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SearchToday in Islamophobia: In the UK, Shabana Mahmood, Labour’s secretary of state for justice and one of the first Muslim women to be elected to the House of Commons, has warned of an “explosion” in Islamophobia not being reported to police with reports indicating a 365 percent surge in anti-Muslim incidents across the country, meanwhile in India, according to reporting by The Economist Indian Muslims are becoming increasingly worried that the newly ratified Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) could be ultimately used to challenge their own citizenship status, and Chinese drone maker DJI is expanding in the U.S. with its first flagship store in New York City amid allegations of links to human rights abuses and ties to China’s military. Our recommended read of the week is by Dr. Majid Rafizadeh for Arab News on tomorrow’s two year anniversary of the International Day to Combat Islamophobia and the day’s significance amidst surging anti-Muslim and anti-Arab hatred across the globe. This and more below:
International
World must recommit to the fight against Islamophobia | Recommended Read
Amid the growing challenges of division and prejudice, International Day to Combat Islamophobia emerges as a vital catalyst for global unity and understanding. Designated by the UN in 2022, this day, observed worldwide annually on March 15, holds profound significance. It commemorates the anniversary of the Christchurch mosque shootings, a tragic event that claimed the lives of 51 innocent individuals during Friday prayers. As we mark this solemn occasion, it is important to reflect on the devastating consequences of hate and intolerance and recommit ourselves to combating Islamophobia in all its forms. This important day compels us to confront the harsh reality that Islamophobia is not merely a distant concern but a stark and present threat to individuals and communities around the world. By honoring the victims and survivors of the Christchurch massacre, we ought to acknowledge their suffering and affirm our collective responsibility to stand against bigotry and prejudice. read the complete article
World's Largest Drone Maker Expands in US Amid Rights Abuse Allegations
Chinese drone maker DJI is expanding in the U.S. with its first flagship store in New York City amid allegations of links to human rights abuses and ties to China’s military. DJI’s “first concept” North American store on New York’s Fifth Avenue welcomes customers into a futuristic, minimalist space to shop. The company describes itself on its website as “the world's leader in civil drones and creative camera technology.” "We continue to see growing consumer demand throughout North America as we expand our consumer product portfolio," said Christina Zhang, senior director of corporate strategy at DJI. Headquartered in Shenzhen, China, the company was founded in 2006. DJI, also known as Da Jiang Innovations, has become the world’s largest drone maker, having achieved global dominance in less than 20 years. The company now supplies 70% of the world's consumer drones and nearly 80% of U.S. consumer drones. read the complete article
United Kingdom
Sunak told to take Islamophobia seriously and 'get his own house in order'
Labour's Afzal Khan accused Conservative MPs of 'peddling far-right conspiracy theories on Islamists and Muslims taking over Britain'. Speaking at prime minister's questions, the MP for Gorton, Manchester said Rishi Sunak must accept the agreed definition of Islamophobia. The prime minister replied that he was determined to tackle extremism after a rise in people 'trying to hijack our democracy' read the complete article
‘Explosion’ of Islamophobic attacks not being reported to police, politician warns
Shabana Mahmood, Labour’s shadow secretary of state for justice and one of the first Muslim women to be elected to the House of Commons, has warned of an “explosion” in Islamophobia not being reported to police. It comes amid a 365 per cent surge in anti-Muslim hate incidents across the UK following Hamas’s attack on Israel in October last year. She said: “There’s been an explosion of Islamophobia since October 7 - but there’s also a huge underreporting of the issue.” “In my constituency, people report it to me but not the police. They kind of just put it down to the price you pay for being a Muslim in this country, (but) reporting is then what drives police policy, social policy and potential legislation. We all have a role to play.” Ms Mahmood made the comments after the recent screening of HIJABI, a documentary created by BAFTA award-winning filmmaker, Samir Mehanovic, at the House of Commons. read the complete article
UK’s new ‘extremism’ definition targets Muslims amid rise in Islamophobia and anti-Semitism
The UK government will today unveil a new definition of extremism which appears to target Muslims, despite an eruption of hate crimes against Jews and Muslims since the 7 October Hamas incursion in southern Israel. Critics say that the change risks infringing on freedom of speech. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak claimed that Britain’s multi-ethnic democracy is being deliberately undermined by both “Islamist” and far-right extremists, and more needs to be done to tackle the perceived problem. Anti-Semitic incidents rose by 147 per cent in 2023 to record levels, according to the Community Security Trust, a Jewish safety watchdog which receives substantial funding from the British government. Tell Mama, a group which monitors anti-Muslim incidents, and which also receives government funding, said last month that anti-Muslim hate crimes had risen by 235 per cent since October. read the complete article
India
India’s government implements a controversial citizenship law
Narendra Modi prides himself on getting things done. Yet when it came to implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act (caa), a campaign pledge of his Bharatiya Janata Party (bjp), his government dragged its feet. The rules for implementing the law, which offers persecuted religious minorities from some neighbouring countries an accelerated route to Indian citizenship, were published on March 11th, four years after it passed parliament. The law is controversial because it does not include Muslims. The government says that is because they are not a minority in any of the relevant countries. Yet some Indian Muslims worry the law could end up being used to challenge their own citizenship. Its exclusion of Muslims has certainly made it popular with the bjp’s Hindu-nationalist base. There is a suspicion its implementation was timed to rally Hindu voters ahead of a general election due by May. read the complete article