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Muslims are part of area
• I WAS saddened to read the letter from Sunil Kumar Pal last week (Holy days a threat to cohesion). It seems that Mr Pal gave up his Asian culture and tradition to live in Britain. Mr Pal lacks an awareness and knowledge about community cohesion and about muslim migration to Britain.
It is not true that a majority of the muslims came here to avoid persecution. A majority of the muslims in Camden are from the Bangladeshi community and came here after the second world war as economic migrants or skilled workers to better themselves and help the development of this country.
They worked in jobs that the people of Britain did not want and were enterprising in setting up different businesses.
Unlike Mr Pal, members of the Bangladeshi and Somali community have strong cultural and religious traditions and will not sacrifice these for anyone, nor should they be asked to do so. These are their strengths.
Camden has a very large muslim community – more than 16 per cent according to the last census, and it is growing very fast. In some Camden schools, more than 80 per cent of the pupils are muslim.
There was concern about the attendance levels in Camden schools, particularly about Bangladeshi and Somali attendance.
Research was commissioned by Camden Council to find out the reasons for the high levels of absences.
One of the recommendations was that almost all muslim children are absent from school on the Eid Ul Adha and Eid ul Fitr, muslim religious days and that consideration should be given to manage this absence by allocating these days as school holidays.
I wasn’t surprised to read that Tory Councillor Andrew Mennear dismissed this idea.
Why waste council tax payers money on research if recommendations are not actioned? This Tory/ Lib Dem administration does not understand or value the muslim community. There are lots of words from the Lib Dems but this is a real opportunity to make a difference and they say No, with the Tories.
Community cohesion isn’t about giving up your culture, tradition and religion. It’s about working with your neighbours and colleagues and valuing differences, acceptance and tolerance. It’s about sharing best practice from different cultures, traditions and religions.
I urge Camden Council to think again about this issue and not to be lead by the ignorant minority.
T MIAH
Hampstead Road, NW1
• AS representative of King’s Cross Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre, I would like to state that the muslim community in Camden is not a community that wants to isolate itself. It is a community that contributes to Camden socially and economically like all other communities.
On Thursday I was involved in partnership with the Camden Consultative Police Group (CCPG) in organising an event in Camden where muslim youth, Jewish youth, and the police got together to debate and interact over issues like terrorism, racial profiling, the police’s response to 7/7 etc.
The muslim community is a large community in Camden and has set beliefs and ideals but it does not make us any different from any other communities.
The event was a huge success and it shows that there are muslims in Camden that want to interact. I hope in Camden there can be more events like the event last Thursday, where different communities can come and learn about each other and this would lead to barriers coming down and understanding between communities being improved.
I have supplied my address, email and phone number if other communities would like to engage with the Muslim community.
AMAD UDDIN
King’s Cross Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre
Cromer Street
Sandfield Building Basement, WC1
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