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Effect of Gaza crisis on British Muslims

12/01/2009

British Muslims for Secular Democracy (bmsd) has been working very hard to promote democracy and human rights to British Muslims, in particular the disengaged young. In our democracy workshops, we are already witnessing rage and cynicism we have not seen before. We believe good secular democracies can help counter intolerant religious indoctrination being promoted by fundamentalist extremists. However, the current situation in the Middle East has the potential to seriously undermine the efforts of bmsd and other similar organisations striving to instill confidence in British Muslims in a democratic system of governance.

The ongoing indiscriminate onslaught of Israeli Defence Forces upon Palestinians in the Gaza Strip has drawn rightful condemnation from across the world, with Muslims and non-Muslims together voicing their outrage at the worsening humanitarian crisis in the region. The disproportionate response to rockets fired by Hamas in protest at the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip has resulted in the deaths of several innocent civilians including women and children.

Furthermore, the reluctance of the British government to exert influence over Israel, and her ally the USA, to halt the military action, is eroding the fragile trust in democracy that many Muslims in Britain had started to develop, in particular those vulnerable to indoctrination by those who consider democracy as anti-Islamic.

They are rapidly losing any remaining faith in international laws, painstakingly developed to prevent the very catastrophe that is taking shape in the Gaza Strip. Some may turn to violent terrorism and many more will give up on democracy altogether, imperiling all our hopes for a better future.

Dr Shaaz Mahboob
Vice Chair
British Muslims for Secular Democracy
London WC1

Click here to view the original article published on the website of the Independent.