MPA - faith plays an important role in community cohesion

54/06
8 September 2006

Education is a key element of community cohesion, according to faith group leaders who spoke at the latest in a series of debates looking at how police and communities can work together to beat terrorism.

The Metropolitan Police Authority’s ‘Counter-Terrorism: The London Debate’ held its third hearing in the programme on Thursday 7 September, inviting representatives from faith groups to recount their experiences of terrorism and counter-terrorism.

Toby Harris who chaired the debate, said:

“The message from the evening was clear: we all have responsibility for making London safe and trying to prevent people from becoming radicalised or marginalised.

“Faith groups can and should play a leading role in maintaining community cohesion and promoting tolerance among their members and others. We all have a lot more in common than sometimes we think.”

The multi-faith audience heard from four speakers, including Jay Lakhani, Director of Education at the Hindu Council UK. He likened religious intolerance to two small boys arguing over whose mother was best.

“After much quarrelling and fighting, an adult comes upon them, and, discovering the reason for their argument, tells each boy that his mother is best for him,” Mr Lakhani said.

Imam Ajmal Masroor of the Islamic Society of Britain said educating people at a young age on the principles of religious tolerance and community cohesion was the best way to prevent people from being radicalised.

“Terrorism has no place in Islam and neither Muslims nor anyone else should be branded as terrorists purely because of their religion. Teaching young Muslims how to read the Koran in Arabic is not enough – they must be taught how to understand the true meaning of the words themselves.”

The Reverend Canon Ann Easter, Area Dean for the London Borough of Newham, said people had to learn to live together and look beyond the colour of their skin or their different faiths.

“We live in a multicultural society and that gives us strength to defeat hatred and those who would do us harm. We must embrace our differences and work together for peace. Once people get to know each other I find there is acceptance. It is ignorance that leads to conflict.”

All of the speakers agreed that faith groups have a significant role to play in defeating terrorism by engaging with their communities, calling for unity with all faiths and defusing any tensions before they escalate.

Rose Fitzpatrick, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, said the Met was learning the lessons of the past eventful year.

“We realise that we need to speak with our communities and communicate clearly and speedily the reasons for operational tactics. To this end we are considering setting up a small advisory group of community leaders who we can brief in advance of specialist counter-terrorist operations, sharing relevant intelligence and explaining the rational behind them.

“We must be much more open and be seen to be accountable to the people we serve. Terrorism cannot be defeated by one agency but by everyone working together. To do that we must continue to build trust and confidence in policing and ensure we share information with our communities so that they understand why we are taking certain action.”

Notes to editors

1. Toby Harris, MPA member with special responsibility for counter-terrorism, Cindy Butts and Reshard Auladin, both deputy chairs of the MPA, form the MPA panel that hears evidence presented by invited communities.

2. There will be external guest panellists at each hearing.

3. A senior MPS officer will be invited to each session to provide an initial response to the communities’ issues and then take questions from the group. The first hearing on 29 June 2006 was attended by the Commissioner and the second on 6 July 2006 was attended by Assistant Commissioner Steve House.

4. The programme for the six hearings is:

• Thursday 29 June - young people
• Thursday 6 July – councillors, business and tourism representatives
• Thursday 7 September - faith groups
• Thursday 5 October - women
• Thursday 16 November - Asian men
• Thursday 7 December - police and government

5. Following on from these hearings the work will include:

• six confidential focus groups with students in London universities and colleges, to discuss extremist recruitment and radicalisation on campus
• thirty-two local consultations - one in every London borough
• analysis of qualitative data received through the MPA website
• a publication, featuring contributions from practitioners, commentators and community representatives

6. Attendance at this programme of events is by invitation only.

7. Further information about the MPA’s programme of events can be found at:
www.mpa.gov.uk/issues/counterterrorism/default.htm

8. Confidential anti-terrorist hotline: 0800 789 321

9. Crimestoppers: 0800 555 111

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office

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