UK Muslims Demand Legal Recognition From Brown


This June, 27, British Prime Minister Tony Blair will leave office to end 10 years in power.

 

Blair who once described as a new dawn for Britain what turned later into a nightmare due to the war of Iraq .

 

Blair’s resignation comes two years before his third term officially expires and at a time the Labor Party is facing difficulties in the 2009 public elections as it was dealt a serious setback in municipal and provincial elections last May, 3rd, in England, Wales and Scotland .

 

After Blair lost the support of the British voters to his sending UK forces to support the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003 and while his public rating was decreasing, a mutiny inside the Labor Party forced him last September to declare resigning within a year to set the scene for his possible successor, Brown .

 

Blair told his party members in Trimdon:” I think it is enough both for me and also for the country.”

 

Analysts say that Blair’s resignation in the middle of his third term may give the Labour Party an opportunity to mobilize the swinging support ahead of the public elections .

 

Possible rivals on the Labour leadership have declared across the last weeks that they will not challenge Brown, Britain’s longest serving Minister of Finance who was seen for long as a successor to Blair .

 

And Hazel Blears, the Labor Party chair, said that Blair’s departure causes mixed feelings. He has stepped down when he wanted and in the way he wanted.

 

What Do British Muslims Want From Coming UK PM Brown

 

Sayed Fergani, chief of the political and media offices of the Islamic association in Britain , said in a statement to Ikhwanweb:

 

As Muslims in Britain , we played a key role in forcing Blair to step down from office. We did so through our alliance with the Left. We must focus on forcing Blair to step down because this is to the interest of Muslims, and to the interest of UK security and society.

 

Fergani added:” As for Brown’s policy, he talked about anti-terrorism efforts inside and outside Britain , stressing that only moderate Islam can fight terrorism. This is a huge development and a big difference in rhetoric between him and Blair who was considering the battle – between him and terrorism – a battle of values and that all- Muslims and non-Muslims- must be melted in the homeland, Britain . This meant demolishing their values. Due to these serious targets of Blair, we consider Blair’s stepping down a step towards easing Muslims’ suffering and pressures.

 

Fergani pointed out that:” We are observing Brown’s policy which he wants to implement. We are spotting positive points in this policy and spot also any thing that may harm Muslims interests in Britain or issues of rightness and justice all over the world specially while following up the role Britain plays in foreign policy through various military interventions.

 

“Muslims in Britain are illegally facing many kind of prosecution in media and other methods” said Fergani, adding that” although treatment to Muslims in Britain is better that that in many European countries, because the only recognized minorities are Christianity and the Judaism. We want a legal recognition for Muslims so that law can defend them and defend their beliefs and prevent any discrimination or persecution against them. We want to be treated as a legally recognized minority inside Britain .

 

 

Fergani said:” If Brown really seeks votes and support of the Muslims, he should give them these two rights:

 

-The issue of the domestic situation in Britain and dealing with Muslims- not as second-class citizens- but dealing with them in a fair and balanced way.

-We want also a balance in the UK policy towards oppressed people.