ISESCO PRAISES MERKEL’S POSITION AGAINST ANTI-ISLAM MOVEMENT

Rabat, 10 Rabiul Awwal 1436/1 January 2015 (MINA) – The International Islamic Organization for Education, Science and Culture (ISESCO) praised the position of German Chancellor Angela Merkel against the movement of anti-Islam which has roots in German cities. In a speech on the eve of the New Year, Merkel on Wednesday called on German citizens not to participate in the demonstrations organized by this movement.

In a statement, Dr Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, director general of ISESCO, urged the European governments to promote tolerance, co-existence, peace, security and human rights values by preventing all forms of defamation of religions under Resolution No. 65/224, which is adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on April 11, 2011 on combating defamation of religions, International Islamic News Agency (IINA) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Altwaijri also called for the implementation of the existing laws to eliminate all manifestations of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and what is related to intolerance against national or ethnic and religious minorities and linguistic and immigrants.

In her statement, Merkel urged Germans to turn their backs on a growing grass-roots movement of anti-Muslim protesters, calling them racists full of hatred.

Referring to protests that took place before the fall of the Berlin Wall, Merkel said: “Today many people are again shouting on Mondays: ‘We are the people, but in fact they mean: you do not belong because of the colour of your skin or your religion”.

“So I say to everyone who goes to such demonstrations: Do not follow those who are appealing to you because too often there is prejudice, coldness, even hatred, in their hearts.”

She also expressed that Europe’s biggest economy must welcome people fleeing conflict and war mentioning it is obvious that Germany should provide safe haven for these refugees. (T/P011/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)