President Irfaan Ali says that Islamophobia has adversely affected multicultural societies like Guyana and must be uprooted and condemned by all means.
The President asserted that “Islamophobia was [one of] the social biases present in Guyana.” Ali was at the time addressing the opening ceremony of the International Symposium on the History and Legacy of Muslims in the Caribbean. The symposium is being staged by Guyana in association with The Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture and the General Secretariat of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation.
According to Ali, “Islam has to survive and stay alive in this multiculturalism…I believe Islamophobia is on the increase…Islamophobia must not be elevated.”
He said: “Islam is in no country, no system or no location against the other…There is no place for extremism in any form, just as there is no place for Islamophobia in any modern, democratic society”.
“We need to uproot Islamophobia in Guyana, it should not be elevated to the west, east, north nor south because that element should not be tolerated not even up to this day, we must all have the common understanding that it must not be elevated [in]to a global or national system”, he stated.
The Head of State admonished that terrorist and criminal organizations such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) have contributed to Islamophobia in wake of their involvement in acts that are totally contrary to Islam. He lamented that these reprehensible acts created negative connotations of Islam but urged persons present at the symposium to educate themselves on the historical significance of Islam in the Caribbean and note that what is being portrayed by ISIS has no nexus to the faith nor its precepts.
Ali warned that Guyanese should never be at the centre of practicing Islamophobia.
“I observed earlier this year that Islamophobia is one of the social biases in Guyana which has caused hatred, prejudice, bias and discrimination against persons perceived or identified as Muslims”, he said. Referencing a Qur’anic verse, the President said that the Islamic faith paves the way for a multi-ethnic society, through harmony and cohesion. “Islam actually promotes [a]… multicultural environment…And it also identified clearly how you must treat each other as humankind in a multicultural environment”.
The President said he remains convinced that the two-day symposium will address the issues of Islamophobia since there are constant misconceptions of the faith and its objectives. The Head of State also advised participants to utilize the symposium for meaningful dialogue on how to address Islamophobia nationally, which the President says is on the rise.
“Many identify Islam in a negative way, that is why we need to read and study the historical context of Islam in order to address Islamophobia”, he cautioned.
Participants must not only focus on the history of Muslims but also craft dialogue and conversation for the future of the religion, he urged.
“…This region is multicultural and multiethnic, so, our deliberations must take into consideration the makeup of the region… I prefer to view the Caribbean more of a cultural tapestry with each strand of fabric signifying various peoples or cultural groups that constitute the rich multi-culturalism of the Caribbean,” the Head of State added. The symposium, according to Ali, will incorporate Islamic scholars, researchers, and educators regionally and internationally, as they discuss pressing matters relating to discrimination and Islamophobia.
There will be extensive dialogue on the arrival of Muslims and their integral roles in the Caribbean and the world and the pillars of Islam.
University of Guyana lecturer, Al Creighton, who moderated the symposium, told Stabroek News on the sidelines of the event that considering the negative portrayal of Islam caused by extremist groups like ISIS, one can only hope for a change of perception as this only contributes to the perpetuating of Islamophobia.
He noted while changes of perception cannot occur overnight, there is a possibility that it will provide clarity amid the misconceptions of the Islamic faith.
