Liberal Muslims in the network LIM believes conservative Muslims have come to dominate the public in Norway. Now they go on the barricades to say that they are not offended by the cartoons.
Sylo Taraku, Tina Shagufta Kornmo and Shakil Rehman is all originally from Muslim countries. they believe the conservative Muslims have been given a disproportionate amount of power in Norway.
Is the main focus of Norwegian Muslims deeply religious and reactionary without respect for democratic values, or do they confess themselves to freedom of expression as much as the majority? The answer is not as obvious as you can get the impression in the media, said participants in the network LIM (Equality, Integration and Diversity).
- Those who stand out as advocates for immigrants, as the
Islamic Council, Muslim
Students Society and
Osman Rana, are traditionalists. They construct a Muslim identity that gives the impression that most Muslims are more conservative than they actually are. When the media interviews the leader of the Islamic Council, believes people quickly that only those Muslims who live in Norway. But we are many who do not feel offended by the cartoons.
...says the hospital doctor and Liberal Party politician Tina Shagufta Kornmo, interpreter and writer Shakil Rehman and senior advisor Sylo Taraku. The three are all 30-40 years. They are not born in Norway, but have immigrated to Norway at a young age from Muslim countries. They met last spring after a debate in the
House of Literature in the direction of
Aftenposten. There they found together because they all wanted to show solidarity with the controversial
Sarah Azmeh Rasmussen, who burned her hijab on Women's day to mark abhorrence against oppression of women in the name of Islam.
(
Ahmed Esmaili, Imam comitee of Islamic council with his statement about muslim woman who wish to work in the Force.
Counterweight
Since then, they established the liberal network LIM, together with some Norwegians. After the attack against the Danish cartoonist
Kurt Westergaard, believes they are necessary to highlight that the Muslim identity is not unambiguously conservative. They are considering doing so loose network into a more formal organization.
- Norwegians need to know that we are many liberal immigrants, and that we form a counterweight against traditionalism. Not least that we are many who do not feel offended by the cartoons, so you can get the impression in the newspapers, "says Tina Shagufta.
The three challenges now both the Islamic Council and the Muslim Students' Society to organize together a demonstration against the use of violence in religion's name, and for freedom of expression.
- The demonstration must include support for Kurt Westergĺrd right to express himselves. It concerns us all how the extremists are allowed to discredit Islam and Muslims, "said Sylo Taraku.
He thinks not, however, such a demonstration will bring together as many as the protests in 2006, where thousands of Muslims around Europe demanded respect for their religion, in protest against the cartoons.
- It is much easier to mobilize those who feel offended. How many Norwegians can you mobilize to demonstrate their solidarity with Westergaard? Surely not many, for it does not feel as strong. But it is nevertheless important to highlight support for freedom of expression as the value, "says Taraku.
Critical
(Akhtar Chaudhry,
SV)
Shakil Rehman is very critical of Parliament's Vice-President Akhtar Chaudhry, who he believes are not showing enough solidarity with the Danish cartoonist.
- Chaudhry said it was wrong to press the drawing. But I do not think it was wrong, it was an utterance. He equates the printing and violence when he said both sides must calm themselves. All agree that the design should not result in violence, but I want the debate:
Was it at all wrong that he draw it? The Muslim leaders who believe it, live in a different time. We live in times where there shall be freedom of speech. They also misinterpret Islam. Muhammad did not want people to make drawings of him because he did not want his followers to worship him. To draw him to show his human aspects, however, is in line with his teachings, "said Rehman.
- You blame the media and said it created a wrong picture. But why have you not even been on the pitch earlier?
- When the first Muslims came to Norway, they were quick to gather around places to pray. It was totally legitimate. They also discovered that they received financial support for it. Therefore, many organizations are religious. We are secular, have neither the financial or places to meet. But now we see that this shall not go further. The Conservatives' statements only create greater gap between Norwegians and immigrants. There was also an eye-opener for us to discover that well-educated, second generation immigrants as Osman Rana marked themselves as conservatives, "said Rehman.
Link:
http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/ir...cle3450695.ece
Liberal muslims goes on the barricades
Originally Posted by Finn
Reply With Quote
). The thing is the guys who did it are really the 'best of the best', there were doctors and PhD students from 'good' familes and wealth and generally nice guys. Being that leaving the muslim faith is considered punishable by death by some interpretations and traditions, I'm sure it could have been worse for him. These guys just wanted to intimidate him a bit. 
