Search
SearchToday in Islamophobia: In the U.S., efforts to curb imports of cotton linked to forced labor carried out by Uyghur Muslims in China’s Xinjiang province is being undercut by a loophole large enough for companies to bypass, meanwhile in India, an interfaith wedding between a Muslim and a Hindu is called off in Maharashtra’s Vasai after a local TV broadcaster publishes a social media post targeting the wedding as an example of ‘love jihad’, and in France, MP Carlos Martens Bilongo is subjected to a racist comment on the floor of the national assembly by a newly elected member of the anti-immigration National Rally (RN). Our recommended read of the day is by Middle East Eye staff on Twitter’s new ‘Blue’ verification service which has resulted in “blue check-marks for far-right ‘extremists,” including anti-Muslim and pro-Trump influencers. This and more below:
International
Islamophobic far-right activists among wave of newly verified Twitter users | Recommended Read
Twitter's short-lived, revamped verification policy has churned out blue check-marks for far-right "extremists", according to a new report. Among those verified have been anti-Muslim and pro-Trump influencers. Previously, Twitter's verification process came at no cost to users and served to authenticate prominent accounts including those of government officials, celebrities and journalists. But between 9-11 November, the platform allowed any user to subscribe for the paid Twitter Blue service, and with it, obtain the coveted blue tick. Among newly verified accounts were far-right activists who push Islamophobic and anti-LGBT messaging, among other hateful ideologies. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), verified users now include Amy Mekelburg, known online as Amy Mek and dubbed a “major cog in the Islamophobia machine", who has for years pushed anti-Islamic rhetoric - including comics ridiculing Muslims and personal attacks against community leaders - in her Twitter feed. According to the Huffington Post, her followers have included Sean Hannity, Roseanne Barr and the personal account of Sara Huckabee Sanders - the White House Press Secretary under former president Donald Trump - and she has even earned the praise of Trump himself. Other newly verified users include Richard Spencer, who has been credited with coining the term "alt-right" and who called Islam a "black flag" that is "directed against Europe"; Jason Kessler, who SPLC calls a white nationalist; and Tanner Guzy, a supporter of the alt-right "Deseret nationalist" or DezNat movement. read the complete article
Uyghur Canadians call for tougher law against Chinese goods produced by forced labor
Uyghur Canadians are urging Parliament to strengthen proposed legislation so that it bans imports from China’s western Xinjiang region, where Chinese authorities have established mass detention camps and forced Uyghurs and members of other Muslim groups to work in factories and on farms. The United States has already erected tough barriers to imports from Xinjiang. According to Dolkun Isa, president of the World Uyghur Congress, an international advocacy group, this has resulted in China sending goods made with forced labour to Canada, instead. He said he suspects Chinese exporters are in some cases shipping goods here and then quietly moving them over the U.S. border, to avoid the American restrictions. In a letter to MPs on the House of Commons foreign affairs committee, the Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project, an Ottawa-based group, said the current legislation before MPs is “very weak” and needs to be improved. The law, already passed by the Senate, would require Canadian companies to report on what steps they’ve taken to identify the use of forced labour in their supply chains. “Simply put, a law that requires you to report on but not stop the harm you are causing is meaningless. Canada must enact legislation that would require companies to change their behaviour, and not just report on it,” says the letter, which was provided to The Globe and Mail. read the complete article
Is the Controversy over Qatar’s World Cup just More Orientalism and Islamophobia?
