Shia Community (Sectarian Attacks)
The final item of business today is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-05853, in the name of Sandra White, on sectarian attacks against the Shia community. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament condemns recent attacks on the Shia Muslim population worldwide, including in Quetta in Pakistan where more than 200 people are reported to have died in attacks since 10 January 2013, and in Iraq, where it understands that almost 30 people were killed in car bomb explosions in markets near Baghdad in February; expresses condolences to the families of those killed or injured in these sectarian attacks; notes that the governments of Pakistan and Iraq have condemned these and expressed a wish to provide security for Shia Muslims; further notes the contribution of the Shia Muslim community throughout Glasgow and the rest of Scotland, and notes calls for the Scottish Government to liaise with the UK Government and its counterparts to eliminate sectarian attacks against the Shia Muslim population worldwide.
17:02
I welcome the many people in the public gallery, from the Shia community and beyond, and I thank them all very much for turning up. I also sincerely thank my fellow MSPs from all parties who signed the motion, enabling this debate to take place and the plight of the Shia Muslims to be heard.
Violence of any form against any individual is wrong and is something that we all have a duty to speak out against. Only yesterday we saw the aftermath of yet another attack in Iraq, which caused the deaths of at least 66 people and injured more than 200. During the past two weeks, more than 300 people have been killed in a wave of attacks that threatens to drag Iraq into a sectarian war and plunge the region into further conflict.
In Syria there has been an escalation of violence in a conflict that has already taken many lives and which is having a catastrophic effect on thousands of people in Syria, Lebanon and beyond.
Although the Government of Pakistan has condemned systematic attacks that go back many years, attacks against the Shia community continue. Only this morning, gunmen in Karachi shot dead a Shia Muslim high court lawyer and his two sons.
Last week’s terrible attack in Woolwich brought home to us all the barbarity of acts of violence. The violence has been condemned by all the Muslim community, in Scotland and beyond. I ask members to take a moment to condemn such acts and remember all those who have lost their lives in terrible acts of violence throughout the world.
Extremism in any form is rightly to be condemned—it does not discriminate. It is important to remember that the violence perpetrated against the Shia community is another example of that extremism.
What are we to do in the face of extremist attacks? How do we stop them? We need to work together towards understanding and to have respect for one another. It would be wrong to see those acts of violence as a reason to put up more barriers; they should be seen as an opportunity to explore why they are happening and to find ways of ensuring that they do not happen again to any minority group here and beyond.
In Scotland, there was widespread opposition to the war in Iraq, a war widely accepted to have been illegal. Security for the Iraqi people has not been improved: the situation has deteriorated and it is getting worse by the day. Given the false premises of and promises for the war, the United Kingdom Government has a responsibility to the Iraqi people and other minorities who are being persecuted to ensure that the sectarian attacks are ended.
In Scotland, we have a responsibility to speak out against the atrocities and, although foreign policy is reserved, to do everything in our power to influence the thinking of the UK Government and the Governments throughout Europe and the world. We have a part to play. We have a distinct voice to bring to the table, which is one that I hope will be listened to. Scotland is an inclusive and pragmatic society that looks at dialogue and discussion as a way forward.
The Minister for External Affairs and International Development, Humza Yousaf, is a very capable and understanding MSP. He is someone who can articulate the will of the Scottish Government clearly, and I am sure that he will do everything that he can to put our view across to the UK Government and others.
Scotland is a country that is respected across the world for its contribution to the modern world, its sense of fairness and justice and its welcome to all. When I talk about justice and fairness, it would be remiss of me not to mention the work that is carried out in my own constituency of Glasgow Kelvin and throughout Scotland by those in our Muslim communities—some of whom are here, as I have said—the integrated role that they play in the services that they give and offer to all, and their deeply held conviction of standing up for the underdog and minorities. That sounds very familiar; it is what the Scottish people are also renowned for.
