UK Muslim body to reconsider Holocaust event
-19/12/05
The Muslim Council of Britain (
UK Muslim body to reconsider Holocaust event
-19/12/05
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), which has come under fire for declining to participate in the annual Holocaust Memorial Day because it is not ëinclusiveí, is to reconsider the decision ñ and has once again firmly rejected accusations of anti-Semitism.
ìThere has been deliberate misrepresentation of what we have been saying,î MCN secretary general Sir Iqbal Sacranie told the Observer newspaper on Sunday.
The Council, which brings together a wide cross-section of British Muslim opinion, has argued that a European Union-wide genocide memorial day to mark all victims of crimes against humanity would be a better option.
But Jewish organizations say that this detracts from the recognition of the Holocaust as a ìunique historical crimeî ñ the attempt by a major power systematically to annihilate an entire people and create a master race.
Others point out that the Nazi death camps also targeted homosexuals, people with physical and mental disabilities, gypsies and other minorities.
ìIt was the calculated act of multiple genocide in history, with a primary focus on the Jewish race, and deserves special recognitionî, a commentator told Ekklesia.
Sir Iqbal Sacranie is trying to build bridges with those offended by what is characterised as a ìboycottî of the annual event, established in 2001. HMD is supported by a whole range of civic groups, including Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.
ìWhat we have been saying is that it should be an inclusive event: it should take into account all other genocides as wellî, Sacranie explained. ìHowever, if the Jewish community is quite strongly of the view that the name should remain Holocaust Day ñ because Holocaust is a particular reference to a particular event ñ then fine.î
The United Nations general assembly has now recognised Holocaust Memorial Day (27 February) officially, and a special Trust has been established under the Queenís patronage.
It now seems that MCB, which will discuss the matter in ten days time, accepts that the name will not change, but it still argues that ìnever againî must have a universal referent if it is to be truly effective.
The issue has now been under discussion for sometime, and has involved accusations of latent anti-Semitism against MCB from some quarters.
Such charges are rigorously denied. ìThe MCB unhesitatingly and wholeheartedly supports the Prime Ministerís determination that the horrendous crimes against humanity committed during the Holocaust are never forgottenî, Sacranie declared in September 2005.
The fact that MCB abhors ìall forms of racial and religious discriminationî was reiterated by spokesperson Shenaz Yusuf this weekend.
But some critics are not satisfied, saying that MCB has not been strong enough in rooting out extremists in its membership, and that it will not make specific reference to the wrongs committed against the Jews because that would alienate some of its supporters. Past comments about author Salman Rushdie by its secretary general also continue to rankle.
The Muslim Council, which challenged a highly critical BBC Panorama documentary about it earlier this year, says that its own position is crystal clear and rightly expressed in the broadest terms.
It says that as a network seeking to unite different Muslim organisations and build up community through diversity it cannot be held responsible for everything said by its members.
MCB has spoken out publicly against extremism and terrorism and has also faced charges of being ìtoo moderateî by other Islamic networks.
The issue could not come at a more sensitive time, with reports in the media of anti-Semitism on the rise, widespread denunciation of the President of Iran for Holocaust denial and an expressed desire to ìwipe Israel from the mapî, and counter-accusations by critics of the State of Israelís policies that the anti-Semitic charge is being used by hard-line Zionists to suppress dissent.
The matter of a generic genocide memorial day is also clouded by wrangles over the definition of the term. For example, human rights and church groups in the USA have used it over the recent events in Darfur, whereas British organisations (including agencies like Christian Aid) have hesitated to do so.
[Also on Ekklesia: Muslims and Christians unite against bomb attacks; Church leaders condemn Mugabe clampdown; British Muslims face abuse after London bombs; Concerns grow over Stockwell killing; Welcome for Government climbdown over mosque and church closures; Churches remember Holocaust victims; Black churches oppose religious hatred bill; Cardinal affirms British Muslims and a plural society]
UK Muslim body to reconsider Holocaust event
-19/12/05
The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), which has come under fire for declining to participate in the annual Holocaust Memorial Day because it is not ëinclusive’, is to reconsider the decision – and has once again firmly rejected accusations of anti-Semitism.
‘There has been deliberate misrepresentation of what we have been saying,’ MCN secretary general Sir Iqbal Sacranie told the Observer newspaper on Sunday.
The Council, which brings together a wide cross-section of British Muslim opinion, has argued that a European Union-wide genocide memorial day to mark all victims of crimes against humanity would be a better option.
But Jewish organizations say that this detracts from the recognition of the Holocaust as a ‘unique historical crime’ – the attempt by a major power systematically to annihilate an entire people and create a master race.
Others point out that the Nazi death camps also targeted homosexuals, people with physical and mental disabilities, gypsies and other minorities.
‘It was the calculated act of multiple genocide in history, with a primary focus on the Jewish race, and deserves special recognition’, a commentator told Ekklesia.
Sir Iqbal Sacranie is trying to build bridges with those offended by what is characterised as a ‘boycott’ of the annual event, established in 2001. HMD is supported by a whole range of civic groups, including Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.
‘What we have been saying is that it should be an inclusive event: it should take into account all other genocides as well’, Sacranie explained. ‘However, if the Jewish community is quite strongly of the view that the name should remain Holocaust Day – because Holocaust is a particular reference to a particular event – then fine.’
The United Nations general assembly has now recognised Holocaust Memorial Day (27 February) officially, and a special Trust has been established under the Queen’s patronage.
It now seems that MCB, which will discuss the matter in ten days time, accepts that the name will not change, but it still argues that ‘never again’ must have a universal referent if it is to be truly effective.
The issue has now been under discussion for sometime, and has involved accusations of latent anti-Semitism against MCB from some quarters.
Such charges are rigorously denied. ‘The MCB unhesitatingly and wholeheartedly supports the Prime Minister’s determination that the horrendous crimes against humanity committed during the Holocaust are never forgotten’, Sacranie declared in September 2005.
The fact that MCB abhors ‘all forms of racial and religious discrimination’ was reiterated by spokesperson Shenaz Yusuf this weekend.
But some critics are not satisfied, saying that MCB has not been strong enough in rooting out extremists in its membership, and that it will not make specific reference to the wrongs committed against the Jews because that would alienate some of its supporters. Past comments about author Salman Rushdie by its secretary general also continue to rankle.
The Muslim Council, which challenged a highly critical BBC Panorama documentary about it earlier this year, says that its own position is crystal clear and rightly expressed in the broadest terms.
It says that as a network seeking to unite different Muslim organisations and build up community through diversity it cannot be held responsible for everything said by its members.
MCB has spoken out publicly against extremism and terrorism and has also faced charges of being ‘too moderate’ by other Islamic networks.
The issue could not come at a more sensitive time, with reports in the media of anti-Semitism on the rise, widespread denunciation of the President of Iran for Holocaust denial and an expressed desire to ‘wipe Israel from the map’, and counter-accusations by critics of the State of Israel’s policies that the anti-Semitic charge is being used by hard-line Zionists to suppress dissent.
The matter of a generic genocide memorial day is also clouded by wrangles over the definition of the term. For example, human rights and church groups in the USA have used it over the recent events in Darfur, whereas British organisations (including agencies like Christian Aid) have hesitated to do so.
[Also on Ekklesia: Muslims and Christians unite against bomb attacks; Church leaders condemn Mugabe clampdown; British Muslims face abuse after London bombs; Concerns grow over Stockwell killing; Welcome for Government climbdown over mosque and church closures; Churches remember Holocaust victims; Black churches oppose religious hatred bill; Cardinal affirms British Muslims and a plural society]