LDMF Fringe Meeting at Liberal Democrat Spring 2007 conference in Harrogate

Kashmir: present and future prospects

Harrogate International Centre

Queens Suite 6

18.15 Saturday 3rd March
Second Draft European Parliament Report.
A Review, Update and Consultation with EU Rapporteur Baroness Emma Nicholson of Winterbourne MEP.

Combating Islamophobia.

Conference Notes

1. Since the early 1990s and specifically since 9/11 and the declaration of the “War on terrorism” by the western powers, Islamophobic statements and innuendos have crept into our day-to-day language and are used as a “catch-all” to describe and explain most forms of political, cultural and economic variance to those practiced norms in the West.
2. Repetitive use of Islamophobic statements and innuendos by opinion formers, in particular by political spokes persons and the media, has resulted in such utterances becoming “fact” to the general public.
3. Main users of Islamophobic statements and innuendos are organisations and individuals that seeks to justify the continuance of the “War on Terror” and proponents of Anti-Arab/Muslim sentiment.
4. Proper debate (public and private) to address terrorism is being stifled by organisations and individuals that continue to espouse Islamophobic statements and innuendos.
5. Western media, in an effort increase their circulation, recycle the Islamophobic statements and innuendos at the expenses of holding a proper informed public debate.

Conference believes

1. Countering the prevailing Islamophobic sentiment of opinion formers and in particular the media is imperative to allow fact based debate on the issues and causes of terrorism
2. Countering the prevailing Islamophobic sentiment of opinion formers is imperative to avoid enactment of legislation based on fear or even worse appealing to the media.
3. Continuous utterance of Islamophobic statements and innuendos in the media is detrimental to the already fragile relations between British Muslims and the community at large.

Conference Calls for

1. The Forum’s Policy Committee to monitor the Lib Dem policy, commentary of Lib Dem spokesperson and the media for Islamophobic sentiments and innuendos.
2. The Forum to task the Policy Committee to:
1. engage with the Lib Dem leadership to highlight Islamophobic sentiments in all it forms and occurrences
2. campaign alongside other organisations similarly involved in highlighting Islamophobia through media and politics.
3. form a working group to directly and continuously counter the media and politicians engaged with Islamophobic terminology within the media