Saturday 21 November 2009 – To mark Universal Children’s Day and International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
View report, video footage and photographs of the Rally here
SHOW YOUR OPPOSITION TO SHARIA LAW AND ALL RELIGIOUS-BASED TRIBUNALS IN BRITAIN, IRAN, IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN, SOMALIA AND ELSEWHERE
DEMAND AN END TO CULTURAL RELATIVISM AND RACISM
DEMAND ONE SECULAR LAW AND UNIVERSAL RIGHTS
DEFEND THE RIGHT TO ASYLUM FOR THOSE WHO HAVE FLED SHARIA
Saturday 21 November 2009 afternoon
Central London Rally - North Carriage Drive in London’s Hyde Park
Please take into consideration underground closures on the day
Confirmed speakers: Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain’s Asad Abbas; Poet ‘AK47;’ Musician Fari B; International Humanist and Ethical Union’s Roy Brown; Secularist Ismail Einashe; Singer/Songwriter David Fisher; Philosopher AC Grayling; Southall Black Sisters’ Rahila Gupta; Journalist Johann Hari; MP Evan Harris; Poet ‘Lilith;’ Organisation of Women’s Freedom in Iraq’s Houzan Mahmoud, Lawyer Cris Mccurley; Lawyer Rony Miah; Campaigner Maryam Namazie; Writer Taslima Nasrin; British Humanist Association’s Naomi Phillips; European Humanist Federation’s David Pollock; Iranian Secular Society’s Fariborz Pooya; National Secular Society’s Terry Sanderson; Poet Selina aka ‘Jus1Jam;’ Activist Muriel Seltman; Equal Rights Now’s Sohaila Sharifi; Organisation for the Defence of Secularism and Civil Rights in Iraq’s Issam Shukri; Iran Solidarity’s Bahram Soroush; Human Rights Campaigner Peter Tatchell and National Secular Society’s Keith Porteous Wood.
Simultaneous acts of solidarity and support for the rally and its aims will take place in countries across the world including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Hungary, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Kenya, France, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Serbia and Montenegro, Sweden, Switzerland and USA. (To organise an act – however small – contact us; right now acts taking place are groups or individuals handing out leaflets, organising a petition, holding rallies, issuing a statement on Sharia and so on.)
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I wish I could be there but I’ll be back in Jamaica with ma bruv dat day, he’s also a member of da AIM so he’s disappointed too innit. But we fully support what you’re doin with this and we really wanted to be there with da AIM to represent. I know our protest poets will do justice to da event. If you need any help wit anythin hit me up though.
Respect to Maryam Namzie, da One Law For All peeps, Britain’s Council of Ex-Muslims and all da other folks worldwide who are down with equality, secularism and justice. Big up to Hussain Muradi. I been reppin him for days so I’m real glad he got out of da IRC. Yout have ma continual support!
Will see you there on 21st Nov!
Unfortunately, I live in a country as a foreigner, and this country has a very intolerant “secular” government. Why intolerant, because it is a small country and effectively controls its population. Anything that may disrupt “racial harmony” will be taken down by force, and therefore there is no real freedom of speech. Anyway it’s a very quiet country that has many races in it, all of whom live “harmoniously” together in a societal level, but you can’t expect that anywhere in a family level. The neighbouring country is an Islamic country, and a rather large group of Muslim adherents there is in the silent plans to attack us and other non-Islamic countries. Yet this country that I stay in, is not aware of the danger at all. What to do? There is no “Sharia-detecting radar” anywhere in our highly technologically-advanced defense systems.
Hello, I am from India. I also don’t support the Sharia Law. It’s very inhumane. I live in the Orissa State of India. The capital of which is Bhubaneswar. Do you know any person who lives near my house and supports this cause ? Please inform I want. I am still unemployed, If I had been earning I would have definitely donated for this cause.
How is it that Muslims voted for Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey and the Malaysian Government, both of whom are Islamising their countries and bringing in sharia law? The people must want it if they voted these governments to power.
Similarly in Egypt where the Islamic government is perpetrating genocide against the Copts. How can Muslim voters be labelled “victims”, if they are the ones electing governments to power that strengthen sharia law?
