Headline News 21/02/2020

Headlines:

• Emmanuel Macron Vows to Win the Battle Against Muslims Creating Separate Communities in France

• Hanau Attack Reveals Poison of Racism in Germany, says Merkel

• Six Months Later, India Continues to Restrict Internet in Kashmir

Details:

Emmanuel Macron Vows to Win the Battle Against Muslims Creating Separate Communities in France

During a visit to a police station in a densely populated district of Mulhouse, in the east of the country, the French President said: 'The Republic must keep her promises. 'We must fight separatism because when the Republic does not keep her promises, others will try to replace it.' He added: 'We have decided to win the battle against Islamic separatism using education and the economy'. Pointing to 'communitarianism' – the creation of self-governing communities within the state – the premier said he was sick of hearing about children being taking out of school because of radical political ideas linked to Islam. Mr Macron said: 'We are here for a reason that we share with Muslims – that is the struggle against communitarianism.' And he added: 'We must fight against discrimination – we have to have a meritocracy everywhere.' France is a secular republic which does not compile official statistics about citizens' religion or racial origin. But Bourtzwiller, the district of the eastern city of Mulhouse which Mr Macron visited, is considered a security concern because of tensions linked to religious faith. In 2012, Bourtzwiller – which has a population of 15,000 – was designated one of 47 'Republican reconquest districts' where traditional French values were being challenged. This led to more police and security measures being deployed in the area, and stricter monitoring of radical preaches. Many of those living there in Bourtzwiller have links to former French colonies in North Africa, such as Algeria. There have also been concerns about the funding of the new £25million An-Nour Mosque and Islamic centre in Mulhouse, because around half of this sum is coming from the gas and petrol-rich state of Qatar. France has a Muslim population estimated at around six million – the largest in western Europe. There are frequent claims of discrimination against them, especially those living on housing estates in areas such Bourtzwiller. Parties such as the National Rally – which used to be called the National Front – are frequently accused of anti-Muslim prejudice, along with other right-wing parties such as the Republicans. Mr Macron has himself been accused of moving further to the right as he attempts to win voters from both parties. [Source: Daily Mail]

It is interesting to see Macron sacrifice pluralism for assimilation for French Muslims. Pluralism is meant to provide every minority group in mainstream society a space where their culture is respected not vilified. The West rarely acknowledges the failures and flaws in their secular liberal ideology—pluralism in impractical and cannot exist beyond imagination.

Hanau Attack Reveals Poison of Racism in Germany, says Merkel

Angela Merkel has said the murder of nine people in a shooting rampage by a suspected rightwing extremist has revealed the “poison” of racism and hate in Germany. The man, identified as Tobias Rathjen, 43, carried out attacks at two shisha bars in Hanau, a commuter town near Frankfurt, before killing his mother, bringing the death toll to 10, and then himself, police said. Investigators said he a “deeply racist mindset”, citing a video and a lengthy manifesto he had posted on social media.

Authorities said they were treating the attacks as an act of domestic terrorism. All nine of those killed at the shisha bars had an immigrant background, and at least five were Turkish, several of Kurdish origin, prosecutors said. Six others were injured, one of whom had life-threatening injuries. There were unconfirmed reports that a 35-year-old pregnant mother of two was among those who died. Merkel promised the state would stand up with “strength and decisiveness” to those who try to divide society. Campaigners for migrant rights in Germany said the attacks were indicative of widespread indifference shown by the state towards rightwing extremism despite evidence that it was on the rise. “If people are silent for long enough, then things like this will happen,” said Mehmet Daimagüler, a lawyer for victims of far-right terrorism. “You could have set the clock by this attack. People tell us they have learnt from Auschwitz, but this shows that sort of talk is just ‘blah, blah’.”[Source: The Guardian]

Merkel has got it wrong again. There is something deeply disturbing about the European mindset. It goes back to the Crusades, when Muslims were depicted as polytheists by the Papacy, and the Christian masses were mobilized into hating the Muslim world and joining crusader armies. Europe’s failure to acknowledge this fact means that leaders like Merkel and others view the far-right as an insurance policy to expel Muslims from European shores should the need arise!

Six Months Later, India Continues to Restrict Internet in Kashmir

Six months ago, the Indian government canceled Kashmir’s constitutional right to limited self-rule. Indian officials also began enforcing a ban on communications in Kashmir. Late last week, the government described the return of limited, slow-speed internet to the area as a step toward normalcy. But for the 7 million people who live in Kashmir, there are few signs of normalcy. They are only permitted use of government-approved websites.

Social media sites such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter remain blocked. And while users can visit YouTube and Netflix, the internet connection is too slow to watch online videos. Some Kashmiris are getting around the barriers by using VPNs, short for virtual private networks. Such services let users see restricted websites. But Indian officials are looking for stronger ways to restrict VPNs. “It’s still an internet shutdown,” said Nikhil Pahwa, an India-based digital rights activist. “Can you imagine this being done to Delhi?” The part of divided Kashmir that India controls was already one of the most militarized places in the world before last summer. Since then, even more troops have arrived. So have strong restrictions on civil rights and information. The government said it had to ban the internet to prevent anti-India protests by rebels fighting for independence or unification with Pakistan. Pakistan controls the other part of Muslim-majority Kashmir. [Source: Voice of America].

While Kashmir is physically and digitally isolated by Hindu zealots, the Islamic world continues to remain in a state of slumber. The inaction amongst leaders of the Muslim world speaks volumes about where their sincerities lie. The only solution to this problem is the rise of the Khilafah State (Caliphate), which will emancipate all occupied Muslim lands.