The entire Arab world is excited as one of the world biggest sports events, the FIFA World Cup is held in an Arab Muslim country for the first time. This excitement is because of decades of collective feeling of frustration with being portrayed by Western media as backward, uncivilized and savage. It is, therefore, not surprising that there is a campaign to discourage football fans from traveling to an Arab country. Admittedly, some critics of the Qatar World Cup there are sincere people with genuine human rights concerns. Let us, however, examine the issues raised by the press. White nationalist Rupert Murdoch’s right-wing British newspaper, The Sun published an article titled “…Only six percent of Brits believe Qatar should host 2022 World Cup. It highlighted issues like the high price of alcohol and accommodations. The newspaper suggested moving the tournament to England. Note that there have been forms of alcohol ban in Italy and France at World Cups. The Times cited issues about LGBTQ rights and the deaths of migrant workers who helped building the tournament venues. Yet the World Cup in Russia was not criticized despite the harsh treatment of LGBTQ persons there, and many World Cups were held in Western countries at a time when LGBTQ rights did not exist there. Migrant workers in Qatar have a lower fatality rate than they do in their home countries, though admittedly this statistic does not include infant mortality at home. It seems likely that the workers’ fatality rate as guest workers is similar to that in their countries of origin. Marc Owen Jones, an associate Professor in Middle East Studies at HBKU pointed out that Western media tends to report negatively on smaller, less powerful and less visible countries when they host major sports events. Moreover, when it comes to Arab and Muslim countries, Western media tend to represent them negatively. In comparison with the last world cup in Russia, the British press was more lenient with Russia and separated its coverage of the World Cup from Russia’s brutality. read the complete article
France: MP told to 'go back to Africa' in parliament says racism growing across Europe
When Carlos Martens Bilongo, a French parliamentarian, stood up in the national assembly this month to urge the country to help 234 migrants stranded at sea in the Mediterranean, a far-right MP shouted: "Let him go back to Africa." Gasps rippled across the parliament, with Bilongo's colleagues immediately calling the comment racist and demanding that Gregoire de Fournas, a newly elected member of the anti-immigration National Rally (RN), be kicked out. Bilongo himself calmly retorted: "No way!" Even by French standards, such open racism was shocking, and parliament was quickly suspended. "The comment made me feel sad," said Bilongo recalling the incident in his first interview outside France. "I was shocked to hear such language in the French parliament. However, I stayed calm and didn't move. It was so terrible to hear that." Born and raised in Val-d'Oise, northern France, to parents of Congolese and Angolan origin, Bilongo said the racist comment speaks to a growing and more strident discourse amongst the far right, now the third-largest party in parliament. "I was talking about the situation in the Mediterranean on the request of the SOS Mediterranee, an NGO that had rescued 234 migrants for which Italian authorities had refused safe passage, when the extremist white nationalist member spoke out," said Bilongo. "The French parliament is not normally like that - just the white nationalists are like that." Bilongo is unbowed and does not underestimate the challenge ahead. "The problem is Europe-wide, not one contained in a single country. You have extremist nationalist parties in Italy, France and Austria, but not only there," he said. The new far-right, populist government in Italy led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has made it a point to take a hard line against migrants. It was the decision of Meloni's government's to stop migrants rescued in the Mediterranean from landing in Italy, violating international law, that led Bilongo to call for the French government to step in and save them. read the complete article
China
Shein’s Cotton Tied to Chinese Region Accused of Forced Labor
A US attempt to ban imports of cotton linked to forced labor in China contains a loophole large enough for a multibillion-dollar business to pass through: clothing from Shein, the Chinese online retail giant and social-media phenomenon that ships fast-fashion apparel directly to consumers. Laboratory testing conducted for Bloomberg News on two occasions this year found that garments shipped to the US by Shein were made with cotton from China’s Xinjiang region. The results bring new urgency to concerns about the retailer, which stars in endless TikTok “haul” videos with young customers showing off their purchases. read the complete article
United Kingdom
Fatima Cates: The forgotten woman who helped build British Islam
When Francess Elizabeth Murray was born in 1865 into a strict Christian household in Liverpool, few would have imagined her life would see her help found the UK's first recorded mosque and become Fatima Cates, the first known woman to convert to Islam on British soil. Yet for all the significance of her life, she was almost forgotten after her death. Her grave in the city's Anfield Cemetery lay unmarked until Hamid Mahmood, who founded a madrassah school named after her in London, set about trying to locate it. He said he was driven by a desire to highlight Fatima's "courage" and the impact of women among "endless resources" about men. "Here is a woman who refused to conform, who stood up for what she believed in," he said. His success in locating her grave led Amirah Scarisbrick, who, like Fatima, converted to Islam, to raise funds for a new headstone. "I've been a Muslim for 21 years and we've all had our challenges navigating and converting to Islam - some more than others," she said. "Many of the converts understand her struggle with Islamophobia and family. We need to honour those role models." read the complete article