Before the 7/7 bombings 60% of Muslims polled in Britain wanted sharia law. That figure dropped to 40% after 7/7, but even this is a significant amount. Many of us believe the first figure to be nearer the mark.
Let’s hope your rally is not cancelled like SIOE’s looks like it is to be. Have you thought about inviting Geert Wilders to speak?
Thank you for your comments and questions. I have received a large number of emails too and will try and respond briefly to one every day until our rally on November 21.
Let me begin by responding to the one from the Stop Islamisation Of Europe (SIOE).
Of course there is much to say about them and their racist politics – and don’t worry – I will.
For now, however, suffice it to say that I find it comic how they – and the likes of the English Defence League or the British National Party – don’t see their affinity with the Islamists and the political Islamic movement.
Stephen Gash’ statement is a great case in point.
The Islamists blame Westerners for Western government policies – no matter how many of them come out and say ‘not in our name.’ For the Islamists, all Israelis are fair game; so is every single man, woman and child in America and so on and so forth. That’s why they target buses and discothèques. They too say that the people in the West elected those governments and therefore must be held accountable. In the world according to them, the people in America elected Bush so they deserved September 11; the people in Britain elected Blair so 7/7 was fair game.
And in the world according to the likes of Stephen Gash, the millions languishing under and resisting Sharia law deserve what they get no matter how many are killed, tortured, burnt, stoned and hung from city squares…
As an aside, that is also why Geert Wilders will never be invited to speak at our rallies; he represents that very way of thinking that scapegoats and blames millions for a regressive right wing political Islamic movement that was actually brought to centre stage by Western government policy during the Cold War. For an analysis on his film, Fitna, see here: http://maryamnamazie.blogspot.com/2008/05/on-fitna-movie.html. You can also see Fitna Remade by Reza Moradi here: http://www.fitna-remade.com/Pages/fitna-remade.html
BTW if you want to read on, here is a good interview I did with Bahram Soroush and Fariborz Pooya on racist parties and racism: http://maryamnamazie.com/tv/on_racist_parties_and_racism.html
Until tomorrow then
Maryam
Margaret writes: I wanted to sign your online petition against Sharia Law in Britain, but the wording has put me off. It says “all religious laws are arbitrary and discriminatory against women and children in particular.” In the case of my own religion this is not so. It may very well be true of some, or indeed many, religions but I cannot agree that it is true for all and do not feel that I can sign my name to something which says that, even though I would dearly love to sign a petition against Sharia Law in this country. I would be betraying my own beliefs if I signed something with such a sweeping blanket statement which I know to be untrue. Is there any way in which you could amend this statement?
Maryam responds:
From our perspective, Islam is no different from other religions. You can find just as much misogyny, cruelty and inhumanity in the Bible, Torah or other religious books as you can in the Koran. And in my opinion Islam, Christianity and Judaism are fundamentally no different from Scientology or Moon’s Unification Church, which are considered cults endangering social and personal development.
Of course, today – as we speak – there is a distinction to be made between religion in general and Islam in particular but for no other reason than that it is the ideology behind a movement that is, in many places, part and parcel of the state, the law, criminal so-called ‘justice’ system, judiciary, and educational system.
It is the difference between Christianity during the inquisition to one we see for example in Europe today. A ‘moderate,’ ‘reformed’ or ‘cuddlier’ religion is one that has been pushed back and reigned in by an enlightenment. And not before.
To read more about what I think about this, click on a speech I made on the subject here.
***
The petition, which has already been signed by over 18000 people can’t be amended – the whole point of it is to focus on Sharia law but aim to get rid of all religious law in this country – just as the successful campaign against Sharia did in Ontario Province in Canada.
I am now off for a meeting and will be in Trafalgar Square at 1730 for an act of solidarity with the people of Iran with other volunteers. We are going to focus on child executions today.
Until tomorrow then,
Keep well.
Maryam
I think it is crucial to add this demand:
“STOP CHILD EXECUTION IN IRAN”, Just Yesterday Behnoud Shojaee was executed.
