Perth marches for Palestinian Cause

Hundreds of Western Australians attended rallies protesting against the Israeli massare in Gaza. With the leadership of local Perth activists and cooperation of Muslim and non Muslim citizens, Friends of Palestine, organised rallies on two consecutive weekends; in Perth city on 4th of January and Fremantle on 10th of January.

One of the organisers, Alex Whisson, thanked everyone who attended the second successful demonstration in Fremantle, on 10 January: “Though the numbers were a bit down compared to last Sunday (350 vs 500), we succeeded in staging yet another extremely vibrant, loud, angry and determined rally; we again had a long list of excellent speakers representing a wide cross-section of the community; and we managed to get permission in the end from the Fremantle police to walk on the pavement, which meant we effectively got our message across to the Fremantle public.”

Alex, a PhD student, and the main organiser of the two rallies, added: “Another 92 people joined the Friends of Palestine mailing list, dozens of people signed the petition to Stephen Smith, and over $1000 was raised for Friends of Palestine, so I thank you one and all for your attendance as we look forward to the next major action on Saturday January 31st in the Perth CBD”.

“In order to build as much momentum as we possibly can for the January 31st action - which by the way will go ahead regardless of whether or not there is a ceasefire or an end to the war in the interim - we have called for vigils/leafleting sessions outside Wesley Church in the city to be held every Friday night from 5.30pm onwards between now and the rally.”

Muslim Curtin Student to become

 National Leader

Last August the Australian Multicultural Foundation hosted Leadership Australia - A New Generation, a program designed to develop a group of confident and well connected young Australian Muslims.

19 year old Curtin pharmacy student, Nora Ihdayhid, was one of 15 selected to participate in the AMF’s two day intensive program. Here she speaks with Tamara Swann about her experience.

The Leadership Australia program gathered a small group of young Muslims from all around the country together in Melbourne, to show how they can play an active role in the national community, as well as their own local communities. Following the program participants were expected to implement projects within their state or territory.

Ms Ihdayhid said the she took a lot from the program, most prominently networking and public speaking skills.

When she returned to Perth she had a series of tasks to complete to consolidate the knowledge she had learned and to put her finely tuned skills into action.

“I’ve had to find a mentor to help me as well as find someone that I can mentor and share what I have learnt with.

“Another task was to actively seek two public speaking engagements, one to Muslims and another to a non-Muslim audience… which has been quite challenging,” she said.

Ms Ihdayhid already has a list of volunteering experience under her belt including organizing several projects for the Curtin Muslim Students Association, volunteering as a camp leader for the Muslim Women’s Support Centre’s girls camp and being a student ambassador for Curtin.

She said the AMF’s program was very helpful in giving her the confidence to further pursue leadership roles in the community and in showing her how she could make a difference. In 2009 she will be mentoring first year pharmacy students to help them settle into university life and will also play a major role in upgrading the Curtin Mushallah.

Spotlight on our Community:

Muslim Youth of Western Australia

Tamara Swann

Youth groups always seem such an enthusiastic bunch. Tamara Swann caught up with Muslim Youth Western Australia president Shameema Kolia, to discuss upcoming projects.

Muslim Youth Western Australia began as a two-woman operation in 2005, when Shameema Kolia and Maryam Khan decided to act upon their ambition to create an organization solely operated by and servicing the Muslim youth in Perth.

Today, MYWA is run by a group of 10 youth members who plan and host numerous social events and educational workshops for the State’s young Muslims.

“MYWA is the peak youth body in the (WA) Muslim community in terms of advocacy, service provision and representation,” Ms Kolia said.

With affiliations to University of WA, Curtin and Murdoch universities, MYWA has rapidly expanded its membership to more than 300 people over the past three years.

“Our services were originally targeted at the high school age kids, but now our numbers have grown substantially so I would say our members range from 13-25 year olds.

“There are no requirements for membership, no fees or forms. We have a facebook page that kids can sign up to, to find out about upcoming events and we have a website where they can join in online forums,” she said.

With help from The Muslim Women’s Support Centre MYWA have recently completed their second annual girls camp. The five day team-building camp runs each January and is open to high school aged girls.

“There are no men around so it gives the girls a sense of freedom, they can take off their hijab, go swimming and just have heaps of fun. “Last years camp began with 30 girls who didn’t know much about each other, but by the end of the camp they had become the best of friends,” Ms Kolia said.

MYWA has many projects in the pipeline for 2009, including a similar camp for boys later in the year.

However, this camp is directly related to the Changing Strides program MYWA held at the Australian Islamic College last year. This program aimed to foster a positive relationship between young Muslims and the WA Police Force, and for some opened a potential career path. The same group of Year 11 students would be invited to attend the camp proposed for July.

Another interesting project is the Volunteer Register MYWA has planned. Ms Kolia described this as a way of “getting to know the people in our community who can make a difference” by finding out what they can offer in terms of skills and time.

The monthly lecture series that MYWA began in 2008 is set to continue in 2009. The lectures are held at UWA on the last Saturday of every month.

In March MYWA will again join forces with MWSC to host the Annual All Ladies Formal. This offers young women an alternative to the traditional high school ball which can conflict with Muslim values and often poses a problem for parents.

