Getting Rid of the Politics of Fear

The politics of fear has been something that has been constantly present within the Middle East and rarely does the politics of bridge building get a chance whether it is through the press that hungrily looks for the ‘negative angle’ or whether it is through politicians who want to keep the status quo in place.

It is this politics of fear that has played a role within the Middle East for centuries and whilst there is a legitimate basis for many of the historical crises, the ingrained response of fear now shapes the language, discourse, outlook and character of governments in the area. Some of the Arab Governments blame the militarism of Israel whilst Israel blames Arab states for the military positions that it takes. The politics of fear within this complex relationship merely feeds off each party, like a bad marriage where each partner cannot really do without each other, yet where there is some twisted comfort.

Like any bad marriage, (for it is a marriage of neighbours based on history, geographical location and resources), there are a few routes to take. These routes may involve complete separation. It may involve mediation towards separation or it could include the continuation of a relationship based on some guidelines and frameworks; a kind of learning process where each partner learns to take a step back and think of the implications before acting, thereby creating a cessation in the cycle of abuse.

For those on all sides who have lost loved ones, rationalism and bridge building are far from the mindsets of relatives. Anger, pain and depression beset many and there are many in Gaza and the West Bank who undergo these emotions. Then there are those within Sderot, Jerusalem and other towns who grieve, who feel the same elements of grief and pain. These people who grieve cannot be asked to look at the future. They alone know their grief and they alone know the loneliness of placing their loved ones into the earth. The graveyards of Gaza are full with the early bounty of the dead and those within the West Bank, Sderot, Jerusalem and other towns and cities slowly take up the dead, cut short in their lives. Yet there are those groups like Combatants for Peace who through grief have learnt that there is another way than the gun and an alternative to the politics of fear.

The history and the dialogues of each community in the Middle East, of Arabs and Jews, or Muslims, Christians and Jews will always be seen through lenses that look upon the same events at different angles. Mix that differentiation with the politics of fear and the future looks bleak. There is therefore only one way forward. A route emancipated from fear is the only way to respect the futures of all communities in the region. The politics of fear is not the domain of one community and politicians and spin doctors have seen the vast potential of it within the region. The public relations battles continue, waged with ferocity and where ultimately the truth suffers.

My wish is simple. That we do not get caught up in accepting fear since it is something that feels familiar in discussions around the Middle East. The best decisions are free of fear, free of pressure and internalised reactions. In the end, you and I have a duty to each other, a bond of common protection and a respect for basic human rights. That being the case, we owe it to ourselves to liberate our thoughts so that a genuine peace based on mutual respect and acceptance can take place. Without that, we are part of the cycle of hopelessness and despair which hang around discussions on peace within the Middle East and between Israel and Palestine.

Living Islam Out Loud - American Muslim Women and Linking with British Muslim Women

I have just spent 5 days on the road on a project that is being run by Faith Matters, an interfaith and conflict resolution organisation that I founded in 2005. Faith Matters also runs Faith and Finance social regeneration projects.

The project entitled 'Living Islam Out Loud,' brought 4 American Muslim women to the UK to have dialogues and discussions with British Muslim women and to develop further trans-Atlantic links.

Well, what can I say? I have had the privilege of spending these days meeting empowered, focussed and courageous Muslim women who are working in social regeneration schemes, within promoting dialogue and cohesion and using innovative projects to reach out to other communities.

I have learnt alot from Saleema Abdul Ghafur, the editor of the book - Living Islam Out Loud, which was published in 2005. I was also enthralled, motivated and enthused by Samina Ali, Aroosha Zoq Rana and Shami e Ali Al Jamil. All four are great ambassadors for American Muslims and I learnt that:

- Civil society work within the American Muslim community is far advanced than work in the UK, even though UK Muslim communities are starting to get activated for civil society work,

- Because of the nature of migration to the US, identity is not seen through negative lenses and the migration does not cause fear and revulsion. Immigration to the UK is a hot topic and one that generates a vast divergence of views.