” Behnoud Shojaee was executed; We need to raise our voice even louder
Despite enormous objections around the world, “Behnoud Shojaee was executed early this morning in Tehran’s Evin prison.
He was convicted of murdering another boy by the name Omid 4 years ago. At that time he was 17 years old.
His execution had been halted five times earlier, due to international pressure and attempts by his lawyer and other human rights defenders.
Last night, hundreds of people had gathered outside the Evin prison, in hope of being able to make authorities to postpone the execution once again.
However, after more than four years prison, Behnood Shojaee was hanged early this morning.” Human Rights report.
….
Abbas Goya”
Danny writes in an email: I have been an avid supporter of your cause – not allowing Sharia law to affect our own. But in your previous e-mail, I felt you were encouraging your members to support secularism, I could not do this, given that I am a Christian… I am a definite supporter of your cause, but now I’m not sure what to think, or what you truly oppose! Hope you can clear a few things up for me, Thank you for your time and kindest regards.
Maryam Namazie replies: Thanks for your email. I don’t see why you cannot be a Christian and a secularist at the same time. There are many, including Christians and Muslims, who are both. Secularism is the separation of religion from the state. It has nothing to do with your private beliefs. In fact, often times, a secular state is the best guarantee that your freedom of religion or atheism won’t be violated. For example, if you live in an Islamic state, what happens if you are a Muslim who wants to drink and have sex outside of marriage, and or is gay? What about all the other religious groups or atheists living there? Even if you are of the same religion as the state, there is no guarantee that your version of your religion will be the one the state adheres to. So even in a place like Britain, which is still far from a secular society, the state allows religious groups exemptions to discriminate against those they don’t accept. A good case in point is a homeless gay man being refused entry into a church-run shelter. Of course Britain today is a very different place from the times of the inquisition but in my opinion the extent to which religion is part of the state, educational system, or judicial system – whatever religion – that is the extent to which people in general suffer.
The promotion of secularism is an important vehicle to protect society from religion’s intervention in people’s lives, especially in the face of religion’s rising access to power.
I know nowadays, secularism is often portrayed negatively and that comes out in your letter. But this is just not true. Religion excludes whilst secularism is inclusive and ensures that a sect or group does not impose its beliefs on all. That a person’s religion is a private affair.
This has also been clearly stated in our manifesto, which says: ‘Rights, justice, inclusion, equality and respect are for people, not beliefs. In a civil society, people must have full citizenship rights and equality under the law. Clearly, Sharia law contravenes fundamental human rights. In order to safeguard the rights and freedoms of all those living in Britain, there must be one secular law for all and no Sharia.’
You can read more about my position on secularism in this article called Faith and State, getting the balance right: http://maryamnamazie.blogspot.com/2007/02/faith-and-state-getting-balance-right.html.
Hope this helps clarify things.
Until tomorrow then.
I am a muslim and and i remain fundamentally opposed to shari’a law anywhere in the world. My big worry is that your campaign is being hijacked by the extreme right in this country who are planning not only to attend your demonstration but use it as an “add on” to their violent anti-muslim campaign that is already under way in many parts of britain. I have already seem several messages on facebook where extreme right wingers are urging people to attend your event. I myself wont be there because of work commitments but i just urge you to be on the guard against these racists.
Thanks for your comment Anwar. First off, if racists and fascists come they will be kicked out. Full stop. The few who tried to join our last March 7 rally were made to leave by organisers and they will be told to do so again. You can see video footage of our March 7 2009 rally and seminar here to see how well it all went off: http://www.onelawforall.org.uk/one-law-for-all-campaign-against-sharia-law-in-britains-international-womens-day/
You are right in saying that the extreme right has hijacked this issue but NOT our campaign and there is a big difference between the two. The BNP, English Defence League, Stop Islamisation of Europe and all the other big and small racist and fascist groups are using Sharia in order to promote their racist, anti-immigrant and inhumane agenda. But that is doubly why we must take centre stage. We have to come to the fore because Sharia is unjust and because we need to make sure that in the ensuing battle human rights, dignity, and humanity are upheld. All demands for change involve social movements pushing for them. That is why the world today is better in many ways than that of the Middle Ages the Islamists are trying to drag us back into. But if we stay silent because of the far-right, we shirk our responsibilities and duties. And we leave the stage open for them and the Islamists. I am sorry but I just won’t allow that.
