We share your grief and we will always stand by you.

Antisemitism (anti-Jewish racism) should have no place in Australia. We should all feel and be safe in our identities – free to practice our faiths, live our cultures, celebrate with family, and be in community with one another. Everyone has a right to live in peace and safety, no matter their belief or background.

In the aftermath of this shocking violence, we remember our shared humanity. We honour the memories of those killed. We celebrate the unity, courage, and care being shown by millions of people across Australia as we mourn together.

We have seen what happens when a community is singled out and scapegoated based on their identity, ethnicity, race or religion; and we reject efforts to create further division through fear, polarisation, and disinformation.

We come together and echo the words of the NSW Faith Affairs Council that “We will not let hatred and violence divide us. Across all our cultures and faiths, we will stand united in sympathy, compassion and solidarity.“

We are resolute in our collective commitment to defend everyone’s rights to safety, culture and faith, and to build a peaceful society.

We commit to deepening our understanding of how anti-Jewish racism arises, in order to better identify and prevent it from being committed against the Australian Jewish community ever again.

We stand with the Australian Jewish community, in love and solidarity.

List of signatories

• 350 Australia
• 5point Foundation
• ABC Friends
• ActionAid Australia
• Advocacy for Oromia
• Alannah & Madeline Foundation
• Amnesty International Australia
• Animal Liberation
• ANTAR
• Anti-Poverty Network SA
• ARRCC (Australian Religious Response to Climate Change)
• Art + Environment
• Astha Nepali Hindu Society Victoria- PashupatiNath Temple
• Asylum Seekers Centre
• Atkinhead Centre for Medical Discovery
• Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility (ACCR)
• Australia Multicultural Organisation Network
• Australia Palestine Advocacy Network
• Australia Strongim Bisnis
• Australian Arab Institute for Culture and Ideas
• Australian Childhood Foundation
• Australian Communities Foundation
• Australian Conservation Foundation
• Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS)
• Australian Democracy Network
• Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network (AEGN)
• Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN)
• Australian Progress
• Australian Youth Climate Coalition
• Baby Give Back
• Basic Rights Queensland
• Beyond Zero Emissions
• Biomimicry institute
• Bob Brown Foundation
• Boronia Multicultural Services
• Boys to the Bush
• Browns For Better
• Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action
• Bushwalking Victoria
• C Milliner consulting
• Caladenia Dementia Care
• CASPA
• Cherished Pets
• Children and Young People with Disability Australia
• Cini Australia
• Circus Oz
• Citizens Climate Lobby
• CLIMARTE
• Climate Action Network Australia
• Climate and Health Alliance
• Climate Council
• Climate Integrity
• Climate Resource
• Common Ground First Nations
• Communify Qld
• Community Directors
• Complementary Medicine Association Limited
• Conservation Council ACT Region
• Country Hope
• Country Needs People
• Cowra Early Childhood Services
• Darlinghurst Theatre Company
• Darts Australia Ltd
• Democracy in Colour
• Denmark Baroque
• Digital Rights Watch
• Doctors for the Environment Australia
• Dying with Dignity NSW
• Edith Cowan University Student Guild
• Effective Philanthropy
• Environment Centre NT
• Environment Victoria
• Equality Australia
• Eritrean-Australian Community & Settlement Support Network Inc.
• Every Home for Christ Australia
• Fair Agenda
• Financial Counselling Victoria
• FoodCare Orange
• For Purpose Alliance (FPA)
• Foundation for Young Australians
• Friends of the Earth Australia
• Future Earth Australia
• Gaye Mason Advisory
• Gender and Disaster Australia
• GetUp
• Gippsland Disability Advocacy Inc
• GoodWolf
• Graham F Smith Peace Foundation
• Grassroots Action Network Tasmania
• Greater Melbourne Foundation
• Greenpeace Australia Pacific
• Groundswell Giving
• Haemophilia Foundation Victoria
• Homelessness NSW
• Human Rights Law Centre
• Impact Recovery Ltd.
• Infoxchange
• Inner City Legal Centre
• Innov8 HQ
• Institute of Community Directors Australia
• International Women’s Development Agency (IWDA)
• IWD Meanjin Brisbane
• Justice Connect
• Justice Reform Initiative
• K Farmer Dutjahn Foundation
• Kiwanis Brighton Bayside
• Koala Action Inc.
• KU Children’s Services
• Kyabram Community and Learning Centre Inc.
• Leading Progress
• Let’s talk peace – Ballarat
• Liberty Victoria
• Light of Hope Foundation
• Lighter Footprints
• Lorne Sculpture Exhibition Inc
• Macarthur Community College
• Macdoch Foundation
• Mackay Regional Community Legal Centre
• Mannifera
• Mary MacKillop Today
• Maurice Blackburn Lawyers
• Medical Association for Prevention of War
• MHA Care Limited
• Morrow Studio
• Multicultural Community Services Of Central Australia (MCSCA)
• Multicultural Leadership Initiative
• Nature Conservation Council NSW
• New England Family Support Service
• New Israel Fund Australia
• Ngala
• Noisy Boy Media
• North & West Melbourne Neighbourhood Centre
• North East Community Assistance Project Inc
• NSW Council for Civil Liberties
• NTCOSs
• NYID
• Older Women’s Network NSW
• Oromia Peace Institute
• Oromo community in Melbourne
• Our Community
• Oxfam Australia
• Palm oil detectives
• Parents For Climate
• Peacifica
• Peoples Climate Assembly
• Per Capita
• Perinatal Wellbeing Centre
• Permaculture for Refugees
• Permanent Care and Adoptive Families Inc.
• Plan International Australia
• Play Australia
• Polonia Polish Association of Qld Inc
• PRISM
• Pro Bono Australia
• Project Planet
• Prosper Australia
• Psychology for a Safe Climate
• Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS)
• Rainbow Giving Australia
• Rainbow Hollow
• Redfern Legal Centre
• Reichstein Foundation
• Resilient Lismore
• Rights Resource Network SA
• Sapna South Asian Climate Solidarity
• SarasCare
• Save the Children Australia
• Scarlet Alliance, Australian Sex Workers Association
• SEARCH FOUNDATION
• Sexual and Reproductive Health Australia
• Sexual Health Victoria
• Social Good Summit Australia
• Social Responsibilities Committee, Anglican Church Southern Queensland
• Social Ventures Australia
• South Australian Council of Social Service
• South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance Inc.
• South East Arts
• South East Volunteers
• St Andrew’s Meals on Wheels
• St Andrews Uniting Church, Mildura
• Strength Potential
• Tackling Leukaemia Inc
• Teach Learn Grow
• The All One Foundation
• The Benevolent Society
• The Fred Hollows Foundation
• The Funding Network Australia
• The Learning Future
• The Menora Foundation
• The NFP backroom
• The Revillaging project
• The Sunrise Project
• The Unquiet Collective
• The WeirAnderson Foundation
• The Wyatt Trust
• Tipping Point
• Unharm
• Vets for Climate Action
• Victorian Aboriginal Child and Community Agency (VACCA)
• Vietnamese Women’s Association SA
• Voices of the Top End (VoTE)
• Volunteering Australia
• Wagga Women’s Health Centre
• Welcoming Australia
• West Australian Council of Social Service
• Western Australian Innovation, Technology & Talent Alliance
• White Eagle Lodge of Australia Pty Ltd
• Wildlife Rescue South Coast Inc
• Women’s Legal Centre ACT
• Worker Assist Tasmania
• Working Women’s Centre Australia
• Working Women’s Centre SA
• World Animal Protection
• YLab

