Somatic
03-03-07, 20:23
LONDON — A top Bosnian Muslim scholar is urging European governments to talk with not about their Muslims, warning that mounting Islamaphobia could eventually trigger a Muslim Holocaust.
"I think the European governments cannot speak anymore about Muslims," Mustafa Ceric says in an interview with BBC World Service radio to be aired this weekend.
"Europe must start speaking with Muslims and hear what they have to say and help them to make their place in society that is responsible, respectable and future looking."
The Bosnian scholar cautions that anti-Muslim sentiments, on the rise since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, could take violent turn.
"I wish that Islamaphobia that is now in Europe and in the West will not result in a Muslim Holocaust.
"Europe had this experience of anti-Semitism and Europe experienced Holocaust."
Ceric insists that while Europe said "never again" after the Holocaust, genocide had taken place in his home country.
The International Court of Justice this week recognized as a genocide the slaughter of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in 1995 by Serb forces in Srebrenica, then a UN safe haven.
"As Europeans we should not get into this adventure again," said Ceric.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Holocaust refers to "systematic state-sponsored killing of Jewish men, women, and children and others by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II."
Integration
The top Bosnian Muslim scholar also reserves some criticism for Muslims in Europe.
He exhorts them to do more to integrate into their societies.
Ceric insists that Muslims have to learn to interact more with the wider society and learn its values.
He believes that Muslims must learn about democracy not only within the larger context of the European community but within their own community.
The scholar cautions that unless this happens "Muslims will be in a position to fear what will happen in their future."
Integration has become a burning issue in Europe with right-wing and conservative governments vowing to expel the un-adaptive or deny access to foreigners failing culture tests.
In the Netherlands, would-be immigrants have to watch a film featuring a topless woman and gay men kissing to test their readiness to learn Dutch values and liberate in the country's liberal society.
A number of German states are further considering a lengthy cultural quiz that immigrants have to answer to get citizenship.
European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said recently that Europe should integrate all minorities, including Muslims who should not have to choose between their faith and European values.
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1172571498890&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout
"I think the European governments cannot speak anymore about Muslims," Mustafa Ceric says in an interview with BBC World Service radio to be aired this weekend.
"Europe must start speaking with Muslims and hear what they have to say and help them to make their place in society that is responsible, respectable and future looking."
The Bosnian scholar cautions that anti-Muslim sentiments, on the rise since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, could take violent turn.
"I wish that Islamaphobia that is now in Europe and in the West will not result in a Muslim Holocaust.
"Europe had this experience of anti-Semitism and Europe experienced Holocaust."
Ceric insists that while Europe said "never again" after the Holocaust, genocide had taken place in his home country.
The International Court of Justice this week recognized as a genocide the slaughter of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in 1995 by Serb forces in Srebrenica, then a UN safe haven.
"As Europeans we should not get into this adventure again," said Ceric.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, the Holocaust refers to "systematic state-sponsored killing of Jewish men, women, and children and others by Nazi Germany and its collaborators during World War II."
Integration
The top Bosnian Muslim scholar also reserves some criticism for Muslims in Europe.
He exhorts them to do more to integrate into their societies.
Ceric insists that Muslims have to learn to interact more with the wider society and learn its values.
He believes that Muslims must learn about democracy not only within the larger context of the European community but within their own community.
The scholar cautions that unless this happens "Muslims will be in a position to fear what will happen in their future."
Integration has become a burning issue in Europe with right-wing and conservative governments vowing to expel the un-adaptive or deny access to foreigners failing culture tests.
In the Netherlands, would-be immigrants have to watch a film featuring a topless woman and gay men kissing to test their readiness to learn Dutch values and liberate in the country's liberal society.
A number of German states are further considering a lengthy cultural quiz that immigrants have to answer to get citizenship.
European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso said recently that Europe should integrate all minorities, including Muslims who should not have to choose between their faith and European values.
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1172571498890&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout