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[[Tony Blair]] was given the Islamophobe of the Year award.[http://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=1657] |
[[Tony Blair]] was given the Islamophobe of the Year award.[http://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=1657] |
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====Award to Ariel Sharon for |
====Award to Ariel Sharon for "interview"==== |
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{{seealso|Ouze Merham}} |
{{seealso|Ouze Merham}} |
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During the [[2003]] award ceremony, [[Ariel Sharon]] was announced as the "winner" of the "Most Islamophobic International Politician of the Year’," for an interview allegedly given in [[1956]] |
During the [[2003]] award ceremony, [[Ariel Sharon]] was announced as the "winner" of the "Most Islamophobic International Politician of the Year’," for an interview allegedly given in [[1956]]. The interview's authenticity has never been verified and it is believed by many to be a hoax.<ref name = "JP">{{cite web |
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|url= http://www.jewishpress.com/displaycontent.cfm?contentid=16857&mode=a&contentname=Tracking_Down_Those_So-Called_Quotes&recnum=0§ionid=14 |
|url= http://www.jewishpress.com/displaycontent.cfm?contentid=16857&mode=a&contentname=Tracking_Down_Those_So-Called_Quotes&recnum=0§ionid=14 |
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|title= Tracking Down Those So-Called Quotes |
|title= Tracking Down Those So-Called Quotes |
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|publisher= [[The Jewish Press]] |
|publisher= [[The Jewish Press]] |
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</ref> |
</ref> The quotation was circulated in the Arabic media,<ref> |
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*{{cite web |
*{{cite web |
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|url= http://www.islamonline.net/english/News/2002-04/01/article14.shtml |
|url= http://www.islamonline.net/english/News/2002-04/01/article14.shtml |
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|publisher= [[Gulf News]] |
|publisher= [[Gulf News]] |
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</ref> |
</ref> and by several small media outlets in the [[United States]], including the ''[[Daily Illini]]'', a student newspaper at the [[University of Illinois]].<ref> |
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*Sobh, Mariam. [http://www.illinimedia.com/di/dec03/dec11/opinions/stories/opinions_column02.shtml "Stop turning a blind eye"], ''[[Daily Illini]]'', December 11, 2003. |
*Sobh, Mariam. [http://www.illinimedia.com/di/dec03/dec11/opinions/stories/opinions_column02.shtml "Stop turning a blind eye"], ''[[Daily Illini]]'', December 11, 2003. |
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*[http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=22&x_article=651 "Anti-Israel Venom at University of Illinois Paper"], [[Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America]], March 24, 2004.</ref> |
*[http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=22&x_article=651 "Anti-Israel Venom at University of Illinois Paper"], [[Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America]], March 24, 2004.</ref> The student columnist subsequently apologized.<ref> |
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*Passner, Deborah. [http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=6&x_article=676 "University of Illinois Columnist Fully Apologizes"], [[Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America]], April 26, 2004. |
*Passner, Deborah. [http://www.camera.org/index.asp?x_context=6&x_article=676 "University of Illinois Columnist Fully Apologizes"], [[Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America]], April 26, 2004. |
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*{{cite news |
*{{cite news |
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</ref> |
</ref> In an interview for Australian television, Arzu Merali, organizer of the Islamophobia awards, defended IHRC's decision to go ahead with the "award" even though the alleged interview had not been corroborated, and indicated that he could "dig up the verification" for the Australian journalist.<ref>" |
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'''Stephen Crittenden''': No prizes for Australian audiences guessing that the prize for the most Islamophobic international politician went to Ariel Sharon last year, but I was rather shocked to see that on your website, Ariel Sharon is nominated for an interview in which he described wanting to burn Palestinian children and encouraging his soldiers to rape Arabic girls, and describing Palestinian women as ‘slaves for Jews’, all of which you say yourselves on your website, comes from an interview that can’t be verified for its authenticity. |
'''Stephen Crittenden''': No prizes for Australian audiences guessing that the prize for the most Islamophobic international politician went to Ariel Sharon last year, but I was rather shocked to see that on your website, Ariel Sharon is nominated for an interview in which he described wanting to burn Palestinian children and encouraging his soldiers to rape Arabic girls, and describing Palestinian women as ‘slaves for Jews’, all of which you say yourselves on your website, comes from an interview that can’t be verified for its authenticity. |
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<br> |
<br> |
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'''Arzu Merali''': Well you know, I can take that further with the people who researched that, but pretty much everything that went out last year was well researched. If you want, I’ll go out and dig up the verification for you. I’m happy to do it.<br> |
'''Arzu Merali''': Well you know, I can take that further with the people who researched that, but pretty much everything that went out last year was well researched. If you want, I’ll go out and dig up the verification for you. I’m happy to do it.<br> |
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[http://www.abc.net.au/cgi-bin/common/printfriendly.pl?http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/relrpt/stories/s1132229.htm The Religion Report], Stephen Crittenden, Noel Debien, [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]], [[June 9]], 2004.</ref> As of 2008 the IHRC website still contained the disclaimer that the alleged interview had not been confirmed.<ref name |
[http://www.abc.net.au/cgi-bin/common/printfriendly.pl?http://www.abc.net.au/rn/talks/8.30/relrpt/stories/s1132229.htm The Religion Report], Stephen Crittenden, Noel Debien, [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation]], [[June 9]], 2004.</ref> As of 2008 the IHRC website still contained the disclaimer that the alleged interview had not been confirmed.<ref name="islamophobiaAwards2003">[http://www.inminds.co.uk/islamophobia-awards-2003.html The Annual Islamophobia Awards], Islamic Human Right Commission, [[May 31]], 2003.</ref> |
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==Controversy== |
==Controversy== |
Revision as of 21:48, 24 March 2008
The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) is a non-profit organization that campaigns against what it sees as violations of the human rights of Muslims. The group is based in London and was established in 1997.
