My name is Ana Stamol, on behalf of the Muslim Association in Greece, I think you for the invitation to participate.
It has been one year since the cowardly assassination on General Qasem Soleimani and a bit more than one month since the assassination, completed by the same methods, on Professor Mohsen Fakhrizade, PhD, which makes us aware that the threat of the terror is not far behind. As we have seen, the global reactions were not as we had expected them to be.
This implies that the terror is not far away, not far from the Muslim world, regardless of the branch to which we belong, whether we are the Sunni or Shia Muslims, the terror remains the same, while the threat lingers about. Unfortunately, while we pray for DAEISH to be eliminated, we see intentions to endanger the Muslim societies, not just in Muslim countries, but also in Europe, where I live. As the result of DAEISH’s practices, we are facing difficult times, especially within non-Muslim countries. It does not deal with murders, but with intolerance, and we have the phenomenon which is known as Islamophobia, which is in fact intolerance towards Muslims, regardless of the cause, the only reason is that one person is a Muslim. Whenever there is a terrorist attack, all Muslims stand accused of it, literally all: children, women, the educated, the illiterate people, entire groups. It is very shameful that it is happening with Muslims all around the globe. I know, there are currently 1.8 billon Muslims in the whole world; at the same time there exist different politics, leaders and governments, who are Muslims, but they are called terrorists because because of DAEISH, which is not fair.
We suffer a lot, we are not able to define who is standing behind it and what its reason is. Islamophobia has spread rapidly in Europe. We saw what happened in France last month. How politics puts and entire Muslim society in jeopardy. Dozens of mosques have been closed down. Many riots caused by the police, arrest of children at schools and questioning while they perform prayers, without permission or accusation, spending hours in interrogation, that is what terror does.
Murders which happen in the Middle East every day, what is happening in Yemen, poverty, sickness, starvation; sometimes death is far better than the anguish they endure. I wonder, when will the Muslim world take up the first step against terrorism. We need to be united, focused on our common enemy, which is terror. The terror which is against our everyday lives and the future of our children’s lives. How will we raise new generations underneath policies which plant seeds of fear against Muslims, if the Muslims are targets all over the world without any accusation. When we say unity, we have to take up action, and it is the reason why we participate in webinars and conferences. We have to secure our families, society, our states, with politics and not pitying. We have to make steps and the only way to do that is by peaceful means and education. The position of Muslim countries against those states which accuse Muslims for being Muslims is crucial. This is of paramount importance. I know it is something which Muslim countries do not realise, however in the rest of the world Muslims are targets, simply because they are Muslims. All that thanks to DAEISH, to their sponsors and donors, but all of that with what cause? For the well-being of the Muslims world or for sympathy? We have to consider this repeatedly and choose our side. Stay united. Stay strong. Please, teach your children that we Muslims are not frightened, we become better and better through schooling, through taking steps and through progress.