The post Civil society statement of solidarity with the Australian Jewish community appeared first on Australian Muslim Advocacy Network.

On behalf of the Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN), we announce with profound sorrow the passing of Br Mustafa Kemal Omar, our co-founder, director, and beloved brother.

Over the past 20 years, Br Kemal tirelessly served our community in various capacities, including as a member of the Crescents of Brisbane, Kuraby Masjid, and the Brisbane Islamic Center.

Despite his illness, Br Kemal continued to advocate passionately for the Australian Muslim community. His dedication to Allah SWT and his unwavering commitment towards helping the community will continue to inspire and benefit us all.

Ya Rabb, we ask You to grant Your servant Kemal the highest place in Jannatul Firdaus and grant his family patience and ease during this difficult time.

The post AMAN Announcement: The Passing of Mustafa Kemal Omar appeared first on Australian Muslim Advocacy Network.

On 17 May 2024, the Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN), along with numerous other organisations, issued a statement opposing the recent Senate motion that condemns the phrase “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free.” This condemnation is based on a fundamental misinterpretation of the phrase, which has historically been associated with the Palestinian cause for self-determination and statehood.

The True Meaning of the Phrase

The phrase “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free” is deeply rooted in the aspiration for freedom and dignity for all individuals living within the lands stretching from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea. It represents a vision for liberation and equality, regardless of background, faith, or nationality.

