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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 20 September 2007

Just what kind of ‘Islamic centre’ do they propose?

• WITH regards to an Islamic cultural centre and mosque, a response to the letter by Camden councillors (Mosques – inclusive or exclusive buildings? September 13)
It appears to me that Labour councillors are trying to appease the Muslim families of the borough to revive its vote banks for the next election.
As a member of the Labour Party and economic migrant from what is now Bangladesh, I am rather shocked that after the defeat in the last election, the Labour councillors of Camden have learnt nothing. Instead of focusing on the speedy socio-economic development of the needy indigenous people and immigrants, they are giving more importance to religious issues like an Islamic cultural centre and mosque.
Labour councillors must know that the borough has families of different faiths. Therefore for the narrow political goal and to score brownie points over the ruling Liberal Democrat Conservative alliance, Labour councillors are advocating further isolation between different immigrant communities and indigenous people.
It seems what the Labour councillors are unaware of is that Muslims share the same religion and go to the same mosque but they do not share the same culture as there is no such thing as a unified “Islamic culture”.
The Muslims from Bangladesh have nearly the same culture as that of Bengali Hindus from Bangladesh and India’s West Bengal.
The Muslims from Pakistan have a more or less similar culture to that of Hindi/ Urdu/ Gurmukhi speaking Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs respectively.
Muslims from Somalia, Ethiopia, Bosnia, Kosovo, etc have totally different cultures from each other as do Muslims from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Therefore exactly what type of “Islamic cultural centre” do these councillors have in mind to cater for all these diverse Islamic cultures.
Muslims and non-Muslims such as Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs etc migrated to the UK to improve their economic wellbeing by accepting the way of life and the culture here.
I seriously doubt that they came here to revive and nourish the way of life and culture left behind.
Religion is a private matter and should be practised privately.
The mosque at Regent’s Park should be adequate for the prayers of the Muslim population in Camden.
So far as culture is concerned, it is the culture of the indigenous people which immigrants should adopt along with providing an insight to their own culture.
It is time that the Labour councillors devote time to improve the socio-economic aspect of the immigrants irrespective of religion.
Emphasis on a particular religion and “culture” will divide the people resulting in an escalation of racism and conflict between immigrants settled from different countries.
SUNIL KUMAR PAL
NW8

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@camdennewjournal.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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