MYWA are also proposing to hold the Muslim Students and Professionals Dinner in June and later the traditional Eid Social Dinner for Eid-ul-fitr.

Ms Kolia said 2008’s Eid dinner was a huge success and literally a “sold-out” event with more than 300 people attending, so warned people to get in early this year.

In December MYWA is planning a Muslim community awards event for the first time in WA, to recognize those who dedicate much of their efforts to helping the local Muslim community.

Ms Kolia said they were trying to involve all other local Muslim organizations with the aim of making the awards night an annual event.

All this amongst MYWA’s regular barbeques, sports days and training courses and you can see why one might suggest youth groups and enthusiasm go hand in hand.

Calls to boycott Israel and shame

Australian government

Tamara Swann reports on a local group rallying for peace in Palestine.

On Saturday the 10th of January, Australian Friends of Palestine held their third rally in three weeks in Perth. The group of local Palestinian supporters once again gathered together in the heat to inform and encourage the public to become aware of how they can influence change in Gaza.

This rally was held at Pioneer Reserve in Fremantle and involved a variety of speakers including Australian Islamic College student Reyhan Oz, Greens senator for WA Scott Ludlam, Australian Catholic Social Justice Commission executive officer Terry Quinn, and 7 year old Ali Alardah.

All speakers urged attendees to become active by writing and speaking to parliamentarians on all levels and by spreading word amongst their peers about the AFOP cause.

“Tell the government that you are ashamed of their inaction. Tell Mr Rudd that his silence is taking a stand,” Mr Ludlam said.

The group of approximately 250 people almost doubled in size after a march along the Fremantle café strip.

Rally organiser and AFOP leader Alex Whisson said, while it was good to see a passionate group of people involving themselves, he was disappointed there were not more people attending the rallies.

He was also disappointed that the Fremantle City Council had not been supportive of the group’s planned street march.

“There is clearly a political agenda as to why we were denied a peaceful march in the streets here on a Saturday. Shame on Fremantle City Council.

“Fortunately we have been able to negotiate with police to be able to march along the pavement with their assistance,” he said.

AFOP is not a religious or cultural group. Members come from a variety of backgrounds but all share the common goal of putting an end to the violence and oppression of the Palestinian people.

AFOP representative Sarah Haynes said one of the ways in which people could make this happen was to boycott all Israeli goods, that is to stop purchasing from Israeli owned companies. This would damage the export dependent Israeli economy and subsequently force the nation into a more negotiable position.

For more details or to become a member of the organisation visit: www.friendsofpalestine.org.au

For more information on boycotting Israeli goods visit: http//:bdsmovement.net

Spotlight on Your Community:

Perth Mosque Inc

As a service to community based organisations and to encourage community members to participate in these organisations, Crescent Times plans to publish a series of “Spotlight” articles outlining how Muslims can become involved in supporting their community. If you are involved in a community based organisation that would benefit from an increase in public participation please contact Crescent Times so that your organisation can appear in the “Spotlight” column.

Perth Mosque Incorporated

What does the organisation do?

Perth Mosque Incorporated (until 1951 known as Mahommedan Mosque Incorporated) was initially formed at the turn of the 20th century to take care of the general management of the mosque including payment of accounts and collection of fees. Members of Perth Mosque Incorporated contribute to the maintenance and development of facilities at the mosque under the leadership of the two trustees. The Mosque is a registered charitable organisation.

Why should I join this organisation?

As often happens with community based organisations, the responsibility of running the mosque falls mainly on the two trustees. If you attend Perth Mosque for prayer and use the facilities provided it would seem only fair and reasonable to join the association and offer your support for the work done by the trustees.

How can I join this organisation?

Membership is open to any person of any nationality 18 years of age and over of Muslm faith resident in Western Australia for more than three months. The applicant must make an application for in writing to the trustees. Applications can be directed to The trustees, Perth Mosque Incorporated 427-429 William Street Perth WA 6000.

Is there any cost to join?

An application fee is required, this is set from time to time by the trustees. The fee is not excessive and funds are directed to the upkeep of the Mosque. An ongoing annual fee may also be payable, this is also set by the trustees.

A DAY OF CELEBRATING ABILITIES:

International Day for People with Disability

Tamara Swann reports on the‘Celebrating Abilities’ event held in Langford on the International Day for People with Disability.

Sunday the 30th of November marked 2008’s International Day for People with Disability. The Muslim Youth of Western Australia joined forces with The Muslim Women’s Support Centre to host ‘Celebrating Abilities’ – an event that focused on abilities rather than disabilities.

Held at the Langford Islamic College, the event featured information stalls from disability service providers including Ethnic Disability Advocacy Centre, Carers WA and the Red Cross, along with consultants who were able to offer customised advice to visitors.

Children were entertained with educational and fun activities outside, while adults were able to browse through the information displays as well as food and clothing stalls.

‘Celebrating Abilities’ organiser Maranda Ali said the event was important for Muslims with disability and their carers because service providers had recognised an overwhelming need for access and inclusion amongst this group of Western Australians.

