UK MUSLIM SOLDIERS COUNTER ISLAMOPHOBIA
London, 21 Syawal 1434/28 August 2013 (MINA) – Amid efforts to stem growing Islamophobic attacks, the British government is planning to send Muslim servicemen and women to address school assemblies as part of the suggestions’ of the taskforce formed by PM David Cameron to counter anti-Muslim attacks.
“This is an opportunity for men and women in uniform today – Muslim and non-Muslim – to go into schools and show that people of all faiths are serving alongside each other in our armed forces,” Asenior Government source told The Independent.
“It’s sends a really powerful message post-Woolwich – mainly because it was an attack on soldiers, but also because it condemns the extremist narrative that you can’t be a practicing Muslim and a loyal British citizen serving your country in the armed forces.
According to the new plans, Muslim soldiers who have served in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as some who were injured, will be asked to visit schools around the country.
During these visits, Muslim soldiers will be giving speeches to school assemblies to counter Islamaphobia in the wake of the killing of Lee Rigby.
The plans will be discussed next week at the second meeting of the Government’s taskforce on tackling extremism and radicalization.
The number of anti-Islamic attacks has increased as much as tenfold in the days that followed the Woolwich murder of Drummer Lee Rigby.
A series of attacks against Muslim targets included three terrorist bombings targeted at different mosques in West Midlands in July.
Tell Mama project, which monitors anti-Muslim attacks in Britain, has also reported 212 “anti-Muslim incidents” after the Woolwich attack.
The figure included 11 attacks on mosques, in a series manifestation of anti-Muslim sentiments.
The plans, which are at an advanced stage, are part of the suggestions made by the taskforce assigned by PM Cameron to tackle extremism, radicalization and Islamophobia.
Two bodies have proposed to coordinate the visits, including the Army under the new Civilian Chaplain to the Military, Imam Ali Omar, and the independent Curzon Institute.
Around 650 Muslim soldiers are currently serving across the armed forces, including many in frontline roles.
Dispelling Myths
The idea was to dispel myths from far-right organizations such as the EDL and from radical Islamic preachers that being Muslim was somehow incompatible with being a patriotic British citizen.
“We have got to defeat the argument that the West is at war with Islam,” the senior government source said.
“Everything we do has to challenge that misconception.”
The visits will also be coordinated around activities in schools to mark the centenary of the First World War next year in which hundreds of thousands of Muslim soldiers fought and died for Britain.
Educational programs are expected to concentrate on the contribution of Commonwealth soldiers to the war effort, including the relatives of many children in the UK of Pakistani and Indian origin.
Britain is home to a Muslim community of nearly 2.7 million.
In 2011, think tank Demo found that Muslims in the United Kingdom are more patriotic than the rest of population.
Responding to the statement “I am proud to be a British citizen”, 83% of Muslims said they are proud of being British.
Around 1.2 million soldiers from undivided India fought for the British Empire during the war. About 74,000 of those soldiers died.
Baroness Warsi, whose grandparents fought in the Second World War, recently said that the anniversary was particularly poignant given tensions today. (T/P013/E1)
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
