Wales: Plans for halal industrial park

Wales: Plans for halal industrial park


A venture capital firm is raising funds to launch Europe's first industrial park for Islamic goods, tapping an under-served market worth up to 4 billion pounds ($6.27 billion) a year in Britain, its chairman said.


The Super Halal Industrial Park (SHIP) will be based in South Wales and will take three to five years to launch, said Mahesh Jayanarayan, chairman of Halal Industries, who chose Wales for the project because of its meat industries and affordable land prices.


The cost of the project would be 150 million pounds -- a sum he plans to raise in the capital markets, by sourcing government grants and by finding anchor-partners like supermarket chains and multinational food manufacturers to "cement the deal," he said.


"If you look at some figures, the halal sector in the UK is worth between 2 to 4 billion pounds, the majority of that is imported," Jayanarayan said at the Reuters Islamic Banking and Finance Summit in London.


"You have 2.5 billion people on the planet eating halal food, directly or indirectly ... This halal market is not going away, it is not some fad," he said.


(...)


Europe has no Halal industrial parks, despite being home to millions of Muslims. SHIP will help to make the UK a landmark Halal center for the region, Jayanarayan said.


A successful first project could lead to further launches across Europe, possibly France and Germany and emerging Europe.


"We would prefer to go to places like Bosnia, where there's a large Muslim population and... we could seek EU grants."


(...)


The firm is also planning to set up an Islamic stock exchange in either London or Luxembourg to try to encourage the development of Islamic enterprise.


"We have a technical partner, a sharia board and we have identified a board of directors, but there is still a lot of work to be done (on the exchange)," said Jayanarayan.


The exchange would abide by Islamic law by restricting practices such as short-selling and the use of leverage.


Source: Reuters, h/t London Muslim

Amsterdam: Polder Mosque facing threat of closure

Amsterdam: Polder Mosque facing threat of closure


Financial worries may force Amsterdam's Polder Mosque to close its doors. The mosque's supporters have less than two weeks
to find 50,000 euros to pay off rent arrears owed to the housing corporation that owns the building. In contrast to many
other mosques, the board has refused to accept foreign money to keep the liberal mosque open.


The Polder Mosque opened 18 months ago and unlike other mosques, men and women pray in the same room and Dutch is used
exclusively. The liberal mosque ran into financial problems due to high running costs but chairperson Yasmine el Ksaihi is
confident that the Polder Mosque will manage to find the money and keep going.

video report.
 

Netherlands: Digital divorces

Netherlands: Digital divorces


At least two Muslim men in the Netherlands have terminated their marriages via digital technology, according to an Islamic scholar who spoke to Radio Netherlands Worldwide.


Shaikh Amer, a lecturer in Sharia Studies at Rotterdam's Islamic University, said he knew of one man who divorced via e-mail and one who sent a message via MSN. SMS text messaging is also used.


An orthodox Muslim man can repudiate his wife by saying the word "talaq" three times, usually in direct conversation with her, or in a written letter. Shi'ite men who want to divorce, however, need to supply two witness accounts of infidelity, in addition to saying the word. Under Islamic law, divorce is not legal until confirmed by a judge or an imam.

Critical Islamic scholars doubt whether the use of electronic media is secure enough. There is a considerable risk of fraud, they say. Shaikh Amer is not concerned that use of the new media will increase the number of divorces; there is still a social stigma attached to divorce, he said, pointing to the importance attached by sharia law to family life.



Source: RNW (English)

Germany: Lawmakers wants laws against FGM, forced marriage

Germany: Lawmakers plan new law and tough sentences for FGM

Elsewhere in Europe:
* Austria: Proposal for more severe punishment for religious crimes
* France: Minister proposes immigrant contract should include burkas, FGM


The upper house of parliament has announced plans to impose strict punishment for genital mutilation of women. The Bundesrat also approved a bill to improve pensions of Stasi victims in the former East Germany.


Members of the Bundesrat wants tough jail sentences for individuals found guilty of female genital mutilation.


The upper house has decided that the practice should constitute a specific legal crime under German law.


Under current legislation, genital mutilation is merely classed as aggravated assault with a maximum prison sentence of six months. The Bundesrat now wants to raise that to a minimum of two years.


Thousands of women in Germany, most of them immigrants, have suffered genital mutilation, which is still an active ritual in some parts of Africa and, to a lesser extent, Asia and Latin America.


