- Islamophobia not restricted to 1 area, says Pakistani envoy.
- He says it is getting used as avenue for political development.
- Akram urges govts to make sure their legal guidelines mirror non secular tolerance.
UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan, talking on behalf of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), referred to as on the world group to behave “decisively” in countering the rising incidents of Islamophobia and different manifestations of anti-Muslim hate, bigotry and intolerance, because the UN Basic Meeting marked the Worldwide Day to Fight Islamophobia on Friday.
“Our intention have to be to advertise a collective effort to fight Islamophobia with unity and empathy,” Everlasting Consultant of Pakistan to the UN Ambassador Munir Akram informed the 193-member meeting, which additionally heard solidarity messages from UN Secretary-Basic Antonio Guterres and the UNGA President Philemon Yang.
“We must always decide to utilising the optimistic messages of peace, justice, tolerance and compassion that Islam — and certainly all religions — supply to fight Islamophobia and all different manifestations of hate, bigotry and intolerance,” mentioned the Pakistani envoy
In 2022, the meeting adopted a decision, co-sponsored by Pakistan, designating March 15 because the Worldwide Day to Fight Islamophobia, which he referred to as a “defining second” because the world lastly recognised the hazard posed by this menace.
The day was celebrated because the Muslim world was observing the holy month of Ramadan.
“Islamophobia just isn’t restricted to 1 area — it’s resurgent within the West and the East,” Ambassador Akram mentioned, talking for the OIC.
“Islamophobia is now getting used as an avenue for political development and recognition, feeding the worst human instincts of worry, prejudice and hate. In some nations, Muslims are being systematically marginalised and suppressed,” he added.
On this regard, Ambassador Akram urged governments to make sure that their insurance policies and legal guidelines mirror an unambiguous dedication to spiritual tolerance; media and disinformation are usually not used to gas hate; no regulation is weaponised to curtail Muslim identification or discriminate in opposition to Muslims; and no citizen of any State is relegated to second-class standing based mostly on their religion.
“No nation can declare to be a real democracy whereas it systematically alienates and marginalizes its Muslim residents,” he mentioned.
Stating the implications of non secular intolerance, mass expulsions, inquisitions, pogroms and genocide, the Pakistani envoy mentioned, “Right this moment, Islamophobic postures, insurance policies and actions observe the identical harmful — hate and intolerance have proliferated in latest occasions, particularly in opposition to Muslims.”
“We witness political narratives that search to exclude, disenfranchise, and demonise Muslims — even in societies which have acted as champions of tolerance, pluralism, democracy and human rights.”
The manifestations of Islamophobia, he identified, embrace a number of acts of desecration of Islam’s sacred symbols and websites; defamation of its revered Prophet Mohammad (PBUH); the suppression of Muslim identification — corresponding to hijab bans; the marginalisation of and discrimination in opposition to complete Muslim communities.
“In lots of locations,” he added, “prejudice in opposition to Muslims is being stoked somewhat than suppressed; resentments are being revived somewhat than reconciled; and discrimination is being legitimised by insurance policies and pronouncements.”
On this context, he cited the Christchurch bloodbath of March 15, 2019 and slaughter of Muslims in different area as “vivid illustration of Islamophobia, hatred and racism.”
Ambassador Akram thanked the UN chief for indicating his intention to appoint Miguel Moratinos, a senior Spanish diplomat and the pinnacle of UN Alliance of Civilisation, as his Particular Envoy on Islamophobia.
“We name for the early approval of the monetary sources required to allow the secretary-general and his particular envoy to implement the provisions of this Basic Meeting decision on combating Islamophobia.”
The OIC, he added, appears to be like ahead to working with the secretary-general and his particular envoy to develop a plan of motion to fight Islamophobia.
Such a plan of motion may embrace: a definition of Islamophobia and its manifestations, a mechanism to observe and compile acts of Islamophobia, a template for nationwide laws criminalising acts of Islamophobia, an accountability mechanism in addition to media and training programmes to counter Islamophobia and propagate tolerance and concord in societies.
Ambassador Akram additionally expressed appreciation for the efforts of some western nations — together with Sweden and Denmark — which have enacted legal guidelines to deal with Islamophobia — together with criminalisation of acts of desecration of the Holy Quran, and to make sure that freedom of expression just isn’t misused to propagate hate and intolerance.
He famous that Canada has appointed a particular consultant to fight Islamophobia, whereas the USA launched a nationwide technique in opposition to anti-Muslim hate. Australia additionally appointed a particular envoy to advertise interfaith dialogue.
“We urge different nations to observe go well with,” he mentioned.
In the meantime, the ambassador mentioned the UN Secretary Basic will quickly appoint a particular envoy to guide efforts in the direction of combating Islamophobia.
In his message on the Worldwide Day to Fight Islamophobia, Ambassador Akram mentioned Pakistan and the OIC nations will work with the secretary-general and his particular envoy to develop a concrete plan of motion to fight Islamophobia.