Let me put it this way, just because the pope is opposed to the death penalty, doesn’t mean I will stop opposing it because he is regressive. Just because Iran is against the US, doesn’t mean I will start supporting the brutal US militarism. We have to start by doing what is right and we have to make sure that we show the world that we are the majority. A society in which the far-right has the upper hand is not that different than the one in which the Islamists do. So I would hope you would take off from work on November 21, that you’d encourage people to come and that in any forum where you see the far-right encouraging people to come, you would send us the links so we can go there and tell them not to bother.
This rally is just as much against them as it is against the Islamists. It is just as much about a better society for us here in Britain as in the rest of the world.
Hi Sorry I didn’t get a chance to post my comment here for October 15, 2009. Here it is:
Lorraine writes: I saw something in the Daily Express (http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/134080/Now-Muslims-demand-Give-us-full-Sharia-law) today about a planned demonstration by an organization called Islam4UK for 31st October, in London. It is in support of the demand that full sharia law be introduced throughout Britain, whether for non-Muslims as well as Muslims isn’t clear. I wondered if you had any views/further info’, and whether a counter-demonstration by One Law for All might be planned?’
Maryam Namazie responds: Thanks for your email. No we won’t be holding a counter demonstration. I don’t think that is very useful when it comes to dealing with fascists such as Anjem Choudary and the Islamists organising this rally. They have to receive a political response, which is what the One Law for All campaign and others are trying to do. The Daily Express article says they hope to bring 5,000 ‘Muslims’ to Trafalgar Square. As I have said before, it is not ‘Muslims’ who will be coming out but the Islamists. Despite Britain being a stronghold for that movement I doubt they could get so many even if they manage to mobilise the embassy staff of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Saudi Arabia and so on.
Our response is not to counter demonstrate on the 31 – but to carry on doing what we are doing – building a movement, mobilising people (we already have over 18000 signatories to our petition), raising awareness on why Sharia law is a tool of political Islam and not the desire of ‘Muslims,’ organising rallies such as the November 21 one, and planning an upcoming seminar in March 2010 with lawyers, campaigners and politicians to draw up our recommendations for how we can get rid of Sharia law, as well as efforts at the European level by the National Secular Society and so on and so forth.
I do hope you will be coming to the rally and telling everyone you know about it – we need to show that the Islamists are a minority – we know they are – but we have to show it.
Just as an aside about a statement in the Daily Express article by Tory MP Philip Davies who said: “The simple solution is for these people to move to a country which already has sharia law.” I am sorry, but in countries that have Sharia – people there are busy trying to get rid of the Islamists in power – like in Iran. Please don’t export yours there too – deal with them here. Stop appeasing the political Islamic movement; stop political relations with Islamic states, stop funding Islamic organisations and stop fragmenting society into a million pieces and start treating everyone living here as equal citizens…
Sana from Pakistan writes: ‘How lucky u guyz are at least you can protest and voice your opposition against the injustice [of Sharia law]. Pity on us.’
Maryam Namazie responds: Thanks so much for your email Sana. Our protest is just as much against Sharia in Pakistan as it is in Britain, Afghanistan, Somalia or elsewhere. The political Islamic movement is a global one; and opposition to it is global too. When we take to the streets in Britain, Iran, Afghanistan or elsewhere we do it for all of us – and not out of despair – but out of the hope and possibility for a better and different world.
In Pakistan, there are many who are protesting too. Below are some good contacts for you to have just off the top of my head – they will direct you to others who are organising. You can always begin by contacting them via email and the internet. They include: Women against Fundamentalism, A high court judge who is campaigning to get rid of state religion, Civil Society organisations that call for repeal of blasphemy laws, Shirkat Gah and Chay magazine on Sex, sexuality and Pakistan. I will send you links to them via email.
Hope the above is useful. Please keep in touch and keep strong.