“It is not uncommon to have Muslims [with any kind of disability] feel very isolated and the conventional Western service providers have trouble meeting their needs,” she said.

She cited limited English skills, bullying, shame and stigma as factors that lead to this isolation of Muslims with disability, in particular.

“As a Muslim, if you are excluded from your community you are unlikely to seek, or be able to locate another community to connect with. And this social isolation ultimately leads to deeper problems,” Sr Maranda said.

She added that there was a lack of Islamic knowledge readily available regarding disability and, in her experience, Muslims tended to ignore these issues rather than search for information.

Organisations such as the MWSC, MYWA, EDAC and Carers WA had come together over the past few months to focus on providing public disability awareness, specifically to the Muslim community.

EDAC advocacy officer, Br Syed Ali said it was not just people with disabilities that needed support; but also their family and carers; people with mental health issues; and the aged.

Sr Maranda said part of the disability awareness program is to promote the need for more social support volunteers.

She said employment in the disability service sector was not usually a financially attractive option for qualified social workers who had spent a number of years studying. That was why she, with the help of the MWSC, was seeking ideal candidates to train up and then send out into the community.

Sr Maranda said she was pleased to be supported in holding the ‘Celebrating Abilities’ event. However, she hopes to see the event continue annually and grow as more Muslims embrace disability awareness as an issue in their community

“Change does not occur overnight, and we have to be prepared to move at a pace the community is comfortable with,” she said.

“When you speak to people they do want to support but often don’t know how.”

Event organisers wanted to thank the Disability Services Commission for their support and for providing the funding for toilet facilities for the event.

If you are interested in becoming a social support volunteer please contact Sr Maranda Ali on 0420 441548 or email: ablemuslims@mwsc.com.au  No experience is required however, a desire to learn and connect with people is!

TURN A DREAM INTO REALITY

ICWA calls for 1250 families to build community centre

Muslim ties to Western Australian go back centuries, with Indonesian Muslims trading with local indigenous people. Following the arrival of European settlers and the formation of modern Australia, more Muslim migrants arrived in Australia the 1850s with the migration of Afghan and Indian camel handlers to Australia. These men participated in exploration such as the famous Burke & Wills expedition in 1860 sought the services of four Muslim cameleers to accompany the group. Western Australia saw the arrival of numerous so called “Afghans” to live and work in remote areas including Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie, Wyndham, Derby, Port Hedland. These men worked hard to connect the shore of Australia with the deserted heart of the continent, carrying mining and commercial goods.

Some of the early Muslim population eventually relocated from Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie and other places to Perth, the new capital of Western Australia. They found no places of public worship or meeting for Muslims and subsequently purchased land and constructed Perth Mosque at the turn of the 20th century. This building was initially known as the “Mohamedean Mosque” until a change of name in the 1950s identified it as Perth Mosque.

During the 1960s and 1970s significant numbers of new Muslim migrants arrived in Western Australia, principally from Malaysia, Indonesia and other Asian countries. From the 1980s onwards, many Muslim people arrived as refugees from war torn countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and all over the African continent.

Since 9/11 the Muslim community in Western Australia has struggled against racism, stereotyping and marginalisation by main stream society. The Islamic Council of Western Australia (ICWA) has played a significant role in reducing this impact on the Muslim community, defending the rights of local Muslims, encouraging and supporting those in difficulty and providing Halal certification for local enterprises enabling these local businesses to access the large export market. Despite this significant work, ICWA still suffers from a shortage of skilled community minded people to assist with their valuable work in Western Australia. Imam Abdul Jalil Ahmed and Rahim B. Ghauri from ICWA told “Crescent Times” that they are eager to find new talent from the Muslim Community to participate with ICWA in community based activities. They see young Muslims as extremely important in carrying on their good work now and in the years to come.

The starting point for these future plans is a hope to build a new home for ICWA and for local Muslims in years to come. Rivervale Islamic Centre occupies a small old house, in a great location adjacent to the Swan River, only few miles from the Perth CBD. This Centre is not large enough for the increasing numbers of Muslims who attend Friday prayer and has no adequate facilities for community activities, ICWA administration or the work of the Halal committee.

To make space available for the community, ICWA hopes to purchase two blocks of land adjacent to the current Rivervale Mosque to build an Islamic Centre. According to Imam Abdul Jalil, informal discussion with the Shire of Belmont has not uncovered any opposition to this proposal. This is an expensive option and funds need to be raised to make the dream a reality.

The land is valued at an estimated 1.5 million dollars with the building cost estimated to be around one million making a total of 2.5 million dollars. A proposal has been put forward to raise this money by calling for 1250 Muslim families to donate $2000 each to raise the funds required.

These 1250 families could benefit from their donation through:

- Membership of the incorporated association with the right and responsibility to participate in the planning, building and management of the community centre.

- Having their family name recorded permanently on the honour board at the centre (unless they wish to remain anonymous)

- Claiming the donation as a tax deduction at the end of the financial year (provided that the incorporated association qualifies for charity status)

- Use of the centre for family celebrations, such as a wedding, for a minimal cost

The Islamic Council of Western Australia hopes to inform the community of the steps required to start such a project in the near future.

Spotlight on Your Community: