6.Memorandum submitted by the Catholic
Bishop's Conference of England and Wales
The Department for Christian Responsibility
and Citizenship of the Catholic Bishop's Conference of England
and Wales welcomes the invitation to contribute to the Committee's
Inquiry into Terrorism and Community Relations.
The Department has a particular concern for
the marginalised and vulnerable in society, and as part of this
concern we are in touch with priests, religious sisters and lay
people who live in and are involved with deprived communities.
In order to get a sense of how international
events and terrorism are affecting these local communities, during
recent weeks we consulted key Catholics with long experience of
active involvement in their communities. We spoke to:
— a director of a community project
in Leeds;
— a community organiser in west London;
— a parish priest in Oldham;
— an inter-faith worker in Bradford;
— a parish priest in north London;
— a parish priest in Bristol; and
— a religious sister in the West Midlands.
1. BACKGROUND
During the spring and summer of 2001 there were
disturbances in Oldham (26 May), Burnley (23 June), Bradford (7
July) and other northern towns. It is significant that these disturbances
took place prior to the tragic events of 11 September 2001. The
timing is important, because it highlights the fact that an alienation
and racial antagonism among and between some Asian and white young
men had been developing for some time. The BNP saw this and began
targeting their racial incitement at Muslim communities. The police
were sometimes caught up in the tension and policing was sometimes
an issue.
2. THE NEGATIVE
IMPACT OF
TERRORISM ON
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Responses from our seven areas were mixed. On
the one hand, two contacts reported that international events
and terrorism seemed to be having a distinct negative impact on
some communities. Others felt that things had changed but that
the impact was difficult to measure. The majority did not feel
that the international situation and terrorism had had a significant
impact on their communities or they felt that the positive initiatives
that had taken place had kept this at bay.
The director of a community project in Leeds
had consulted Asian colleagues who reported that Asian people
feel more vulnerable since 9/11. They feel that there is "permission"
for white people to make racist remarks quite openly. This particularly
affects people whose dress marks them out as observant of Islam,
so women wearing the scarf or the long coat or wearing a burka
report that people feel free to be extremely rude. Asian men with
beards also report similar behaviour even from work colleagues
where remarks may seem to be "jokey". Muslim young men,
in particular, feel that they are under scrutiny. A young man
wearing a mosque hat went into one of the shops in Leeds and felt
that he was under particular scrutiny even though he had often
shopped there without the hat. People wonder if they are being
paranoid. People report a widespread view in the Muslim community
that the war in Iraq is just a front for war against Islam and
for oil. The BBC TV programme on the police, in which an undercover
journalist joined up and discovered the depth of racism among
some recruits, seems to have had a profound impact in confirming
the belief that the police are racist. Police going into mosques
to search for "terrorists" is seen as breaking down
trust and confirms a view that Islam is not respected.
A community organiser in west London mentioned
a Moroccan group where people felt stigmatised and alienated from
the Government. In her experience, stop and search, which has
always been an issue with black young people, is now an issue
with young Asians as well. She had also heard the feeling expressed
that the police tend to publicise the arrests of young Asians
but fail to make it known when the people arrested are released
without charge.
A parish priest in Oldham feels it is difficult
to measure how much international events have a real impact on
community relations. He feels that every time there is a TV report
of a major incident, there is general conversation and judgments
made about the Muslim community. However, racist attacks in Oldham
have actually decreased, probably because of all the positive
efforts that are being made.
An inter-faith worker in Bradford reports that
his impression is that the impact of terrorism and international
events on community relations in Bradford has not been very great.
The impact of the disturbances in July 2001, however, was very
significant. Some of the potentially violent young men were "clobbered"
with harsh prison sentences. They are serving these sentences
and will soon be coming back to the community. At the moment,
things tend to be quiet in Bradford. The Muslim community were
always fairly self-contained. Even the BNP is less visible, perhaps
because the Labour Group have been making an effort to expose
the deficiencies in their position.
A parish priest in Bristol's inner city reported
that he did not feel the international situation and terrorism
had had much effect on community relations. He was not aware of
any particular deterioration in relations in the inner city. It
is possible that those in the suburbs had become more suspicious.
A religious sister, with long experience running
a community project in a very poor area of the West Midlands,
said she could not point to any particular link between terrorism
and community relations. She is aware of significant levels of
tension and violence between young people of different cultures
(eg between West Indians and Somalians). However, it is mainly
directed at people because they are newcomers. There is a lot
of racism but there is no obvious link to terrorism.
3. THE POSITIVE
IMPACT OF
INTER-FAITH
INITIATIVES
A number of those we spoke with mentioned the
positive impact of inter-faith initiatives which had been taken
either as result of the disturbances in northern towns or because
communities were aware of the potentially negative impact of international
events and terrorism.