Maryam
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Here is another response to Sharia law related questions, comments and emails:
‘I’m Betty- Ibtissame LACHGAR, rights activist in Morocco. You have maybe heard about our Movement for Defence of Individual Liberties (MALI) and the buzz in Ramadan? I really want to meet u.’
Maryam Namazie responds: Hi Betty, it would be wonderful to meet you. I’ll be sure to highlight the brilliant work you are doing there. It would be great if you could send a message to the November 21 rally protestors that we could read out on the day. I look forward to working closely with you and supporting you in any way possible. Best wishes, Maryam
***
In case you haven’t yet heard, Betty-Ibtissame and Zineb El Rhazoui are the co-founders of MALI. They have just been barred from leaving Morocco to attend a conference in Paris and were told by border police that they are on a ‘wanted’ list. Their crime? Organising a public daytime fast break at the city of Mohammedia during Ramadan (Sunday, September 13). Breaking the rules of fasting is forbidden for Muslims in Morocco and can be punishable by a sentence of one to six months in prison and fines of almost 100 euros, according to Article 222 of the Moroccan Penal Code. To protest against ‘this interference in private life,’ MALI organised a fast-breaking protest. According to Zineb: ‘Our aim was to show that we are Moroccans, but that we do not fast, and that we have a right to exist.’ They were besieged by the police. The Official Moroccan Council of Ulema (theologians) denounced the protesters and described them as ‘agitators.’ Some of the group members were arrested and subjected to death threats via e-mails.
until tomorrow then,
Maryam
Nader from Iran writes: ‘With all respect, the pressure and fear from Sharia is both on men and women. Every man also has to accept and submit as every woman does. Islam is the only religion today that teaches fear as the first lesson. Rule number 1 is fear for all. As such it is even more dangerous than any disease or drug. Every word I write is stating a fact and in no way discriminating against anyone. I say discriminating is most when you know and do not say anything because of fear.’
Maryam Namazie responds: Thank you for your email. Yes Nader of course you are right. Sharia law affects men, women and children. Today for example 5 people (4 men and 1 woman) were executed by the Islamic Republic of Iran. Many of the minors on death row in Iran are boys. Men are also stoned to death for sex outside of marriage, are harassed for improper dress – for example if they are wearing a T-shirt, tie or have long hair and so on.
But you must accept that women are very often the first line of attack under Sharia and all religious laws. And the attack on them is usually most visible – for example the fact that they must be veiled in public, they must be segregated, they must enter via different entrances into public buildings and so on. Or here in Britain, women are a majority of those attending Sharia courts and councils because men have the unilateral right to divorce under Sharia and they don’t.
But having said that, just because we are highlighting the problems with Sharia by focusing on women or children doesn’t mean we are denying that Sharia is not a problem for men. In fact our demands are gender neutral – we are calling for an end to Sharia and all religious courts and councils (and not just for women). We are using the opportunity of Universal Children’s Day and the International Day against the Elimination of Violence against Women to do so. In the past, we have marked the International Day against the Death Penalty to highlight Sharia and apostasy and will continue to mark internationally known days to bring attention to this issue. I hope this better explains our position.
***
Just as an aside, given your comment on Islam, let me also add that I think all religions teach fear. Islam seems the most dangerous today because of the political Islamic movement. To read more about this, click on a speech I made on the subject here.
DJM writes: Would have liked to have attended [the November 21 rally] – but am highly aware of the problem that violence against MEN is deemed somehow acceptable – and cannot therefore attend the march. It is a well known fact that violence against men (even in the home environment) is at least as large a problem as domestic violence against women – and yet no organisation speaks out against the feminist propaganda that says that only men are violent. There are no shelters for battered men – indeed – no recourse against female violence against men at all – including the police who do not take these issues seriously. I totally support the elimination of violence – for everybody – but will not attend in support of a female only (the organisation of which is highly anti-male) anti male hate group.
Maryam Namazie responds: I think I have addressed your comments in general in the above response to Nader. But I must say one thing: I think it absurd logic that you find a defence of women’s or children’s rights to be ‘anti-male’ and our organisation an ‘anti-male hate group!’ If I am to be completely frank, I think the problem is not so much that we are – as you say – ‘highly anti-male’ but that you are highly anti-woman.
