Press Release
Merkel's joins the ranks of politicians stirring hate against Islam in Europe

  

German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a speech addressing Islam and Muslims in Germany on 6.10.2010 saying German Culture "is based on Christian and Jewish values and has been for hundreds of years" and that "the values represented by Islam must correspond with our constitution". 

She made these comments after hysterical briefings from the Pentagon that German Muslims alleged to be militants were assassinated by US drone strikes in Pakistan and after  a German central banker made blunt comments about Muslims failing to integrate, and were challenged by other German leaders like President Christian Wulff who urged Germans to accept Muslims as part of Germany. 

In regards to this we would make the following points:

1. The German Chancellor's remarks follow other European leaders who frequently try to bolster their own poll ratings by abusing Islam and Muslim, heighten suspicion, xenophobia and irrational fear of Muslims in society. Xenophobia and racism towards Muslims, the Roma gypsies, blacks and others is on the rise in Europe, fuelled by politicians. One would have thought that in Germany, of all places, the use of xenophobia for political expediency would be seen as a dangerous way forward.

2. Merkel's comments reveal the supremacist outlook of Europeans who, having failed to convince Muslims to westernise through thought and argument, wish to bully and coerce Muslims into adopting western values. Such an approach not merely highlights the weakness of her own values, it highlights a double standard in the west, where they preach freedom of thought, but qualify it such that the thought MUST correspond with western beliefs.

3. Islam, when it existed in a state until 1924, obliged its citizens of all creeds and races to obey the law of the land, based on shariah. It did not compel the citizens who were not Muslim to adopt the Islamic faith and profess that Islamic values were the truth reveal by Allah to His Messenger. Yet increasingly western countries bully and compel Muslims to not merely obey the law, but to declare they feel western laws and values are superior. 

4. The presence of millions of Muslims who live in Europe has forced European leaders to address this community in a manner that they would address no other. They worry that given this young community is growing at a faster pace, and is unified around a distinct set of values, that in the future, according to their democratic principles, their voice and values would be represented in society. Hence, they resort to actions that violate their own values on pluralism and even human rights - inventing security fears in order to oppress this community into submission. 

5. Once again, the west has proved the weakness and fragility of its own system, and its inability to treat its minorities with respect. It is little wonder that people in the Muslim world are seeing ever more clearly the illusion of freedom and democracy dissolving infront of their eyes.

 Osman Bakhach

Director of the Central Media Office Hizb-ut-Tahrir