A parish priest in north London, reports that
every time a high profile international incident takes place,
the Islington Faiths Forum issues a joint statement, which represents
a shared view from the different faiths represented in the Forum.
He feels these joint declarations are very important. They express
the common ground between faiths, including their consensus in
completely opposing terrorism. The Muslims in the Forum make their
opposition to terrorism clear and unambiguous.
Through the Forum, they had employed someone
to map the faith groups in the area and had discovered 139 groups.
All were invited to a meeting, and only one objected to meeting
with people of other faiths. The feedback after the meeting was
very positive and those present wanted the meetings to continue.
The Muslim Welfare Association in the area has
arranged evening events with speakers and they have invited a
cross section of the community to these events. They have also
invited representatives of the Churches and other faith communities
to a celebration of the breaking of the Ramadan fast.
His parish is currently working with Anglicans
in the area to get young people involved in "doing good in
the community". He hopes that this work with young people
will expand to involve other faith communities.
The parish priest in Oldham mentioned the creation
of an inter-faith forum and a women's inter-faith network. Since
the Iraq war began, inter-faith prayers have been said in different
worship centres—churches, mosques and temples.
The Community Cohesion Partnership in the area
organised a five-day course (run by Mediation Northern Ireland).
Some 40 leaders from different parts of the community attended
the course. People had a chance to tell and listen to one another's
stories. An editor, who participated in the course and whose paper
had originally been accused of being quite negative (their offices
were targeted in the 2001 disturbances), later ran a front page
article outlining the vision of a multi-ethnic society.
In education, a pilot project was held involving
one Catholic school. The pilot examined how racial identity nurturing
and community cohesion could be promoted in schools through every
area of the curriculum. This is now being done in other schools.
There have been litter picking days, and a Muslim
organisation invited him to join them. During the day they discussed
their respective faiths.
The inter-faith worker in Bradford felt that
even though the area is relatively quiet, the people from other
faith communities whom he meets in his work are still engaged.
Efforts to establish an inter-faith forum are continuing and the
launch will be on 1 December. The involvement of different communities
is as it has always been.
On the 11th of each month, an ecumenical house
of prayer still attracts 40-50 people to inter-faith prayer.
In June, he had given a talk to head teachers of
Catholic schools in the area and found them very receptive to
the idea that "we are moving into a new era and a new vision
is needed".
The parish priest from Bristol reports that
there is an inter-faith group in Bristol but it tends to be a
bit more academic. At times of high profile incidents, messages
of support are sent between communities.
Last Easter, during Holy Week, during a time
of some international tension, he had held an inter-faith service
in his church led by himself, an Imam and a Rabbi. Approximately
50 people attended at short notice (mostly Christian, with a small
representation from Jewish and Muslim communities).
There had also been an inter-faith service for
healing, hope and reconciliation in the Cathedral for those involved
in adoption. Some from each of the faith traditions gave a short
presentation on how adoption worked in their tradition.
4. BROAD-BASED
COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS
Two of the people we consulted mentioned the
importance of broad-based community organisations as one of the
most effective ways of building strong working relationships between
different groups.
The East London Communities Organisation (TELCO)
is an example of such an organisation. TELCO brings together some
40 churches, faith communities, schools and trade union branches
to work together for the good of all the people of east London.
During the period of tension leading up to the Iraq war, TELCO
was able to get its members to support a public statement of mutual
concern. Since then the different faith communities involved in
the organisation have been able to cooperate constructively and
without internal tension. Similar organisations exist or are in
the process of being established in South and West London, Sheffield
and North Wales. Others have previously existed in Liverpool and
Bristol.
5. SUMMARY AND
CONCLUSION
In the soundings we have taken, concerning how
international events and the threat of terrorism are affecting
community relations, we have had diverse responses. Some report
that Asian and Muslim communities feel more vulnerable. Some perceive
an increase in background racism which is hard to measure. Others
report little change in their communities or even an improved
atmosphere as a result of community efforts. Even where racism
and violence exist, it may be directed at those perceived as "newcomers"
rather than at groups who are specifically associated with terrorism.
In some places, the disturbances in the spring
and summer of 2001, which preceded 11 September, had considerable
impact. The issues raised by those disturbances have been reinforced
by international events and terrorism during the intervening years.
This may have had a significant negative effect in some communities.
It has also inspired positive efforts by local people to build
and strengthen relationships between cultural and faith communities.
We are very aware of the partial and impressionistic
nature of this submission. However, it represents a kaleidoscope
of perceptions from Catholics of considerable experience, from
different parts of the country, each of whom has been working
for some years to improve community relations in their local areas.
8 November 2004
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