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The irony is inescapable: The American and British soldiers who
are in Iraq, so we are told, to “liberate” the country and
bring “freedom” and “democracy” are humiliating, violating,
torturing Iraqis. To add one more layer of irony, all of this
takes place in the very same Abu Ghraib prison where some of
Saddam Hussein’s worst atrocities occurred. Similar atrocities,
same site, different abusers. And we in the West act shocked
and surprised that Muslims in this country, have not, do not,
and will not buy this war as “liberation”? Clearly, these
brutalities violate international agreements, including the 13th
article of the 1949 Geneva Convention, which states: “Prisoners
of war must at all times be humanely treated. Any unlawful act
or omission by the Detaining Power causing death or seriously
endangering the health of a prisoner of war in its custody is
prohibited, and will be regarded as a serious breach of the
present Convention, likewise, prisoners of war must at all
times be protected, particularly against acts of violence or
intimidation and against insults and public curiosity. These
methods of torture and humiliation would be deemed immoral and
illegal if Muslims were torturing non-Muslims in a similar
manner, yet here in the West, we turn a blind eye to the evil
being perpetrated in our name by our politicians and Soldiers.
I
was innocent, now I’ve been proven Muslim – what can we do?
A
lot of Muslim groups and organisations, living in the West, are
at the level of political understanding that Afro Americans in
the US and the Black population in Britain were some 35 years
ago – that is the belief that the number of Blacks, (now
Muslim) elected, or those in well paid jobs, are a measure of
power, influence and change of that community.
This strange emanated from the very same political system that
was oppressing Afro Americans in the US, courtesy of the race
relations industry, and was imported to the UK,
Muslims have now adopted this failed strategy uncritically, and
given it an Islamic makeover. It is in essence a strategy for
political, cultural and religious assimilation. For once you
are in the system you can no longer speak against it. You adopt
its culture, language, politics, and behaviour, and start to
make it compatible with Islam. In some of his last speeches,
Malcolm-X spoke about these concepts at great length. In this
way, deviation sets into core Islamic beliefs. Strategies like
this are based on a simplistic understanding of Western
politics. In reality, for example Parliament, like political
parties and elections, are institutions established to serve,
support and give stability to the system. They must all
subscribe to the fundamental ideology or values of the system,
and endorse policies that support it.
Politics is essentially about competing ideas and values for
which stem policy options. The race model of representation
however fails to address this; it is about how many people of a
particular background are needed for the system to claim
adequate ethnic representation. It is not about fundamental
change. Thus the system can accommodate only black or Muslim
politicians that sign up to the values of the system itself.
If the system describes Islam as the next threat after
communism then politicians, Parliament and its policies are
bound to reflect this view, no matter who gets elected, despite
such cosmetic changes as having a few “Muslim” MPs. Those
Muslims who think that they are smart enough to enter
Parliament and stand up for Islam and Muslims are seriously
misguided.
The system, with their assistance (Knowingly or unknowingly)
now becomes stronger and more powerful, and begins to use
“Muslim” MPs against Islam and Muslims, rather than the other
way around.
Over the last few years, we have seen the veracity of these
statements tested before our eyes. American Muslims claimed
that 80% of them voted for George W Bush in his first term, and
they got a “crusade” as gratitude. The switched votes this
time, and Bush still got re-elected.
Muslims in the UK overwhelmingly voted Labour last time, and we
got Belmarsh, 700 arrested under the terror laws, stop and
search, and the mass murder of Muslims in Iraq as reward.
The above should not be interpreted as supporting abstinence
from politics and interaction within the political environment
and lands where Muslims live. Politics, power and change do not
take place outside of party politics and Parliament. There is
much scope for politics within the wider spectrum of what is
described as Civil Society, and it is here that like-minded
sincere people should concentrate their efforts in interaction,
dialogue, community cohesion.
PRISONERS OF THE WEST.
“DEDICATED TO EXPOSING POLITICALYY MOTIVATED CRIMES BY STATES
AGAINST MUSLIMS”
Prisoners of the West was set up in July 1993, in order to
campaign for those who were and are still being held as
hostages (detainees) in Guantanamo, (Cuba) and Belmarsh (UK).
We want to expose the political motives behind the waves of
arrests and detentions of Muslims throughout the world (i.e.
the Crusade against Islam). We also want to highlight that
those who have and are being held are not “terrorists” – but
entirely innocent and the victims of this war against Islam.
One of our aims is to encourage and mobilise others to take up
the plight of Muslim hostages, held around the world. Since our
establishment, we have succeeded in this and in exposing state
terror against Muslims. Over time, many of those held have been
released without charge and their innocence proven.
Our struggle has a long way to go. We originally coined the
phrase;
“Today, we are all prisoners of the West – some of us prisoners
behind bars and the rest prisoners of the West outside bars”.
Now the British Executive, like other dictatorships around the
world, along with the former Soviet Union, is to introduce laws
on house arrest – effectively detention outside bars. These
laws are being introduced because the West cannot tolerate
Muslims who expose their policies in Muslim lands and struggle
for freedom and independence.
For many of us prison is merely metaphorical and represents a
state of mind. But with rapidly diminishing civil liberties,
more of us may see our friends, families and neighbours’ cells
replaced with ones of iron bars and indescribable torture. The
coming years are going to be decisive in shaping the future of
the Muslim Ummah. You can remain a prisoner outside bars or you
can break free from you self imposed prison and join the
struggle.
This DVD is dedicated to the struggle.
P.P.W. February 2005
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