‘Scotland must stop being in denial about Islamophobia’: Leading Scots Muslims warn of growing hostility in classrooms, workplaces and on the streets
Scotland is in denial about anti-Islamic prejudice, with slow progress being made to combat hateful abuse and discrimination, influential Scots Muslims warn today. Omar Afzal, of the Scottish Association of Mosques, said more must be done to tackle the issue and the misconception that anti-Islamic hate is not a problem north of the border. He spoke out during Islamophobia Awareness Month, a national campaign aiming to raise awareness and highlight the positive contributions of British Muslims, and criticised the decision of the UK Government to abandon an attempt to define Islamophobia. Afzal, whose concerns were backed by both the Muslim Councils of Britain and Scotland, said: “Tackling denial is very important. To wilfully choose not to define the problem is a form of outright denial that Islamophobia even exists. “The report of the Inquiry into Islamophobia in Scotland smashed the idea of Scottish exceptionalism – a type of denial that recognises Islamophobia exists but believes it’s not as prevalent or pervasive here. The report shows how deep-rooted, structural and systemic discrimination against Scottish Muslims is and how it manifests itself in everyday life.” The report, which surveyed 447 people and organisations across the country, identified key trends, with more than three-quarters of Muslim respondents feeling Islamophobia is becoming worse, rising to 82% of people in Glasgow. read the complete article
Michael Gove urged to crack down on hate crimes against Muslims by adopting formal Islamophobia definition
Michael Gove is facing calls to crack down on worsening hate crimes against Muslims by reconsidering the Government’s failure to adopt a formal definition of Islamophobia. In 2019, the Government had indicated it would seek to establish a working definition of Islamophobia in order to tackle the problem. However, this has reportedly been halted in recent months, with Communities Secretary Mr Gove having spoken out against the proposed definition in the past. Sarah Owen, Labour’ shadow minister for faith, and Afzal Khan, parliamentary chair of the Labour Muslim Network, wrote to Mr Gove urging him to use Islamophobia Awareness Month in November to tackle the mounting problem. They pointed to “shocking” recent Home Office data showing that recorded incidents of hate crimes against Muslims in the UK rose by 42 per cent in the year ending March 2022. “Hate crime against our many Muslim communities in the UK continues to be damaging and shameful – but too often it goes unreported, due to difficulties in identifying this particular type of religious and racial discrimination,” they said. “A country cannot fully tackle an issue it cannot define.” The pair called on Mr Gove to “seize the moment of this month to finally adopt the APPG [All-Party Parliamentary Group] for British Muslims’ definition of Islamophobia.” read the complete article
How growing up with Islamophobia shaped my faith
I was seven years old when the 9/11 attack happened in the US: old enough to be aware of it, but not old enough to truly understand its gravity and the impact it would have on the international climate for Muslims in the years to come. I didn’t have the term to describe the hate and ignorance of my faith that was so prevalent in my childhood and teenage years. But I did begin to recognise it as a familiar feeling of unease that enveloped my whole self, and left me feeling small and confused. Growing up as a teenager and forming your own sense of self is already messy and hard, even without the addition of attempting to make sense of your faith too. We often think of Islamophobia as an external force on Muslim communities, which, of course, it is: 42% of religious hate crimes in England and Wales target Muslims, according to Home Office figures. But there’s another layer. When this hateful force is a constant battle you’re facing, it begins to wound and seep through your skin. The Islamophobia I was having to deal with, which was mostly based in ignorance, became an internal struggle. read the complete article
MPs brand Hindu activist 'divisive' as tensions brew around Leicester protest
Supporters of a leading Hindu activist accused of being a ‘divisive’ figure have prompted fears of renewed community tensions after planning to stage protests in Leicester. Rashmi Mishra is accused of aggravating tensions between the Hindu, Muslim and Sikh communities. One Labour MP withdrew his patronage from her Indian charity after it was accused of publishing offensive tweets about a fellow parliamentarian and members of the Sikh religion. Now her supporters are planning to stage a protest in Leicester, where tensions between Hindus and Muslims had already led to violent clashes in September. They are angry at what they claim is a bias against Hindus shown by Leicester City Council and Leicester University’s Centre for Hate Studies over who was to blame for the disturbances. In a series of WhatsApp messages Ms Mishra’s supporters state: “Leicester Uni has to be next” and ask “are we going to Leicester?”, stating the action should take place soon. But there are now fears that any protest of this kind could again raise tensions between different faith communities in the city. read the complete article
