Dear Muslim

From Dilly Hussain, journalist from 5Pillars.com

27/02/22

On Facebook

Dear Muslims, people of colour, and immigrant descent, what have we learned from the Ukraine-Russia crisis about our status and worth in the UK, Europe and the West?

- Your blood, life and honour is worth less than the “civilised Europeans” (CBS News) with “blonde hair and blue eyes”. (BBC News)

- Your people’s resistance to foreign (NATO/India/Israel/Russia) occupation and oppression is deemed as “terrorism”, while the resistance of Ukrainians is lionised. BBC reports on the “brave” Ukrainian women making Molotov cocktail bombs and the “heroic” Ukrainian soldier who blew himself up — sad we didn’t see this lionising of the Kashmiris, Palestinians or Syrians when their women and children continue to bravely resist. 

- Your safety, security and salvation when escaping war and famine means you’re treated worse than animals, while the Ukrainians are “welcomed with open arms” in the same countries that water-hosed, beat and sniper-shot Syrian and Iraqi refugees. Black West African students, workers and their families, as well as other foreign Muslims are now being refused to leave Ukraine, and being turned away at the Polish border — the Ukrainian police have literally threatened them at gunpoint telling them Ukrainians have first priority (many of these West Africans are Christians). Poland, Belarus and Hungary have made it clear in the past that they’re okay with taking Christian Syrian refugees/migrants only. Ironically, there’s been a lot of talk on LBC radio about “sending in the mujahideen” to Ukraine to fight Russia — Ah yes, the West loves the ole “mujahideen” when it aligns with their foreign policy and hegemonic geopolitical interests, but will hunt them, their families and their people down with drones and air strikes when it doesn’t suit or align with their interests. 

- You cannot raise awareness about the plight of the Palestinians (Celtic FC/Moeen Ali) or the Uyghurs (Mesut Ozil) in mainstream sports without being penalised or losing sponsorships because we have to “keep politics out of sports”…unless of course it’s a white European country involved, in that case you’ll have teams boycotting (Poland/Sweden/Czech Republic refusing to play Russia, UEFA CL final being moved to Paris, Roman Abramovich banned from Britain), and showing solidarity with Ukraine with waving flags or wearing it before kick off (Man City vs Everton). 

- You are criminalised when you want to travel to help the oppressed (Syria/Palestine/Libya), whether it is to fight or to deliver aid, heck you might even lose your British citizenship. But today the UK’s foreign minister Liz Truss said she “absolutely supports individual Brits travelling to fight in Ukraine”.

- When your lands (Afghanistan/Iraq/Syria/Palestine/Mali/Somalia/Yemen) are transgressed upon by the West, Russia or their regional proxies, it’s either to “bring democracy” (regime change), “fight terrorism” (steal natural resources) or to “bring peace” (war) — it’s never an “invasion” or “occupation”.

- The general (and rightful) outpouring of sympathy, outrage and solidarity shown by the entire Western world with the Ukrainians against Russia’s invasion makes you wonder, what is our actual worth and status as religious/ethnic minorities in a continent which consistently claims to champion “equality”, “liberty” and “freedom” at home and abroad? 

Let this be a reminder to those overzealous Muslim/POC patriots who are too quick to argue why we should literally worship the countries we reside in, and are indebted to them for everything — na, you do you champs, but let the rest of us observe reality, the hypocrisy and double standards towards our people, our plight and our grievances, while you wave the flag and sing the national anthem.