Don’t abuse ISIS terror for xenophobia against refugees from ISIS

Posted on by

This video from the USA says about itself:

Over Twenty Governors Reject Syrian Refugees Fleeing ISIS

16 November 2015

Here in the United States our reactions to terrorism are oftentimes unfortunate. Several states are closing themselves to Syrian refugees out of fear of ISIS. The sad thing is that ISIS is the very group the refugees are fleeing. Cenk Uygur, host of the The Young Turks, breaks it down. Tell us what you think in the comment section below.

“As of Monday afternoon, 23 governors had issued statements saying they would bar Syrian refugees from settling in their states, citing fears that violent extremists will masquerade as refugees in order to gain entry to the United States.

Legally, these proclamations have little effect; states don’t have the authority to bar refugees from settling within their borders. But that hasn’t stopped governors from issuing statements. The growing list of states that will not accept Syrian refugees currently includes Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Twenty-two of those states are led by Republican governors. Just one, New Hampshire, has a Democratic governor, Maggie Hassan.”*

Read more here.

Islamophobia seen as US states shun Syrian refugees: here.

Paris attacks: United Nations urges states not to demonise refugees. “We are deeply disturbed by language that demonises refugees as a group. This is dangerous as it will contribute to xenophobia and fear”: here.

Paris attacks: Isis responsible for more Muslim victims than western deaths. International organisations have documented multiple instances of Isis killing Muslims: here.

By Joana Ramiro in Britain:

Amnesty: Refugees no threat to the European Union

Tuesday 17th November 2015

Labour: We must stand with both French and Syrian victims of Isis

CAMPAIGNERS and politicians warned Europe’s leaders yesterday against knee-jerk, anti-refugee reactions to the Paris massacre after France demanded an end to the EU’s open internal borders.

Labour refugee policy spokeswoman Yvette Cooper told Parliament that Britain must “continue to give sanctuary to those fleeing barbarism.”

But France confirmed early yesterday that, following the Islamic State (Isis) attacks in its capital, it would call for border controls to be reinstated across the European Union at a summit this Friday.

“Europe faces two urgent challenges. The first … is terrorism. The second … is an increased number of refugees and asylum-seekers on its borders,” said Amnesty International Europe director John Dalhuisen.

“They are not the same challenge and only one of them is a threat.

“European leaders must be careful to distinguish between them and be clear that Europe’s security is not best served by turning its back on a global refugee crisis, but by ensuring the orderly, organised and humane admission of those fleeing similar horrors.”

Diplomats have confirmed to the press that France will demand a suspension of the Schengen agreement, which allows people to travel across European countries without identity checks.

The measure will be proposed at an emergency summit of European Union interior ministers in Brussels.

During Home Office questions in Westminster, Ms Cooper told Home Secretary Theresa May that “many of the Syrian refugees that Britain expects to help over the coming months are fleeing exactly the same Isis brutality that we saw so terribly on the streets of Paris this weekend.

“Would she agree with me that as we stand in solidarity with Paris it’s important both that we strengthen our security against such barbarism, but also that we continue to give sanctuary to those fleeing that barbarism, so that we ensure that those terrorists cannot win?”

Her concerns were echoed by some Conservative MPs. Pudsey MP Stuart Andrew asked Ms May for assurance that the government would take steps to guard against Islamophobic reactions to the Paris killings.

His request came after Ukip deputy chair for welfare Suzanne Evans implied on Twitter that the Paris attack had been a by-product of the migrant crisis.

She faced a backlash on social media, with users accusing her of “making capital about tragedy.”

Mr Dalhuisen said: “Now is also the time for world leaders to show true statesmanship and refuse to bow to the conflated anti-refugee rhetoric which is already emanating from some quarters.

“We have to remember that many of those trying to gain sanctuary have fled violence, fear and conflict, and indeed often by the very same group known as the Islamic State in both Syria and Iraq.”

Paris attacks: Hating refugees is exactly what Isis wants you to do. Perhaps one of the most persuasive arguments against equating refugees with terrorists is simple: It’s exactly what Isis wants: here.

This November 2015 video from Arnhem in the Netherlands is about Syrian refugee musicians, who had to leave their instruments behind, playing a benefit concert for other refugees with new instruments they received in Arnhem.

Europe anti-refugee rhetoric swells after Paris attacks: here.

From daily The Morning Star in Britain:

Refugees are human too

Tuesday 17th November 2015

Those seeking safety in Europe are fleeing the same terrorists who struck in Paris on Friday. We must not turn our backs on them

A FEW short days after the horrific scenes in Paris the risk is growing that this atrocity will claim more innocent victims.

…

But it carries a heavy cost for the families forced to flee Syria. Isis is their enemy too.

We know with chilling certainty what they are trying to escape, because it visited itself upon Paris so savagely last week. Then the killers targeted football fans, people enjoying a night out, people at a rock concert.

At the weekend more evidence of Isis cruelty emerged, as Kurdish forces uncovered mass graves in recently liberated Sinjar. One contained the bodies of 78 elderly women. The other was the last resting place of over 50 men, women and children.

We don’t know what these people were doing when they were killed, but like the victims in Paris we can be sure these were not fighters on a battlefield.

Most probably they were slaughtered for who they were: Sinjar is a predominantly Yazidi city. We know from Isis’s conquest of Mosul and other Iraqi cities that hundreds of Shia prisoners were tied up and murdered, that massacring the innocent is standard practice for the terror group.

This is what has been unleashed in Syria and Iraq, with the assistance of Turkey and Saudi Arabia and the connivance of Western governments so determined on regime change that they ignore the nature of the rebel armies doing their dirty work.

That millions then flee for their lives is natural.

The desperate bids to keep refugees out of Europe have lethal consequences, whether that means the drowned children washed up on beaches or the families who, unable to get out, are left at the mercy of groups like Isis.

It would be heartless to close our doors to people who need for our help to save their lives and those of their children, whatever the danger they were fleeing.

But in the case of refugees from the Middle East, where country after country has been torn apart as a result of decisions made in Western capitals, it would also be a failure to take responsibility for a crisis of our own making.

Already at the weekend the governors of Alabama and Michigan in the United States declared that in the wake of the Paris killings their states would not allow any Syrian refugees in.

The stance is being echoed by senior figures in the Republican Party over there, although Barack Obama is resisting the trend.

It seems almost pointless to call on Britain’s government to do the decent thing here, since David Cameron’s response to the refugee crisis so far has been pitiful in any case: 20,000 Syrian refugees over five years is the token effort of a man who does not care.

But we should remind MPs that slamming the door shut doesn’t help. As President Francois Hollande said yesterday: “We know it is cruel but French people killed other French people on Friday.” Just as eight years ago when terror struck London three of the four perpetrators were British-born.

Hollande’s stated priority of working together with Russia and the United States on a joint strategy to crush Isis is welcome and overdue. In the meantime we should extend our solidarity to those forced to flee and welcome them with open arms.

DAVID CAMERON admitted yesterday that British bombs won’t bring peace to Syria: here.

Paris attacks: Video showing ‘London Muslims celebrating terror attacks’ is fake. The footage actually shows British Pakistanis celebrating a cricket victory in 2009: here.

Syrian passport found near dead Paris bomber almost certainly fake: here.

Related articles