High numbers of victims meant that Germany had to take action said the justice minister for the state of Hesse, Joerg-Uwe Hahn.


"The victims suffer all their lives from the physical and psychological effects of female genital mutilation," Hahn said.



The women's rights organization Terres des Femmes says some 20,000 cases of genital mutilation are known in Europe, with between 4,000 and 5,000 of these in Germany.



If written into law, the rules would also allow German prosecutors to punish genital mutilation abroad where the victim is a resident in Germany.


"The respect for foreign culture cannot mean that we here in Germany will allow physical and emotional injury to go unpunished," Hein said.


The Bundesrat has also repeated its commitment to make the arranging of forced marriages a criminal offense. The Bundestag has failed to make a decision on the issue in the past.


(more)


Source: DW-World

Finland: Killings just tip of honour violence iceberg

Finland: Killings just tip of honour violence iceberg


“It is a coincidence and good luck that nobody in Finland has been murdered for the honour of the family”, says Rewbar Karimi, an expert in honour conflicts working at the Finnish League for Human Rights.


He emphasises that it is in the interests of immigrants to speak openly about their problems. “Labelling all Muslims, or some groups of immigrants as oppressors of women does not do anyone any good.”


He feels that it would be better to talk about how to avoid the mistakes that have been made in other European countries.


Violence aimed at restoring the honour of a community made the headlines at the end of last year after Ibrahim Shkupolli killed his former girlfriend and four others.


Although Shkupolli was from a culture where a traditional concept of honour prevails, the shooting was domestic violence, and not an honour killing.


Karim says that honour conflicts are common in Finland among immigrants from cultures with traditional concepts of honour.


Violence linked with honour is not limited to murders, several of which have already been committed in Sweden, for instance. There is an array of coercion, isolation, as well as psychological and physical violence. The targets are primarily women and girls, but at times men who have violated the rules of their community are also victims.


The conflicts nearly always involve sexual morality.


“When sex morality is freer in the new culture than in the old culture of the immigrant family, the whole community feels threatened and starts to fear that something will happen.”


“Families try to protect girls to keep them from doing anything immoral. Girls face suspicions, and they want to show their family that they are moral”, Karimi says, describing how conflicts originate.


Pressure and threats are more common than physical violence. The pressure gets teenage girls especially to resort to extreme self control. They are afraid that they might hurt their family’s honour, and this causes anguish, depression, and suicidal thoughts.


In extreme cases, the girls are threatened with being sent to their home countries, or even with death, if the girl is suspected of having violated sexual morality.


For of fear of immoral behaviour, there are sometimes attempts to marry off the girls as early as possible. This results in pressuring, and forcing girls into marriage, as well as child marriages.


A religious marriage can be sealed even if the partners are underage. “I would be surprised if this never happened in Finland.”


(more)


Source: HS (English)

Hague: Book presentation canceled due to security fears

Hague: Book presentation canceled due to security fears


Math teacher Frans Groenendijk was supposed to present his book "Islamofobie?" (Islamophobia?) this Thursday in a hall in the World Forum in the Hague.  The congress center already checked if there was a need for something to eat or drink.  Everything appeared to be in order.

GroenLinks (Greens) parliamentarian Tofik Dibi was supposed to received the book - along with a former-Muslim woman and the chief editor of the leftist blog Sargasso.  Columnist Theodor Holman was supposed to have given an introduction.

But just before the weekend, Groenendijk got a mail from Michiel Middendorf, general director of World Forum, who wrote: "I can't honor your request to hold a book presentation in the World Forum.  I can't guarantee the security of my colleagues, your guests and yourself, and for this reason,  in my view, it's not responsible to let the event take place."

Middendorf explained to this paper: "We made this decision because of the subject of the meeting, Islamopobia."  He says that his organization would "like to offer a platform" generally speaking.  "Last year we ever offered accommodations to the international Afghanistan summit.  But then security was guaranteed by the state."

"It is not so," according to Middendorf, "that Islam is the only subject that involves security risks and it is also not so that we would have to turn down every meeting about Islam."  Why this than?  He doesn't want to go into it.  He also doesn't want to say if the fact that Groenendijk was very critical of Islam in his book and on the Internet, plays a role.