- There are many divergent views on the development of Muslim communities within women's groups in the UK. Muslims are clearly not one homogenous group and the diversity of voices and races within UK Muslim communities will lead to pluralism in a number of areas. It is a natural evolutionary process and I have seen some of the future leaders of Muslim communities across the UK. I have had the pleasure to meet some of these future leaders in the last 5 days.

- There seems to be a buoyancy and a greater sense of hope that came across from Saleemah et al. Within some of the group discussions it was clear that there is a feeling of despondency within some Muslim groups. It is up to us all to ensure that people feel included within political, social and civil processes. Without that, we are failing in our duties to fellow citizens.

- That US Muslims are far more diverse than those within the UK. There are Muslims from 80 different countries in the US than the UK and 1/3rd are from Black communities, 1/3rd from the Maghrebi and Arab communities and the rest are from South Asian countries. Within the UK, the vast majority of Muslims come from Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, with some migration having taken place from East and Central African countries.

Finally, Faith Matters and I would personally like to thank the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Rt Hon Hazel Blears MP. A Government minister who has a strong grasp on her portfolio, I welcome her vision and her desire to develop communities where we all can play a positive role within.

Post Office Closures will Have a Devastating Effect on Local Communities

The recent announcements that seven local post offices will be closing in the restructuring of Post Offices throughout the Capital will have a devastating impact on local communities. Those that affect Haringey include Highgate High Street, 100 Alexandra Park Road (N10), Ferme Park Road (N4), Salisbury Road (N22), 89 Weston Park (N8), Page Green (N15) and 434 West Green Road (N15).

Post offices have long been at the centre of communities and their closure will be acutely felt by our vulnerable residents. Many of these vulnerable clients rely on welfare rights, including older people and the disabled. They see their local Post Office as a lifeline and a place where they can collect their entitlements.

They also use Post Offices to catch up with friends, so that they provide a platform where some form of human contact can still take place in an increasingly mechanized and information technology-heavy society.

Additionally, those who are financially and socially excluded within local communities have always been able to interface through Post Offices with Central Government departments like the Department for Work and Pensions.

But whilst the Government says it wants social inclusion, the actions it has taken in recent years have slowly deprived the Post Office of business. And by doing that, it has pushed the very individuals that it purports to assist to the margins of society.

Yet Labour councillors talk about saving Post Offices when the very Government they represent has been eroding the roots of the Post Office Network. I do therefore sincerely hope that they can lobby against these cuts and I welcome the letter from Cllr Meehan to the Consultation Team of Post Office Ltd stating that, “this Council voted unanimously at a meeting of Full Council on Monday 18th February to oppose the Post Office Ltd’s plans to close six branches in the Borough.” I hope that he continues to voice our opposition when he meets the relevant Government Ministers.

The current situation with Royal Mail has come about because it has been starved of investment by successive Governments : it needs at least £2 billion to invest in automation to remain competitive. Under the last Conservative Government, 3,500 local post offices were closed and under Labour another 4,000 have closed, hitting rural –and now urban - communities across the country.

Post Office Ltd are now implementing the new set of cuts through a ‘Network Change Programme’ that will see up to 2,500 branches close out of a network of 14,300. This means that nearly 20% of all branches in London will close.

As the ward councillor for Noel Park in Wood Green, I can tell you that the closure of the Salisbury Road post office will mean that residents in the area will have to travel to the main Post Office on the High Road, adding another half a mile on the journey to post something or to use other services on offer.

People with mobility problems will be affected and the already-long waiting times at the High Road Post Office will grow . The work-load there will increase and, more than ever, we will lose that personal touch in service delivery as we become seen through the counter grille as units to be served and moved on as fast as possible.

This Government talks about building and sustaining local communities. But between Post Office Ltd and the undermining actions of this Government it seems they are actually ripping the heart out of local communities.