Islamic groups should fight extremism, not condone it with call for ‘safe space’ to air views

THE suggestion by Victoria’s peak Islamic body that young Muslims need “safe spaces” to share their extreme views is repulsive, writes Susie O’Brien.

• Anti-terror raids in Melbourne after Brighton attack

ISLAMIC organisations should be fighting extremism, not encouraging it.

In the wake of the deadly Brighton attack, the suggestion from the Islamic Council of Victoria that young Muslims need “safe spaces” to share their extreme views is repulsive.

I don’t believe the State Government should pull funding from Victoria’s peak Islamic group, but it should be put on notice that any indulgence of anti-Australian rhetoric and behaviour should not be tolerated.

And no public money should be used for such programs.

In a week when a Muslim man from Melbourne has been found guilty of marrying a 14-year-old child bride to a man more than 20 years older, and after the horror in Brighton, I don’t blame people for being jumpy about what’s happening in Muslim communities.

In this current climate of heightened terrorist risk, we need Islamic communities and their representative bodies to be strong, progressive and robust.

An innocent man was killed and a woman left traumatised in the Brighton attack. Picture Yuri Kouzmin

We don’t need them to be offering any sort of safe space to those with extreme views.

The stronger and more vigilant these bodies are, the better placed they are to counter extremism within their ranks.

The comments were made in the council’s submission to a parliamentary inquiry into freedom of religion.

The submission notes young Muslim people need a “safe space” where they “can be frank and even use words which in a public space would sound inflammatory”.

The Vice President of Islamic Council of Victoria denied they wanted rage rooms, saying they wanted young people to express a “range of emotions and not to be judged”.

Such an approach is most unhelpful.

Nick Hao, 36, was killed by Yacqub Khayre during the siege in Brighton. Source: 7 News.

The mother of Nick Hao breaks down while talking about her son’s death. Picture: David Caird

Victorians are counting on such organisations to take a leadership role in their community in combating terrorism and extremism, not indulge it.

I don’t condone Islamophobia — the fear and denigration of all followers of the Islamic faith.

As I have written many times before, the majority of Australia’s half a million Muslims live peacefully in our suburbs and towns, and fear extremism as much as everyone else.

However, Islamic organisations must acknowledge that programs like the “safe space” one do not allay people’s fears, but feed them.

Such organisations have a key role to play in stamping out extremism, but also promoting the more mainstream aspects of their faith in order to foster cultural harmony and inclusion. The Islamic Councils’ program of opening mosques to members of the public is one such initiative.

Part of the problem, though, is the refusal of some Islamic leaders to take a strong enough stand against extremism.

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Remember the Grand Mufti of Australia who suggested the Paris attacks were caused by Islamophobia?

And what about the radical shiek Ismail Al-Wahwah, the Australian head of extremist Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir, who said in Sydney recently: “Even if a thousand bombs went off in this country, all that it will prove is that Muslims are angry and they have every reason to be angry”.

And there is also Australian Federation of Islamic Councils Keysar Trad, who

described beating women as “step three” in a process of dealing with issues in relationships, after counselling and buying chocolates or “taking her out on a dinner”.

Ultimately, Islamic organisations must be taking a leading role in promoting moderate Muslim views and stamping out extremism.

We cannot afford any safe spaces for extremism anywhere.