It is always a pleasure to meet with my brothers and sisters and to know that the mutual respect that we have unites us not only in our approach to each other but in our respect for others. I will not go into the individual details of having dinner at the mosque or my meetings in houses, but I am always saying, “No thank you. I have already had too much food.” We are treated very well and very respectfully.
I thank those people for the contribution that they make to Scottish society. The mosque doors are always open, and anyone in the community can go there and learn about Islam. The people in the mosque go out and do fantastic work in the community. That is why it is important to have this debate. As I have said, the mutual respect that the Shia community and other minorities show to everyone is important—it shows what a society is. They stand up for the underdog and for the minorities throughout the world.
We need more dialogue, not more weapons, if we are to end sectarian attacks against the Shia community and tackle the causes of extremist attacks across the world, regardless of who they are perpetrated against. The Shia community has a long tradition of condemning violence and promoting peace and understanding, something of which they are rightly proud. That is a voice that we share and one that needs to be heard.
I thank the chamber for allowing me to have the Shia voice heard here today. I look forward to the minister’s speech.
17:08
First I say, “As-salamu alaykum”—may peace and blessing of Allah be upon all the Muslim community in Scotland and, in particular, our guests in the public gallery. I thank Sandra White for securing this important debate.
Attacks against the Shia community are on the rise across the world. Although the motion targets Quetta and Iraq, I assure members that those are not the only places where the Shia community are victims of violence. The issue is a serious one.
I accept that the Shia community is not the only community to have come under attack in the Asian sub-continent. For example, the Sunni community in Iraq and the Christian community in Pakistan have also frequently been targets. However, the latest attacks on the Shia community have been of concern because in Iraq and Pakistan, which are the two main countries in which the Shia community has been targeted, the Governments seem to have been helpless to stop matters. That is of serious concern because, when Governments let people down, sometimes the wrong message goes out that the targeting of a community is acceptable. Quite clearly, that should not be the case.
I hope that the new democratically elected Government that is now in office in Pakistan will take the issue more seriously than the previous Government in helping to put a stop to the violence against the Shia community. If we can be of any assistance, please advise us because this is a common challenge and we should not be afraid to work together in a bid to stop the senseless killing of innocent civilians. I am happy to work with any Government that is willing to work towards bringing the communities together. I personally pledge that I am willing and able to work with any Government to fight against discrimination, bigotry and religious intolerance.
We must remind those Governments that fail such communities that they will suffer instability and insecurity to the degree that the nation is weak and the population uneasy and insecure. That situation is harmful to all people, regardless of who they are. Let us pray today that sense prevails and that people across the world will learn from history that violence is no solution for peace. Therefore, I look forward to ensuring that hypocrites do not rule people but that—inshallah, or God willing—people of substance do.
Sandra White was absolutely right that all our communities play an important role in Scotland, and it is important that we do not allow discrimination. Time and again in history, we have seen how issues that have started off very small have turned out to involve major loss of life, limb, property and solidarity, which is unacceptable in this day and age. Bosnia was just one recent example in which large numbers of people were killed simply because they were of the wrong faith or belief.
The Shia community is an integral part and important element of the Islamic world and, like all other segments, it must be treated with respect. Therefore, in today’s important debate, I wish to assure the Shia communities not only in Scotland but elsewhere in the world that, if I can be of help to them in any way at any time or anywhere, I will be there with them shoulder to shoulder.
17:12
Although it is with no pleasure that I and other members come to the chamber this evening to debate the appalling attacks on innocent people across the world, I thank Sandra White for bringing the issue to our attention. Sectarian violence, murder and terrorism against a religious minority—in this case, the international Shia community, many of whom live in Scotland and most of them in the fair city of Glasgow—is an issue of grave importance that deserves nothing less than the full attention of the national Parliament.
Sadly, sectarian violence is not a stranger to these islands, but no matter where it is found, sectarianism always has the same characteristics: prejudice, hatred, fear, ignorance and intolerance. The aim of sectarianism is to divide people and to punish those with whom it disagrees and hates. Wherever it happens, it is to be abhorred. No one should die because of the colour of their skin, no one should die because of their nationality and no one should die because of their religious beliefs.
When I knew that I would be speaking in tonight’s debate, I googled “attacks on Shia” for a bit of background—I advise others not to do it—and found a depressing catalogue of man’s inhumanity to man. The scenes from Iraq yesterday showed innocent people being killed indiscriminately just for having the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time—in this case among the Shia community.
The Shia community is not unique in suffering from prejudice, which also affects many other communities, but we must acknowledge the history of prejudice, violence and sectarianism that has been shown to Shia Muslims historically and throughout the world. Sometimes, such prejudice is even institutionalised. For example, under Lebanon’s constitution, a Shi’ite Muslim can never hold the office of President or Prime Minister, as only a Christian can be President, only a Sunni can be Prime Minister and only a Shi’ite can be Speaker. In a system that is known as confessional distribution, seats in Lebanon’s Parliament are allocated to religious communities and sects based on population using a census that is 50 years out of date.
That system keeps Shia Muslims from two of the highest offices in the land. It is a sectarian-building-block form of governance that, when it was introduced in 1943, was supposed to be a temporary measure. It might have been right at the time, but it is wrong that it stands to this day.
In the recent election campaign in Pakistan, the targeting of Shia candidates took the lives of nine people and injured more than 20. For what? It was for the crime of being a Shia Muslim and wanting to play their part in their country’s political process. Just today, I read of a Shia lawyer and his two young sons being killed for the crime of being Shia, which Sandra White mentioned. Such cowardly acts of terrorism must be stopped. I ask the minister in his summing up to outline what representations have been or are being made to the Government of Pakistan on behalf of Scotland’s Shia community.
In Glasgow, many Shia Muslims, some of whom are personal friends of mine—I am delighted to see that the public gallery is dotted with them—are outstanding members of the community. There are businessmen and businesswomen, family people, political activists and citizens, who are proud to call Scotland their home. We are extremely fortunate that Scotland and—may I say it?—Glasgow, could be held up as a beacon to show how different communities can work together, socialise together and even celebrate their difference and similarity together.
The evidence for that is twofold. This is a kind of good news, bad news story. First, when I was googling last night, I found a map of attacks on mosques across the UK. Clearly, that is the bad news. The map highlighted 13 or so such attacks, but none of them was in Scotland. The Muslim community seems to have built a relationship and is clearly an integral part of Scotland, just like the community who come from an Irish background, including me. The Muslim community is seen in exactly the same way. Secondly—I had better get this right—on 9 June, an event is taking place at Celtic park involving speeches from politicians and the Scottish Inter Faith Council to promote peace and community integration. If ever we needed an example of the part that the Muslim community—in which I include Shia and Sunni, although we are talking about the Shia tonight—has to play in Scottish society, that is it.
Internationally, the people in the Shia community want peace and freedom; they want freedom to live their lives in peace, to celebrate their religion in peace and to live in their communities throughout the world without the overhanging threat of violence being brought down on them and their loved ones. I am sure that we speak as one on the issue. I whole-heartedly support the motion—and the Shia community.
17:17
I, too, congratulate Sandra White on securing tonight’s important debate. Religious warfare, in whatever insidious form it takes, is one of the worst things that can happen to a society. Although we in Scotland have had, and continue to have, our fair share of religion-incited discord, when it comes to such a deeply ingrained and divisive matter as sectarianism, we would often do well to look further afield than our own back yard, if not for answers, then at least for a degree of perspective.
Unfortunately, the persecution of religious populations is an all-too-common feature of our 21st-century world and, as the motion notes, the Shia Muslim population is no exception. Pakistan and Iraq in particular are two countries in which sectarian attacks against the Shia population are common, if not widespread. Human Rights Watch, in its 2012 report on Pakistan, summed up the situation in five words:
“Pakistan had a disastrous year”.
The report noted that Shia groups were routinely persecuted and that some supposedly banned militant groups operated with impunity, even in areas such as Punjab, where state authority is well established. Human Rights Watch’s 2013 report does not paint a more positive picture. It estimates that, last year alone, about 325 Shia Muslims were killed in targeted attacks across Pakistan.
The UK Government rightly welcomed President Zardari’s speech last year, in which he recognised the problems that minorities in Pakistan have faced and the efforts of those in Government to address the situation. Of course, more needs to be done.
Two months ago, I noted in the chamber the persecution that Shia Muslims have in the past faced in Iraq. Although we can all be thankful that oppression on such a widespread and repugnant scale no longer exists in that country, it is of course a matter of great regret that any form of sectarian persecution should still occur.
However, I am encouraged by the words and actions of the Iraqi Government when it comes to attacks against the Shia community. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and President Jalal Talibani know all too well the evils of sectarianism, being victims of it themselves, and I share their determination to refuse to allow religious militant groups that are attempting to exploit political instability to exacerbate sectarian tensions in Iraq. I admire their resolve to ensure that religious insurgency
“will not be able to bring back the atmosphere of the sectarian war”.
It is regrettable that sectarian attacks are not limited to Shia Muslims or to the geographical areas of Iraq and Pakistan. In both those countries, other religious groups are also targeted, and sectarian attacks occur in Saudi Arabia, Syria and even in countries that have strong traditions of religious diversity and tolerance, such as Indonesia.
The UK Foreign Secretary has repeatedly reaffirmed his commitment to working with Governments to end sectarian attacks against religious and ethnic minorities. The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office has a strong voice on the world stage and it is right that that should be put to good use. Therefore, I welcome current FCO initiatives supporting interfaith dialogue and integration. The list is long, but it includes projects to encourage Pakistan’s political parties to recognise the electoral power of minority communities; campaigns by the FCO’s Jakartan embassy to raise the right to freedom of religion with the Government of Indonesia; the funding of a series of grass-roots meetings in Iraq bringing people from different faiths together to combat sectarian violence; and general ministerial engagement lobbying federal and provincial Governments to guarantee the rights of all citizens.
As noted in Sandra White’s motion, the UK Government has a crucial role to play in eliminating sectarian attacks against the Shia Muslim population worldwide. Therefore, I look forward to seeing how the Scottish minister intends to support the UK Government in its critical role in ensuring that we achieve the objective for which we are all striving.
17:22
I join others in thanking Sandra White for raising this important issue and securing the debate. I also thank all the members who signed her motion. I welcome the many people in the public gallery from the Shia community and beyond who have attended the debate.
I share everybody’s concern at the level of religious violence in Pakistan, in Iraq and throughout the world that is directed towards Shia communities. As we have heard, in February, more than 30 people were killed and about 190 injured in a spate of car bombings in mainly Shia areas of Iraq. Tragically, that has continued, with more than 60 people killed in car bombs in Baghdad yesterday.
Twin bomb attacks on 10 January in Quetta in Pakistan killed 100 people and injured up to 200 more. Further bombings in February took the death toll to more than 200, most of whom were from the Shia community. The attack was definitely directed towards them.
I do not know a single person who was not affected by the scenes that we saw in the aftermath of the bombings in Quetta, when mothers refused to bury their dead and sat next to coffins in defiance until protection for their community was guaranteed.
Members from across the chamber made good speeches. To answer the questions from John Lamont and James Dornan on working with the UK Government and the Government of Pakistan, I inform members that, on 20 January this year, I wrote the consul general of Pakistan to condemn the attacks and express our condolences to the families that were affected. Then, in a meeting, I reiterated the Scottish Government’s offer of assistance to work with the Government of Pakistan to do what we can.
From what the consul general and other Government officials in Pakistan said, I have no doubt that they have a resolve to tackle the issue. I will come on to the new Government of Pakistan a little later.