Funding and philosophy
According to Awaaz South Asia Watch, an organisation that monitors religious fundamentalism in South Asia/South Asian communities, IHRC is considered be a neo-Khomeinist organisation and is rumoured to have received funding from the office of Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme leader of Iran. According to Awaaz, IHRC is part of a corpus of right-wing Islamist organisations "which adhere to the ideology of the ‘absolute rulership of the clerics’ and ‘Islamic government’ advocated by Khomeini and developed by other representatives of political Shi’ism. The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) in the UK can be said to represent an association with this kind of ideological influence".[1]
According to the Stephen Roth Institute:
The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) is a radical Islamist organization that uses the language and techniques of a human rights lobbying group to promote an extremist agenda. Formed in 1997 by its current chairman, Massoud Shadjareh, the IHRC supports jihad groups around the world, campaigns for the release of convicted terrorists and promotes the notion of a western conspiracy against Islam.
Shadjareh and the IHRC subscribe to the radical Islamist belief that Jewish conspiracies are afoot to undermine Muslims, and they compare Jews and Israelis to Nazis. Members of the IHRC’s board of advisors have even called on Muslims to kill Jews. They include the Saudi Islamist Muhammad al-Mas‘ari and Muhammad al-‘Asi, an American convert to Islam who was banned from preaching at his mosque in Washington, DC, and has been a frequent visitor to Britain.[2]
The IHRC opposes the banning of the Islamist Hizb-ut-Tahrir party and feels that the adoption of sharia law is a legitimate religious idea.[3]
Activities
After a BBC documentary broadcast on July 15, 2004 exposed very strong anti-Islamic opinions within the far-right British National Party, the IHRC has campaigned for the prohibition of that party.[4]
The IHRC has on a number of occasions organised joint statements with various Islamic groups about British terror legislation, and has collaborated with prominent civil liberties lawyers Gareth Peirce and Louise Christian.[3] The commission organizes the annual Al-Quds Day demonstration in London, initiated by Ayatollah Khomeini.[5]
On August 3, 2006, the IHRC asked for judicial review of its allegations that the British government assisted with military shipments to Israel,[6] which was eventually denied.[7]
The IHRC also held the "Annual Islamophobia awards" ceremonies from 2003 to 2005.
Annual Islamophobia Awards
The Annual Islamophobia Awards were awards given annually from 2003 to 2005 by the Islamic Human Rights Commission to politicians and journalists whom the Commission judged to have expressed the most Islamophobic opinions in the course of the past year.
In 2005 nominees included Charles Clarke, Sir Ian Blair, Colin Bundy, Natan Sharansky, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, Hosni Mubarak, Islam Karimov, Thaksin Shinawatra, Sophie Panopoulos, John Howard, Vladimir Putin, Nicolas Sarkozy, George W. Bush, Oprah Winfrey, and Daniel Pipes. Winners were Ian Blair, John Howard, Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, Vladimir Putin, and George W. Bush.