Dear Maryam ;
Well done for organising an anti sharia demo, I aim to make it and hope as many people from different walks of life can get there.
Apart from the important issue of sharia law, if you’re organisation believes in one law for all, why not also campaign to ban the burqah ? – aside from being an instrument of women’s repression and the fact it covers up womanly beauty, if you or I went around the streets wearing a ski mask and nazi uniform or a ku klux klan robe and pointy hat we would very quickly be arrested, why should islamists be above the law ?
Additionally , why not also campaign to ban male circumcision ? it is illegal for the rest of us to have plastic surgery, body piercings or tattoos until we are over 18 – why should fundamentalists force this silly and barbaric practise on children ? Given that you are also campaigning for children’s rights this is an important issue.
Female circumcision/genital mutilation is correctly illegal in the UK, but one hears reports of the law being ignored or sidestepped by parents taking their kids to Somalia etc to have it done, surely this should be looked into ?
yours blasphemeously
Antony
Diane writes: Whilst I agree with stopping any form of Sharia Law here, as far as I can see it’s the United Against Fascism group who are in bed with Islamists, not the far right. They defend radical Islam.
Maryam Namazie responds: Yes of course Diane, the Left such as the Socialist Workers’ Party and George Galloway defend Islamism – and of course some more than others. Even so, the far-right – my enemy’s enemy – doesn’t make a friend.
But that doesn’t mean that I think the sad excuse of much of the European Left is any better (even though I myself am on the Left).
It is an anti-colonial movement whose perspectives coincide with that of the ruling classes in the so-called Third World. This grouping is on the side of the ‘colonies’ no matter what goes on there. And their understanding of the ‘colonies’ is Eurocentric, patronising and even racist. In the world according to them, the people in these countries are one and the same with the regimes they are struggling against just as the ‘Muslim community’ here is one and the same with reactionary Islamic organisations, Sharia councils, and parasitical imams. Which is why at Stop the War Coalition demonstrations, they carry banners saying ‘We are all Hezbollah;’ at meetings they segregate men and women and urge unveiled women to veil out of ‘solidarity’ and ‘respect’.
This type of politics denies universalism, sees rights as ‘western,’ justifies the suppression of rights, freedoms and equality under the guise of respect for other ‘cultures’ implying that people want to live the way they are forced to and imputing on innumerable people the most reactionary elements of culture and religion, which is that of the ruling class.
In this type of politics, the oppressor is victim and any criticism racist…
I suppose the whole point of the One Law for All Campaign is to create an alternative space for decent people to resist in a way that does not inadvertently bed them with the fascists or the Islamists and their apologists.
In all of this Diane, you need to choose where you will stand in the battle that lies ahead.
I hope you will choose to be out and about on November 21.
***
To read more of my criticism of cultural relativism, click here.
To read more of my criticism of the far-Right and European Left, see my open letter to anyone who will listen
James writes: ‘Just signed the petition, very much support it but there is a problem which is that the Jewish community already have the same idea [Jewish Beth Din] and it’s in place and [I understand] legally recognised … if they have it then the argument against Sharia is weakened, the battle needs to widen and include the Jewish law courts and get those stopped.’
Maryam Namazie responds: The One Law for All Campaign is opposed to all religious councils and tribunals including the Beth Din. If you look at our petition it calls for an end to all of them. But we’re focusing on Sharia because it is something close to our hearts and experience (at least for those of us who started the campaign), because Sharia courts are a tool of the political Islamic movement and also because Sharia courts are more prevalent.
The International Campaign against Sharia Courts in Canada did that too (http://www.nosharia.com/). They focused on Sharia though they were opposed to all types of tribunals and they succeeded in getting rid of them all. That is exactly what we aim to do here.
I was actually a speaker at the first public meeting against Sharia law in Canada. To see my speech there, click here.
Hope this clarifies our position.
which law should muslims adopt your laws?
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read how islam will win the
clash of civilization.
http://www.xanga.com/hfghj23458654fgha