite the Central Mosque
Called by UAF Brent & Harrow ● [email protected] and National UAF:
[email protected] ● http://www.uaf.org.uk ● PO Box 36871 London WC1X 9XT ● 020 7801 2782