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Memorandum from
the Muslim Council of
SUMMARY: · We believe that we need to have a strategy to tackle extremism and terrorism · The strategy should be placed under the National Security Strategy with more expert methods of dealing with security issues · The present CONTEST strategy is flawed, its structure and delivery leads to 'porblemtise' the whole Muslim communities. · There is a need to work with Muslim communities to increase their socio-economic life-chances as part of community development and community cohesion strategies distinct from CONTEST. · A stronger Muslim voluntary sector will ultimately lead to enabling equal partnerships, stronger position to proactively influence policy development. · The increased capacity of faith communities will contribute to social justice and community safety in local areas. INTRODUCTION The UK Government's current thinking on the CONTEST strategy is a welcome change. As reported in the media, John Denham, Secretary for Communities and Local Government and the community minister Shahid Malik, both asserted a broader thinking that the CONTEST 2 Strategy is about tackling radicalisation and extremism in all its forms including a focus on far right and neo-Nazis extremism. This clear policy shift away from defining the government's relationship with Muslim communities entirely in terms of tackling extremism while also developing a more explicit strategy to resist right wing extremism, needs to be welcomed. However we feel more can be done to address the concerns raised by Muslims to the detrimental effects from aspects of the CONTEST strategy. Response to the inquiry questions 1) We believe that the problem of violent extremism needs to be separated from 'problematising' the whole Muslim community as unfortunately the CONTEST strategy in its structure and delivery appears to be doing. In fact this "problematising" risks alienating Muslims and contributing to cases of 'violent extremism' against ordinary Muslim's in the shape of Islamophobia and people of other minority faith groups.
It is the opinion of the Muslim
Council of Scotland (MCS) that the CONTEST strategy needs to be placed under
the National Security Strategy rather than be placed within the context of communities/
community safety.
Whilst acknowledging that we need to deal with all forms of threats, the government could employ more discreet methods of dealing with security issues which do not leave people feeling anxious and fearful of others within their communities.
2) We are concerned that the Government's analysis is not
comprehensive enough and greater emphasis is given to Al Qaida inspired
terrorism, creating the assumption therefore that all terrorism is linked to
Muslims. We believe that there is a lack of emphasis on other terrorist threats
to the
In fact there has been a dangerous
increase in Islamophobia as a direct result of right-wing rhetoric and biased reporting
by certain sections of the media. They target the Muslim community as
harbourers of terrorists, and the Muslim way of life as being incompatible with
'western/ democratic' values. This has been exasperated by the recent onslaught
of groups such as the "English Defence League" and "Stop Islamisation of Europe"
who risk undermining the total fabric of society including vital work achieved
in community cohesion, and affecting all minority communities in
Foreign policy and international conflicts are increasingly recognised as a key source of discontent within all communities specially Muslim youths. However while the British Government continues to refuse even to acknowledge such a possibility the implications of our foreign policy remain. There is a dire need for ways of improving understanding through dialogue and research on the possible effects of our foreign policy nationally and globally. 3) In addition, the definition of terrorism needs to take into considerations other outwardly non-violent activities which are affecting people in the masses to the point of being terrified and exploited. In comparison to the threat of terrorism more people are affected on a day to day basis by the economic problems and the recession we are currently experiencing. Global warming and our attitude and behaviour to the environment are silent killers which will effect our future generations. Therefore the constant focussing upon the threat posed by terrorism takes our eyes off the longer term issues affecting us all which may be equally if not far greater matter of urgency.
4) Where it is recognised that some vulnerable young people may be influenced because they are disaffected due to disadvantages prevalent in BME communities and poverty. MCS believes the response to this issue needs to be in line with the Government's strategy on working with disadvantaged communities, so that vulnerable young people are viewed in a more holistic manner. Practical steps towards solution such as building and maintaining good community networks also need to be developed from a 'community-development' perspective.
5) If the aim of the Contest strategy is to reach those people who could develop the potential to commit acts of violence in the future, then it is very doubtful that this programme will reach them as they have become disengaged from the scope of this strategy. We ask the question how do you know who is going in that direction? Clearly in the cases of those who have been found guilty of committing acts of violence their profiles were of ordinary personalities.
6) Many of the programmes funded by PVE funding is about increasing awareness of the Muslim way of life, work with young people, and about building leadership and relationships across communities. These are all practical beneficial projects, however we believe that by defining them as PREVENT initiatives inappropriately links them to tackling terrorism rather than the more wholesome aim of community development and community cohesion. This method also plays into the hands of the far right who view the CONTEST strategy as only engaging with Muslim communities and emphasises them as the 'problem' community. Other faith and minority communities can also feel marginalised since they are equal partners in creating 'community cohesion'. The Muslim communities need to be seen as part of the wider spectrum of communities of interest taking responsibility. 7) There is concern that the Government is not getting information from the right sources. Government advisors may not be effectively linked into the communities and therefore a broader model of gathering information would be more beneficial. This may include building relationships with local activists, building local forums for discussion and debate reaching women and young people etc. The government needs to be prepared to listen to communities and not just listen to particular groups who echo the government thinking and/or do not actively may oppose it when it is not seen as the right one. Work with Muslim communities in
8) Whilst the objectives of the Prevent agenda is being delivered through a communication strategy, however this may be heard differently by Muslim communities as CONTEST is very much viewed with suspicion as a way of policing the Muslim communities. It is the opinion of MCS, that in fact the Muslim voluntary sector capacity is fragile and not well resourced and hence this weak infrastructure contributes to a less robust and reactive engagement with government and other structures. Whilst the CONTEST strategy has funding attached with it to build the resilience of communities to tackle extremism and radicalisation, in reality projects to build the capacity of communities need to be seen as a part of a broader development process with an attached funding element quite separate from allegiance to the CONTEST strategy. The present method is possible to be construed by many as ways to control and spy on their communities and can lead to solid development projects which happen to have funding from CONTEST finding it difficult to legitimise their work and gain credibility amongst communities.
Currently many statistical deprivation indicators and demographic/ health information suggests that particular ethnic groupings who happen to be majority Muslims are lagging behind in many socio-economic areas such as education and employment, therefore from this aspect supporting work to increase the capacity and life-chances of these particular communities sits well with government policies around social inclusion, discrimination and disadvantaged communities. Therefore there is confusion and no adequate differentiation between what should be achieved through the Prevent programme and the priorities that related but distinct, policy frameworks such as cohesion capacity building and integration.
September 2009 |