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SearchToday in Islamophobia: In Germany, authorities are now moving to deport foreign nationals for participating in pro-Palestine actions, mirroring the efforts of the Trump Administration to silence political speech, meanwhile in the UK, the government has confirmed the availability of funds for Tell MAMA — albeit under certain conditions — despite earlier reports showing that the state chose to cut funding for the anti-Muslim hate crime watchdog and in the United States, despite Israel’s brutal war on Gaza and rising levels of anti-Arab hate at home, Arab Americans are still celebrating Arab American heritage month which began earlier this week. Our recommended read of the day is by Rasheed Ahmed for The Diplomat on how India’s ruling BJP party has proposed a set of amendments which could be utilized to undercut the state-level waqf boards that govern waqf properties, transferring power into the hands of leaders hostile to Muslim Indians. This and more below:
India
Modi’s Waqf Bill a Potential Death Blow for Muslim Property Rights | Recommended Read
For centuries, Indian Muslims have managed tens of thousands of holy sites across India, stewarding properties such as mosques, madrasas, orphanages, and graveyards – endowments made by Indian Muslims over generations for the benefit of the community. These properties, known as waqf, are now under attack from India’s Hindu nationalist government. Waqf properties are foundational to Muslim life in India, providing an institutional foundation for alleviating poverty and improving literacy. These properties are now under attack, with India’s Hindu nationalist ruling party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi, proposing a set of amendments which could be utilized to undercut the state-level waqf boards that govern waqf properties, transferring transfer power into the hands of leaders hostile to Muslim Indians. The scale of the threat is hard to overstate. There are 32 state waqf boards throughout India, which collectively run more than 2,000 educational institutions and hundreds of health clinics, primarily for the poor. According to the Indian government, there are at least 872,351 waqf properties across India with an estimated cumulative value of 1.2 trillion rupees ($14.22 billion). Perhaps the most concerning waqf amendment is one that would eliminate the requirement that state-level waqf board members be Muslim and mandate the appointment of non-Muslims to the board. The move is not only an unprecedented deviation from the norms of other religious boards – Hindu, Jain, and Sikh endowments all require members of their respective faiths to govern – but could also pave the way for a hostile takeover of the boards themselves. read the complete article
United Kingdom
What the Tell Mama funding row means for UK anti-Muslim hate crime reporting
In mid-March, UK publication The Guardian reported that the British government had allegedly cut future funding for the region’s leading anti-Muslim hate crime watchdog, which was met with divisive opinions. Tell Mama, a monitoring group formed in 2012, has faced cross-party scrutiny over its reported affiliations, finances, quality of work, and authority. However, last week, the UK government confirmed the availability of funds for Tell Mama — albeit under certain conditions — leading to questions over whether this will significantly hinder the effective combatting of Islamophobic hate in the UK. According to the monitoring group, Israel’s 16-month assault on Gaza and the Southport murders, followed by far-right riots nationwide, triggered a surge in anti-Muslim hate crimes in the UK, documenting almost 11,000 cases over the past year alone, with 9,600 confirmed cases. The UK-based institution emphasised that anti-Muslim hate had reached record levels. Separately, police figures illustrated that Muslims were the most targeted religious community in England and Wales, accounting for 38 percent of discriminatory incidents recorded up to last March. Following the release of the report, accusations continued to mount against Tell Mama’s conduct. The Guardian stated that no grant had so far been issued to the organisation, which would lead to its closure. A bombshell article published by The Byline Times last year claimed that the UK watchdog significantly underreported incidents of anti-Muslim hate crime, with a 90% underreporting rate between 2017 and 2022. read the complete article
'Nothing we can't do': Gladiators' first hijabi contender aims to inspire
When Aneila Afsar first appeared on Gladiators, she made history. The popular BBC One show which pits gladiators against contenders in a series of physical challenges was rebooted last year and Aneila has made it to Saturday's semi-finals. She became the first person ever to compete on the show wearing a hijab and says she gains strength from wearing it. "I love that I have the opportunity to go on this iconic show and inspire young Muslim girls, women from my community, and show them that there's nothing we can't do," the 26-year-old tells BBC Newsbeat. Many Muslim girls and women wear the hijab, an Islamic head covering, as a symbol of modesty. Aneila hasn't always worn one, only choosing to cover her hair three years ago, and part of that was because she didn't see other hijabis within sports. read the complete article
Germany
Germany is now deporting pro-Palestine EU citizens. This is a chilling new step
A crackdown on political dissent is well under way in Germany. Over the past two years, institutions and authorities have cancelled events, exhibitions and awards over statements about Palestine or Israel. There are many examples: the Frankfurt book fair indefinitely postponing an award ceremony for Adania Shibli; the Heinrich Böll Foundation withdrawing the Hannah Arendt prize from Masha Gessen; the University of Cologne rescinding a professorship for Nancy Fraser; the No Other Land directors Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham being defamed by German ministers. And, most recently, the philosopher Omri Boehm being disinvited from speaking at this month’s anniversary of the liberation of Buchenwald. In nearly all of these cases, accusations of antisemitism loom large – even though Jews are often among those being targeted. More often than not, it is liberals driving or tacitly accepting these cancellations, while conservatives and the far right lean back and cheer them on. While vigilance against rising antisemitism is no doubt warranted – especially in Germany – that concern is increasingly weaponised as a political tool to silence the left. Germany has recently taken a chilling new step, signalling its willingness to use political views as grounds to curb migration. Authorities are now moving to deport foreign nationals for participating in pro-Palestine actions. As I reported this week in the Intercept, four people in Berlin – three EU citizens and one US citizen – are set to be deported over their involvement in demonstrations against Israel’s war on Gaza. None of the four have been convicted of a crime, and yet the authorities are seeking to simply throw them out of the country. read the complete article
United States
Despite genocide and hate, Arab Americans will celebrate our heritage
In 2021, Joe Biden became the first American president to officially recognise Arab American Heritage Month at the federal level. Contrary to popular belief, Arab Americans are not newcomers to this nation. Our story began in the early 1800s, when Arabs - mostly Christians - fled oppression under the Ottoman Empire. This region includes present-day Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Israel. Today, according to the Arab American Institute, "The majority of Arab Americans [which counts three to four million people] are native-born, and 85 percent of Arabs in the US are citizens." This annual commemoration matters on many levels. It affirms our place in the US and acknowledges our contributions to its greatness in countless fields. It also allows us to educate the public and challenge the racist stereotype that all Arabs are terrorists and uncivilised. However, since October 2023, Israel's war on Gaza - now in its 18th month - has laid bare how little regard this country has for Arab lives and voices. For many of us, what was once a joyful celebration of our heritage now feels overshadowed by the weight of mass killings and political betrayal. American foreign policy towards the Arab world has long been driven by racism or self-interest. The Nationality Act of 1790 limited citizenship to white immigrants, forcing thousands of Arab Americans to identify as white on federal forms. The Immigration Act of 1924 (The Johnson-Reed Act) established quotas to reduce immigration from Asia. Syrians and Lebanese were deemed racially inferior and unfit to migrate to the US. In the aftermath of 9/11, the US government cast Arabs and Muslims as a national security threat and subjected them to surveillance in violation of their constitutional rights. read the complete article