PRESS RELEASE DARI HIZB UT TAHRIR TENTANG PERKEMBANGAN TERKINI LONDON BOMBING

BLEARS MISSION IS ABOUT PR NOT CONSULTATION

  

Home Office minister Hazel Blears started her mission to meet the Muslim community today. It follows a series of public relations disasters with the community, starting with Tony Blair's blame of Muslims for London's bombings before any evidence was brought. His meeting with twenty-five hand picked 'leaders' in the community for one hour, which gave them less than two and half minutes feedback each, exposed the government's insincerity in addressing community concerns. The 'shoot to kill' policy and racial profiling for 'stop and search' has increased mistrust amongst Muslims. The government needs to be seen to be listening to Muslim concerns.

But will they listen, or have they decided policy already. The evidence is the latter, that the decisions have been made and this is about managing community feelings. An article in The Guardian on 1 August 2005 mentioned the impending tour of Muslims by Ms Blears and detailed its conclusions in terms of policy proposals before the 'listening exercise' had even started. When she herself has been asked what she would like to hear, not surprisingly she wanted to hear about the already decided conclusions.

What is absolutely clear is that she does NOT want to discuss foreign policy, the war on Iraq and Afghanistan, and the on going interference in Muslim lands? The longer these issues are ignored, or even silenced, the greater frustrations will become locally and globally. The longer government insists on treating people who are loyal to the Labour leadership and who dare not rebel against policy as the representatives of Muslims, the more out of touch they will remain.

Our community needs to remain united, speak the truth to the politicians, whether they like it or not, and not be distracted by sweet talk and side issues aimed to deflect attention from governments own failings.

27 Jumada al Akhir 1426
2 August 2005