Muslim community shocked over arrests; urges for calm and restraint
August 26, 2010
Montreal,
Quebec, August 26th, 2010- The Muslim
Council of Montreal (MCM) expressed its shock over the recent arrests in
Ontario on terror-related charges. RCMP officers arrested Canadian citizens
Misbahuddin Ahmed, Hiva Alizadeh and Khurram Sher on Wednesday and Thursday.
“We stand united
with all our fellow Canadians against all criminal acts and in the ongoing
efforts to safeguard the security and well-being of our nation,” stated Salam
Elmenyawi, president of MCM. “However, we must remember that everyone is
entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty and the accused
have the right to be tried in a transparent and fair court of law, with the protection
of their constitutional rights. Civil rights and
charter protections are not forfeited to target individuals on mere suspicion,
nor can we pass judgment and conviction without concrete evidence and due
process.”
Muslim community thanks the federal government for their aid commitment to Pakistan and urges all Canadians to donate generously to help in the relief efforts
August 24, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Montreal,
Quebec, August 24th, 2010- The Muslim
Council of Montreal (MCM) thanks the Canadian government for its pledge to
match all donations made to Canadian registered charities earmarked for the
Pakistan flood relief efforts.
“We applaud the
generosity of our government and encourage all Canadians to donate abundantly,”
stated Salam Elmenyawi, president of MCM. “The victims of the floods remain in
critical need of emergency assistance and with each passing day the need for
food, clean water, shelter and medical aid increases drastically. There is no
time to lose.”
The federal
government announced this weekend that it will match dollar-for-dollar all
eligible donations made by individual Canadians to registered charities between
August 2nd and September 12th, in addition to the $33
million already pledged to the Pakistan flood relief efforts.
Humanitarian crisis in Pakistan: UNICEF says it is “probably the biggest emergency on the planet today”
August 18, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Montreal,
Quebec, August 18th, 2010- The Muslim
Council of Montreal (MCM) urges all Canadians to donate generously to help the relief
efforts in Pakistan, following the monsoon rains and massive floods that
devastated the country over two weeks ago.
“The extent of
damage caused by these floods is beyond anything we can imagine,” stated Salam
Elmenyawi, president of MCM. “The UN has said that the number of people
affected from the floods could exceed the combined total of those from the 2004
Indian Ocean tsunami, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake and the 2010 Haiti
earthquake. These are not just cold facts, but behind each of these statistics
is a child who lost her parents or a family that lost their home and
livelihood. We implore all Canadians to open up their hearts and wallets and
not be blind to the suffering of so many innocent millions.”
Muslim community disagrees with Angus Reid poll over national support for niqab ban
March 27, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Montreal,
Quebec, March 27th, 2010- The Muslim
Council of Montreal (MCM) finds the recent Angus Reid poll indicating the
general support of Canadians for Bill 94 to be misleading and reintegrates the
need for more balanced and informed discussion on the matter.
“This poll is hardly accurate of the views of
all Canadians, as it would suggest that the majority of Canadians are against
the values of our Charter,” stated Salam Elmenyawi, president of MCM. “From the
beginning, a rationed, reasonable discussion over the issue of the niqab has
been forgone in favour of a emotionally charged hysterical debate that lacks
the basic facts and information. The niqab is being presented as a symbol of
oppression and radicalism, which is naturally turning people away from it and
not allowing them the opportunity to understand anything substantial about what
it really is, as well as diverting their attention away from the real question.”
Muslim community concerned about the long-term consequences and precedents set by Bill 94
March 24, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Montreal,
Quebec, March 24th, 2010- The Muslim
Council of Montreal (MCM) expressed its fears today of the beginning of a
slippery slope eroding the human rights of minority groups in Quebec, with
today’s introduction of Bill 94. The bill requires both public servants
dispensing government services as well as citizens receiving the services to
have their faces uncovered while doing so.
“In many ways the
Bill represents a knee-jerk reaction by government officials in order to
appease a certain sector of our society, at the expense of others and at the
expense of our basic fundamental rights,” Elmenyawi said. “Instead of resolving
such delicate issues by means of discussion and mediation, the government has
resorted to take it upon themselves to legislate the dress code of its
citizens, without regard to future repercussions resulting from the Bill or
from any misinterpretations over its ambiguous language.”
Muslim community expresses thanks for support and encouragement received over niqab issue
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Montreal,
Quebec, March 24th, 2010- The Muslim
Council of Montreal (MCM) would like to express its gratitude and appreciation
to the abundant support from citizens and journalists across the country in
regards to the recent controversy over the niqab.
“We are overwhelmed by all the messages of
support we have received from citizens around Canada, and also by all the
letters to the editors, op-eds and editorials we have read in various Canadian
newspapers,” stated Salam Elmenyawi, president of MCM. “It is refreshing and
uplifting to see such conscientious Canadians with a genuine concern for human
rights and religious freedoms warning against the dangers of the state
infringing on civil liberties by enforcing a ban against certain religious
clothing. They have shown that this issue isn’t just about the niqab, rather
it is about the values and freedoms guaranteed in our Charter.”
Muslim community calls for harsher penalties against hate crimes as vandals target mosque and synagogue
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Montreal,
Quebec, March 24th, 2010- The Muslim
Council of Montreal (MCM) strongly condemned the recent hate crimes against a
Waterloo mosque and a Montreal synagogue.
“Such hate crimes are heinous attacks on the
values of respect, peace, tolerance and freedom that we all hold dear in
Canada,” stated Salam Elmenyawi, president of MCM. “We call on Waterloo and
Montreal police authorities to act swiftly to investigate these hate crimes and
bring the perpetrators to justice. In addition to strengthening the application
of current laws, new policies and laws are needed to effectively fight hate,
racism and discrimination within our society. A clear message must be sent out
that hate crimes are atrocious acts which absolutely will not be tolerated.”
