Jonathan Dart | December 27, 2008
LOCAL councils around Australia have been warned they risk imposing a "ghetto mentality" on the Islamic community if they continue to oppose religious projects such as the controversial proposals to build Islamic schools at Camden and Bass Hill.
The warning was issued yesterday by the founder of the Islamic Friendship Society, Keysar Trad, as he opened a prayer centre at St Marys.
Mr Trad said the centre, which took 3½ years to be approved by Penrith City Council, will participate in a number of multi-faith and community events, such as Clean Up Australia Day.
Asked about recent controversies surrounding other developments - such as a proposal for a Muslim school at Camden and a stalled project by sportsmen Anthony Mundine and Hazem El Masri to convert a church into a mosque in Canterbury - he said their rejection would hurt his community.
"As long as we're able to establish centres like this one [in St Marys], then we're able to keep safe from the ghetto mentality," he said. "Islam is not about ghettoes, Islam is about being part of society and contributing to every aspect of society. As long as we're able to do that, it's great. When we're not able to do that in some places, where the approach is unfairly delayed and unreasonably delayed, then it's forcing people to go to one particular area, even though they don't live in that particular area.
"Historically, we have been very resistant to ghettoisation. We have always been a part of our wider communities and we want to always contribute."
Mr Trad said that wrangling with local councils has meant that Muslim residents in remote parts of Sydney face barriers to settling into their communities, and other challenges such as an increased travel burden.
He also said there was a wider psychological impact of being rejected. Using the example of an attempt by Mr El Masri, a prominent Canterbury Bulldogs footballer, to convert a church in Ludgate Street, Roselands, he said some councils and residents were focusing on trivial planning issues to sink projects that would have an otherwise broad appeal.
"Generally, when you think of Hazem El Masri, if he was establishing a youth centre, most people would want to send their kids there regardless of their religion because he's a sporting hero who could teach their children discipline and help them have sporting success," Mr Trad said.
"But it seems in that area, the conjunction of his name with the word Muslim has created a situation where council took objection to something that relates to that centre. We don't do those things to our sporting heroes in Australia; in Australia our sporting heroes are good role models, they deserve to continue to have our respect."
The Mayor of Penrith, Jim Aitken, said there was no community objection to the new prayer centre at St Marys but said planning regulations are not the only reason some developments are delayed.
"The issues are the same in any area. Some people will be against other religions coming into our society, and other people just don't care," he said. "You just have to keep explaining to everyone what's going so they understand."
The vice-president of the new prayer centre, Mohammad Ruhulamin, said there would be an emphasis on hosting events that involved people outside the Muslim faith.
"If our people want to be part of the community, the community must be accessible to us," he said. "It will take some time to build relationships with people. It will not be easy."
LOCAL councils around Australia have been warned they risk imposing a "ghetto mentality" on the Islamic community if they continue to oppose religious projects such as the controversial proposals to build Islamic schools at Camden and Bass Hill.
The warning was issued yesterday by the founder of the Islamic Friendship Society, Keysar Trad, as he opened a prayer centre at St Marys.
Mr Trad said the centre, which took 3½ years to be approved by Penrith City Council, will participate in a number of multi-faith and community events, such as Clean Up Australia Day.
Asked about recent controversies surrounding other developments - such as a proposal for a Muslim school at Camden and a stalled project by sportsmen Anthony Mundine and Hazem El Masri to convert a church into a mosque in Canterbury - he said their rejection would hurt his community.
"As long as we're able to establish centres like this one [in St Marys], then we're able to keep safe from the ghetto mentality," he said. "Islam is not about ghettoes, Islam is about being part of society and contributing to every aspect of society. As long as we're able to do that, it's great. When we're not able to do that in some places, where the approach is unfairly delayed and unreasonably delayed, then it's forcing people to go to one particular area, even though they don't live in that particular area.
"Historically, we have been very resistant to ghettoisation. We have always been a part of our wider communities and we want to always contribute."
Mr Trad said that wrangling with local councils has meant that Muslim residents in remote parts of Sydney face barriers to settling into their communities, and other challenges such as an increased travel burden.
He also said there was a wider psychological impact of being rejected. Using the example of an attempt by Mr El Masri, a prominent Canterbury Bulldogs footballer, to convert a church in Ludgate Street, Roselands, he said some councils and residents were focusing on trivial planning issues to sink projects that would have an otherwise broad appeal.
"Generally, when you think of Hazem El Masri, if he was establishing a youth centre, most people would want to send their kids there regardless of their religion because he's a sporting hero who could teach their children discipline and help them have sporting success," Mr Trad said.
"But it seems in that area, the conjunction of his name with the word Muslim has created a situation where council took objection to something that relates to that centre. We don't do those things to our sporting heroes in Australia; in Australia our sporting heroes are good role models, they deserve to continue to have our respect."
The Mayor of Penrith, Jim Aitken, said there was no community objection to the new prayer centre at St Marys but said planning regulations are not the only reason some developments are delayed.
"The issues are the same in any area. Some people will be against other religions coming into our society, and other people just don't care," he said. "You just have to keep explaining to everyone what's going so they understand."
The vice-president of the new prayer centre, Mohammad Ruhulamin, said there would be an emphasis on hosting events that involved people outside the Muslim faith.
"If our people want to be part of the community, the community must be accessible to us," he said. "It will take some time to build relationships with people. It will not be easy."
Source: Brisbane Times
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