What should Groenendijk do now?  "Look for another location that's not afraid of it," says Middendorf.  "That doesn't sound hospitable, but if I'll make a wrong consideration about security, you'll call me up again afterwards."

Groenendijk was one of the PVV voters who at the beginning of July responded to the "Open letter to PVV voters" of GroenLinks parliamentarian Tofik Dibi.  The parliamentarian wanted to ally with 'all people who find freedom and equality just as important as I do".  It led to a conversation that both liked.

"A calm man, with a story," so characterizes Dibi Groenendijk.  "Somebody with a leftist background."

Groenendijk published the book on his own.  On the back cover, there's a anonymous rejection by a publisher who praised the book but feared for the reputation of his publishing company.

Dibi calls the book a "bit of a pessimistic image of the threat and fear of Mohammedanism, as he calls it, but sincere and well build.  I don't agree with him, but it's good to have that clash."

Groenendijk sent the World Forum a surprised and indignant mail.  He points out that the meeting was only for invitees and writes: "It's of course your right not to offer space for people which are disagreeable for you.  It's truly rather tasteless when you hide behind a completely fictional threat which supposedly comes from people of Mohammedan or extreme-leftist background."

Middendorf of the World Forum responded: "I take the liberty to end the discussion."

Dibi says it's beginning to be irritating that things are done out of fear.  "Thsu you make everything only worse."  He says he can't understand why the book presentation is such a risk.  "And if that is so, you can discuss measures, no?"  Dibi is now trying to find an alternative place.  "A lot of class," Groenendijk thinks of that.  "This really began with the assistance of left to right."

Source: De Pers (Dutch), h/t NRP

Denmark: Many schools making religious concessions

Denmark: Many schools making religious concessions



Although some politicians ire was raised over mothers only meetings, many schools make concessions based on a student's religion


Gender-segregated school meetings, special washrooms, prayer rooms and days off for holy days are just some of the concessions many of the nation's primary and secondary schools have been making for students of non-Christian religions.


According to a Politiken newspaper poll of 1,500 administrators at the country's 592 state-operated schools, around a third have been willing to modify their general practices to accommodate certain groups – in particular Muslims.


'We just try to take into account what is best for the children,' said Anders Balle, president of the national school principals' association. 'And if an extra day off for a religious holiday means that a family will look more favourably upon the school, then I see the move as a good one.'


Politiken took the survey after the issue made headlines recently when Holberg School in Copenhagen indicated it would start holding weekly 'mothers only' meetings. School administrators said this was because some Muslim fathers would not allow their wives to attend the regular meetings in the company of other men.


The decision was not a popular one for a number of MPs, who believed the move allowed the Muslim fathers to dictate how the school was operating.


But the new survey showed that Holberg School was far from unique in making exceptions to the usual way of doing things at the nation's schools. Regarding mothers only meetings, 26 of the schools polled indicated they have also had gender-divided parent meetings, though not always due to religious considerations.


Yet religious considerations are nonetheless widespread at the schools. Around one-quarter have special changing rooms – primarily for Muslim girls, but also for overweight students who say they are embarrassed by their appearance.


A third of schools give extra days off for religious festivals, such as the Muslim Eid.


(more)


Source: Copenhagen Post (English)

Berlin: Islam-related films look beyond stereotypes

Berlin: Islam-related films look beyond stereotypes



Terrorism, honor killings, fundamentalism and female oppression. The themes of films in the Berlin festival lineup this year could read like a series of banner headlines from Fox News. But instead of sensationalism and stereotypes, what competition films such as "On the Path" and "Shahada," Panorama title "When We Leave" and Berlinale Special entry "My Name Is Khan" offer are new images of Islam.



"It has taken nearly 10 years after 9/11, but these issues are finally going from the headlines into the cinemas," "Shahada" director Burhan Qurbani said. "These are things we have to talk about."


In "Shahada" (or "Faith"), which premieres Wednesday at the Berlin International Film Festival, three very different Muslims living in Germany struggle with their religious and cultural identities. The film looks at Islam's treatment of homosexuality and women's rights and the difficulty of being Muslim in a majority-Christian culture.


"I learned the Lord's Prayer before I learned (Islam's central prayer) the Fatiha," said the German-raised Qurbani, whose family is Afghani. "Partly, the film is about the contradictions in both cultures, about living in a culture to which one does not really belong. The twisting of identity."