Freedom of thought, conscience and religion are closely related rights that reflect the freedom of an individual or community to think and freely hold conscientious beliefs. It is incredibly important to manifest religion in teaching, practice, worship and observance. Those rights sit under international treaty and are central to the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
As a good global citizen, Scotland has a strong and enduring commitment to securing democracy, the rule of law and fundamental human rights throughout the world. We would, of course, expect all states to comply with international and human rights law, and we condemn human rights abuses wherever they occur. In our view that is a basic minimum requirement of any state under international law, although I appreciate that human rights are an immensely complex and challenging issue, especially for Iraq and Pakistan, which both have monumental challenges to address.
When I last spoke to Pakistani officials, they gave an unwavering commitment to defeat that type of violence. I do not doubt for a minute that the resolve of the new Government in Pakistan will be just as strong, and it may offer a fresh opportunity to tackle the evil scourge of violence that is directed towards the country’s Shia population.
I reiterate that the Scottish Government, working with the UK Government, will seek to provide any assistance that it can that might be useful to Iraq or Pakistan in defeating sectarian violence. I will happily raise that issue, and reiterate that offer, the next time I meet an FCO minister.
The opportunity exists for us to engage with Pakistan. The elections on 11 May were a crucial milestone in Pakistan’s democratic history and journey, as that was the first time that power was transferred democratically between one civilian government and another following a full term. I am sure that all of us in the chamber welcome the strengthening of democracy in Pakistan.
Tomorrow, I will be speaking at an event that is designed to address the question of how Scottish businesses can invest in Pakistan. We have a vested interest in seeing greater stability in Pakistan so that we can do business and trade with the country, and thereby help to lift it out of poverty and improve its economic circumstances.
In addition, we subscribe to the moral argument that—as members have rightly said—there should be no attacks on anyone, particularly minorities, who must be protected. Importantly, we in Scotland, as good global citizens, want to see an end to that violence. I was delighted to announce earlier this month the award of £1.8 million from our south Asia programme to fund some development projects in Pakistan.
In Iraq, religious-based attacks are still far too common. However, with democracy holding, and with statistics showing that violence has fallen from its 2007 peak, there is cautious hope—I emphasise the word “cautious”—that religious violence can be curbed. Scotland is playing whatever part it can—even if that is a small part—in Iraqi development. The Scottish Government has awarded a total of £1.5 million to NGOs for projects to develop civil society in Iraq between 2010 and 2013.
The Scottish Government values and appreciates the contribution that diverse faith and belief communities make to enrich Scotland economically, socially and culturally. We have a vibrant Shia community in Glasgow—and throughout Scotland—which is part of the rich cultural diversity of that city that adds so much to its character.
I am pleased to say, speaking from a personal point of view, that relationships between the Shia and Sunni communities in Glasgow are very good. Both communities are members of the Muslim Council of Scotland, and they attend each other’s events.
Sandra White spoke about the mutual respect and dialogue that exists. She also mentioned food and how people are always well fed when they go to a mosque event, whether it is a Shia or Sunni mosque. Food is a good place to start the dialogue—I am thinking of the response to the recent unfortunate and tragic events in Woolwich, and how English Defence League members were given tea and biscuits yesterday by a mosque in York. That helped to break down the barriers, and discussions took place, so we have a great amount for which to thank the humble custard cream.
After the bombings in Quetta, I attended a cross-party event with the Shia community in Glasgow, along with many members from all sides of the chamber. There were Sunni and Shia imams present, and all stood united in their condemnation of the attacks. It is important that that bond of common friendship is maintained, because those who terrorise our communities and minority want us to forget that common bond and remain divided.
I join all members in the chamber in condemning the recent violence that was targeted at the Shia community. It is in all our interests for Pakistan and Iraq to be stable and prosperous. Religious tolerance is vital for peace and prosperity to flourish, and Scotland is committed to support efforts to achieve that.
We will continue to highlight the importance of improving religious tolerance with the newly elected Government in Pakistan and with the Government of Iraq, and we will do what we can to work with the UK Government to ensure that we end the evil scourge of violence and attacks that are directed at the Shia community.
Meeting closed at 17:30.