MPACUK complaints about Cartoon

The following is the latest commentary from the Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK on the cartoon controversy. See here for the link.

Success: Mosque Leaders Demand EDM from MP
Source: MPACUK
Date: Thursday, 20 April 2006

At the height of the Muslim outrage over the Danish publication of the cartoons of the Prophet (p), Mosque leaders in Bolton requested the two local MPs Brian Iddon and David Crausby to attend a meeting at which the issue could be discussed. The outcome of this meeting was that the leaders demanded from Dr Brian Iddon that he should raise an EDM (Early Day Motion) in the house of Commons condemning the publication of the cartoons. Dr Iddon requested that the leaders draft the wording of the EDM, this was done promptly and sent to him.

Dr Iddon over the next couple of weeks avoided any contact with Muslim leaders and finally dropped off a letter full of excuses as to why he had not raised the EDM. In this letter he blamed the other Muslim MPs for not getting back to him even though it had been made clear to him that we were not asking Muslim MPs but were asking him as our MP to represent us. Frankly he wasn't going to do it and hoped he could talk his way out of it.

Since then the leaders have written back to Dr Iddon and told him in no uncertain terms that he has failed them; the one and only time he was requested to represent Muslims on the National and International stage on an issue that is very dear to them, he had let them down and they were now going to make it known to the other Mosques and the community what this MP of ours had failed to do.

A local peace activist, Salim of JUSTPEACE said "The mosque leaders were brilliant and it was a master stroke by them in requesting the EDM. In the past he may have got away with saying I spoke to Tony Blair and he knows how you feel, but an EDM was measureable and he showed his true colours in not tabling it. I couldn't praise this initiative by the Mosques highly enough. Raising an EDM shouldn't have been a big issue for our MP as over 450 in total were tabled last year alone on all sorts of issues far minor than this one and he himself has raised 17 in the last nine months alone. This MP has been held in high esteem by the community but he is no friend to Muslims. This MP:-
Voted to take us into the war with Afghanistan.
Did not vote against the war in Iraq and only abstained.
Voted for the terror laws which unfairly targets Muslims
Voted for the ID cards which will pose a big problem in the future for nikab/hijab wearing sisters when asked to show an ID card at the bank or in a store.
Claims to represent the Palestinians but uses this to impress the Muslims as he fails to do anything significant on this front either.

"For years this man has taken the community and their votes for granted and it comes as no surprise to me that he failed to do anything with regard to the issue of the cartoons which insulted Muhammad (p). We should not be voting in someone who comes smiling and friendly whilst stabbing the Muslim community in the back with his voting on policy and legislation. The Muslim community in Bolton should know of his treachery and those who previously voted for him will hopefully examine their consciences and reconsider for the future".

Drafted text for EDM sent to Brian Iddon

That this house condemn the publication of cartoons depicting defamatory caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad by the Danish Newspaper Jyllands-Posten as an inflammatory act inciting Islamophobia and causing deep offence to 1.3 Billion Muslims around the world. This action is not considered to be a responsible or rational use of 'freedom of speech' and has clearly overstepped the mark; other Media publications of the cartoons around Europe are also to be condemned, as a gesture made only to further antagonise the offended Muslims than to protect freedom of speech.
Calls on all right hon. members to also condemn attacks of a similar nature on any religion.