Qurbani has experienced this "twisting" firsthand.


"The media cliches are so strong," he said. "I mean, I'm a Muslim and even I'm suspicious of Muslims. We are so lazy in just adapting the media's bits and bytes. So comfortable in our fear of this culture that we don't research and we don't ask questions. For me, my film is an attempt to engage with Islam and start a dialogue. To make people talk about Islam."


(...)


In "On the Path," which premieres in competition Thursday, director Jasmila Zbanic explores the trend toward Islamic fundamentalism in her native Bosnia. Liberal young Muslim Luna begins to question her love for her husband, Amar, when he abandons his hard-drinking ways and finds solace in the conservative Wahhabi sect. As with "Shahada," Zbanic's film peers deeper to find the real people behind the sensationalist headlines.


But perhaps the most surprising film dealing with hot-button Islamic issues in Berlin is "When We Leave," from Austrian first-timer Feo Aladag. The carefully crafted debut stars Sibel Kekilli ("Head-On") in a comeback performance. She plays Umay, a German/Turkish woman whose father decides to have her killed after her decision to leave her husband leads the community to shun their family. As the film makes clear, "honor killings," portrayed in the Western media as expressions of Islamic fundamentalism, have little to do with religious ideology.


"Honor killings are a lot older than Islam, than any religion," Aladag said. "There's nothing in the Koran about them. Calling them Islamic is a misuse of the religion."


"The treatment of Islam in the media is always black-and-white. Nobody really talks about it seriously," Zbanic added. Echoing the opinion of all the directors dealing with Muslim themes at this year's Berlinale, she noted, "I hope my film can start a dialogue. Up to now, we've just had yelling and shouting. I hope that the (Berlin Film Festival) audience will now be able to see both sides."


Source: Reuters (English)

UK: "Britain's underworld belongs to the Muslims"

UK: "Britain's underworld belongs to the Muslims"


IN traditional Islamic headgear, Asian ex-gang member Amir poses with his sword and issues the stark warning: "Britain's underworld belongs to the Muslims."


The 21-year-old, whose organisation turned over thousands of pounds a day from drug-dealing and credit card scams, claims a post-9/11 fear of terrorism has allowed Muslims to develop a stranglehold on our criminal community.


Through Islam, he says, they have numbers which cannot be matched, and rival gangs are being forced out by ruthless Islamic criminals who only deal with each other.


They recruit black and white members in Britain's jails, tempting them to convert to Islam in exchange for a cushier life inside.


Once released, the converted cons have access to an entirely new network of Muslim criminal contacts - and are trusted because they pray to Allah.


Amir claims that Britain's underworld will soon be completely dominated by Islamic gangs - and he says the West's paranoia over terrorism is to blame. "People don't f*** with us because they think we're all in al-Qaeda," he explains.


"Our status in the criminal hierarchy changed literally the day the Twin Towers went down.


"From then, Asians have been associated with terrorism. People, including other criminals, think if you're Asian you'll blow up a Tube train or bomb an aeroplane.


"In the past 20 years we've capitalised on that. If we're going to be thought of as extremists, why not use that fear?


"The reality is that Asian gangs don't give much of toss about religion, but with Islam comes fear, and with fear comes power.


(more)


Source: The Sun

Denmark: Senior Conservatives against anti-Muslim stance

Denmark: Senior Conservatives against anti-Muslim stance


The Conservative Leader Lene Espersen's attempts to bring calm to the party following Denmark's burka debate has failed according to Jyllands-Posten.


A group of seven leading party members have challenged Espersen on the issue of integration.


"We are members of an informal network and feel that we should not be competing with the Danish People's Party to see who can criticise Muslims the most," says Conservative Central Board member Peter Norsk.


Among other things, the network opposes Conservative proposals to ban prayer rooms in schools and to withdraw Danish nationality from immigrants found guilty of social fraud.



Following the party's heated debate on the burka issue, Norsk helped Espersen avoid a humiliating leadership battle at party conference after so far unfulfilled promises that an integration conference would be convened.


"I am certain that Lene Espersen doesn't lie to the Central Board, as in that case she wouldn't be party leader for much longer. So I hope that party leadership will keep its promise of an integration conference," says Peter Norsk, who has the support of several MPs and local counselors.


Party leadership rejects the criticism.


(more)


Source: Politiken (English)