Tony Blair was given the Islamophobe of the Year award.[1]
Award to Ariel Sharon for "interview"
During the 2003 award ceremony, Ariel Sharon was announced as the "winner" of the "Most Islamophobic International Politician of the Year’," for an interview allegedly given in 1956. The interview's authenticity has never been verified and it is believed by many to be a hoax.[8] The quotation was circulated in the Arabic media,[9] and by several small media outlets in the United States, including the Daily Illini, a student newspaper at the University of Illinois.[10] The student columnist subsequently apologized.[11] In an interview for Australian television, Arzu Merali, organizer of the Islamophobia awards, defended IHRC's decision to go ahead with the "award" even though the alleged interview had not been corroborated, and indicated that he could "dig up the verification" for the Australian journalist.[12] As of 2008 the IHRC website still contained the disclaimer that the alleged interview had not been confirmed.[13]
Controversy
During the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, the British press reported that IHRC Chair Massoud Shadjareh asked "his followers" and "British Muslims" to provide financial assistance to Hezbollah, and called for the occupation of Israel and "regime change" by Hezbollah on self-defence grounds. He was also reported wrapped in a Hezbollah flag at a rally in Trafalgar Square in 2005.[14][15][16] In a press release issued in response, the IHRC denied having advocated terrorism.[17] Shadjareh defended having worn the Hezbollah flag as "neither uncommon nor controversial among human rights activists,"[14] and the IHRC asserted that pictures of rabbis with the flag had not been met with a similar response.[17]
See also
External links
Notes
- ^ Template:PDFlink, Awaaz South Asia Watch, June 2006. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
- ^ Antisemitism And Racism, 2005 United Kingdom Report, Stephen Roth Institute. Retrieved July 2, 2007.
- ^ a b United to protect our rights, IHRC appeal, September 8, 2005
- ^ BNP Fascists Must be Banned, IHRC press release, July 15 2004
- ^ IHRC's Al Quds Poster 2005
- ^ IHRC Commences Legal Proceedings against British Government over Military Shipments to Israel, press release, IHRC, August 3, 2006
- ^ Leave denied to judicially review British government’s assistance with military shipments to Israel, press release, IHRC, August 23, 2006
- ^ Hollander, Ricki (November 10, 2004). "Tracking Down Those So-Called Quotes". Media Monitor. The Jewish Press. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - ^
- ""I Don't Know Something Called International Principles: Sharon"". News. Islam Online. April 1, 2002. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - Haque, Israrul (April 7, 2005). "The world's No.1 terrorist". The Nation. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help) - Rahman, As'ad Abdul (December 4, 2004). "As'ad Abdul Rahman: Jews use media as a weapon". Gulf News. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
{{cite web}}
: Check date values in:|date=
(help)
- ""I Don't Know Something Called International Principles: Sharon"". News. Islam Online. April 1, 2002. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
- ^
- Sobh, Mariam. "Stop turning a blind eye", Daily Illini, December 11, 2003.
- "Anti-Israel Venom at University of Illinois Paper", Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America, March 24, 2004.
- ^
- Passner, Deborah. "University of Illinois Columnist Fully Apologizes", Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America, April 26, 2004.
- Newbart, Dave (December 9, 2004). "Chancellor: U. of I.'s student paper spews anti-Semitism // Official says he will fund rival publication if training not improved". Chicago Sun-Times. p. 4. Archived from the original (Abstract) on Unknown. Retrieved 2008-03-24.
The latest furor erupted after the newspaper published a letter to the editor last month in which a student claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon once said he wanted to 'burn every Palestinian child.' Although the quote has been widely disseminated, Jewish groups say there is no evidence Sharon ever made the statement. Wednesday, the paper's editors apologized for running the 'inaccurate information.' What's most disturbing, some said, is the same quote appeared in an opinion piece by student columnist Mariam Sobh last year. In the spring, Sobh admitted the quote was false and apologized.
{{cite news}}
: Check date values in:|date=
and|archivedate=
(help)
- ^ "
Stephen Crittenden: No prizes for Australian audiences guessing that the prize for the most Islamophobic international politician went to Ariel Sharon last year, but I was rather shocked to see that on your website, Ariel Sharon is nominated for an interview in which he described wanting to burn Palestinian children and encouraging his soldiers to rape Arabic girls, and describing Palestinian women as ‘slaves for Jews’, all of which you say yourselves on your website, comes from an interview that can’t be verified for its authenticity.
Arzu Merali: Well you know, I can take that further with the people who researched that, but pretty much everything that went out last year was well researched. If you want, I’ll go out and dig up the verification for you. I’m happy to do it.
The Religion Report, Stephen Crittenden, Noel Debien, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, June 9, 2004. - ^ The Annual Islamophobia Awards, Islamic Human Right Commission, May 31, 2003.
- ^ a b Fanatic's cash aid call by Harry Macadam, The Sun August 24, 2006
- ^ Hezbollah cells await Iran’s orders, by Melanie Phillips, The Spectator
- ^ MI5 fears Hezbollah terror attacks in Britain by Jason Lewis, The Mail on Sunday July 22, 2006
- ^ a b Statement regarding libellous articles in The Mail on Sunday and The Sun, IHRC, 25 August, 2006