India
Interfaith wedding function cancelled after Suresh Chavhanke’s ‘love jihad’ tweet
Twitter's short-lived, revamped verification policy has churned out blue check-marks for far-right "extremists", according to a new report. Among those verified have been anti-Muslim and pro-Trump influencers. Previously, Twitter's verification process came at no cost to users and served to authenticate prominent accounts including those of government officials, celebrities and journalists. But between 9-11 November, the platform allowed any user to subscribe for the paid Twitter Blue service, and with it, obtain the coveted blue tick. Among newly verified accounts were far-right activists who push Islamophobic and anti-LGBT messaging, among other hateful ideologies. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), verified users now include Amy Mekelburg, known online as Amy Mek and dubbed a “major cog in the Islamophobia machine", who has for years pushed anti-Islamic rhetoric - including comics ridiculing Muslims and personal attacks against community leaders - in her Twitter feed. According to the Huffington Post, her followers have included Sean Hannity, Roseanne Barr and the personal account of Sara Huckabee Sanders - the White House Press Secretary under former president Donald Trump - and she has even earned the praise of Trump himself. Other newly verified users include Richard Spencer, who has been credited with coining the term "alt-right" and who called Islam a "black flag" that is "directed against Europe"; Jason Kessler, who SPLC calls a white nationalist; and Tanner Guzy, a supporter of the alt-right "Deseret nationalist" or DezNat movement. read the complete article
Gujarat poll: BJP workers welcome Yogi Adityanath with bulldozer rally, hail demolishing Muslim houses
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was welcomed with bulldozers and chants of “bulldozer baba” and “Jai Shree Ram” as he arrived in Gujarat’s Morbi on Saturday. He was campaigning for the upcoming Gujarat Assembly election in Morbi’s Wankaner. During the bulldozer rally, Hindutva party workers chanted anti-Muslim slogans. They hailed Yogi’s demolition policies, saying “Yogigi should repeat it towards Mullas (Muslims).” While campaigning for the BJP, the Hindutva figure mentioned Ram Mandir and the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. “Would Ram Mandir be standing today if it was Congress rule? Narendra Modi ji and Amit Shah discarded Article 370 from Kashmir,” said Yogi Adityanath. Three JCBs were parked at the entrance of Yogi Adiyanath’s meeting venue in Morbi as a BJP worker Hiren Parekh introduced Adityanath as “bulldozer baba”—an apparent reference to his government’s drive to free properties of Muslims and other marginalized groups. In recent years, bulldozers have become a weapon in the hands of Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) governments across India to destroy the homes and livelihoods of the Muslim community. read the complete article
Misogyny, bigotry and everything else that went wrong with Shraddha Walkar case coverage
The anchors faulted the victim for making independent choices as an adult woman, commenting on her choice of partner. They emphasised that Shraddha had met Aftab through a dating app and lived with him against her family’s wishes. The ticker on Rubika Liaquat’s ABP News show declared Shraddha’s relationship with Aftab as no more than a “trap” set by him – a wink to “love jihad”, the Hindutva conspiracy theory that Muslim men in droves are luring Hindu women with the express aim of converting them to Islam. In a melodramatic monologue, the anchor also stated that she was angry with Shraddha for choosing her partner over her parents. Anchors across TV news channels proclaimed the growing popularity of online dating as a cause of youth unemployment and moral apathy. Sudhir Chaudhary of Aaj Tak, on his show Black & White, proclaimed that ‘‘relationships are for sale” on dating apps. “It’s suspected that this dating app may also be at the root of this murder,” he said, lamenting that a growing number of young men and women in India were using Bumble, the dating app through which Shraddha and Aftab had met, and declaring it a cause of the moral demise of India’s youth. “Where is the Indian youth headed?” he asked agitatedly, referring to the 10 crore Indians with the dating app installed. The primetime TV stars didn’t just have a problem with Shraddha’s choice of using a dating app. Worse yet, they stressed repeatedly she had chosen to be in a relationship with a Muslim man. Her murder, then, they implied, was the result of her less-than-sanskari choices. Republic Bharat went to the extent of airing a “social worker” Preeti Pande’s unsolicited advice to “India’s daughters”. “Daughters” must stay alert, she said. “The person you are befriending, is he a jihadi? Will he shred you into 35 pieces after hiding his name, religion to become friends with you?” Here it was again, the lurking spectre of “love jihad”, which, while demonising Muslim men, casts Hindu women as weak-willed and feeble-minded and lacking agency and the ability to make their own choices. read the complete article