Misconceptions and Misuse

The recent Senate motion, spearheaded by Senator Birmingham, uses the words of Palestinians against them, implying that their calls for liberation are illegitimate. This motion not only distorts the meaning of the phrase but also silences the political and cultural expressions of Palestinians. Such actions detract from the actual issues at hand, including the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crises faced by Palestinians in Gaza.

Historical and Academic Perspectives

According to the University of Toronto’s Hearing Palestine Initiative, the phrase should be understood within the context of Palestinian history and culture. It is an expression of the Palestinian people’s collective memory and aspirations, not a political program advocating violence. This academic perspective underscores the importance of recognising the phrase as a call for liberation and equality in the face of colonisation and occupation.

The Impact of Reckless Language

The use of terms like “religiously motivated violent extremism” (RMVE) about Palestinian activism only serves to link terrorism with an entire religion, fostering fear and prejudice. This is not only inaccurate but also dangerous, as it fuels online hatred and increases the risk of hate incidents against the Muslim community. Public officials must use accurate language that reflects the political nature of terrorism rather than associating it with any religion.

AMAN’s Call to Action

AMAN, along with other supporting organisations, calls for an end to the reckless use of RMVE and urges a reconsideration of the Senate’s stance. It is imperative to focus on the real issues affecting Palestinians and to promote a narrative that supports liberation and human rights for all.

The post Understanding ‘From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free’ appeared first on Australian Muslim Advocacy Network.

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For Immediate Release:

24 April 2024

The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN) urgently calls for the cessation of the term “religiously motivated violent extremism” (RMVE) in counterterrorism discourse. This label has repeatedly fueled online hatred and, based on historical patterns, will likely escalate hate incidents against the Muslim community.

The Problem with RMVE

Terrorism, fundamentally, is politically motivated. The use of RMVE misdirects public focus from political motives to an entire religion, fostering unwarranted panic and fear. This term unfairly associates violent acts with the Muslim faith, rather than addressing the political ideologies that drive such extremism.

White supremacist or Incel-inspired terrorism is often categorized as “ideologically motivated.” However, when the offender is Muslim, RMVE unjustly implicates a whole religion and its followers. This double standard not only stigmatizes the Muslim community but also glamorises violent acts as religiously sanctioned, inadvertently supporting the narratives of politically motivated groups like ISIS.

The Consequences of RMVE Language

The reckless use of RMVE language by public officials contributes to the spread of dehumanizing conspiracy theories online, increasing the risk of hate crimes similar to the Christchurch massacre. Such terminology emboldens racist groups, escalating threats against Muslims and perpetuating fear and division.

Recent Examples of Double Standards

Recent events in Sydney starkly illustrate the inconsistent application of terrorism designations. The Bondi attacker, known to police for mental health issues, was quickly ruled out as a terrorist. In contrast, the Wakely attacker, also with mental health concerns, was swiftly labeled as a terrorist. This disparity highlights a prejudicial approach that disproportionately impacts young Muslims, who face severe biases when tried before the courts.

Criticism of ASIO and AFP

ASIO Director Mike Burgess, who often warns against inflammatory language, ironically employed terms like “religiously motivated” and “Sunni violent extremism” in a National Press Club address. Such language misrepresents the Muslim world, linking a vast and diverse community to terrorism. This not only disrespects Muslims but also misleads the public about the true causes of terrorism, endangering and marginalizing an entire community.

AMAN’s Call to Action

AMAN emphatically states that the use of RMVE is both reckless and irresponsible. We demand an immediate end to this terminology in counterterrorism contexts. The focus should shift to accurately describing terrorism as politically motivated, thus preventing the undue vilification of the Muslim faith and its adherents.

The NSW Police Commissioner’s rushed and biased designations lead to severe prejudice against young individuals facing trial. It’s imperative that counterterrorism efforts are fair, consistent, and free from religious bias.

For more information on AMAN’s stance and to support our advocacy efforts, please visit our website or contact us directly. Together, we can promote a just and unbiased approach to counterterrorism that respects the rights and dignity of all communities.

The post AMAN Demands End to ‘Religiously Motivated’ Label in Counterterrorism appeared first on Australian Muslim Advocacy Network.

PROFESSOR SHAHRAM AKBARZADEH ALFRED DEAKIN INSTITUTE FOR CITIZENSHIP AND GLOBALISATION DEAKIN UNIVERSITY

Surveillance

There is a strong sense of concern over the amount of scrutiny faced collectively by Australian Muslims, with the whole Muslim community bearing the brunt of perceived ‘guilt by association’ with terrorism. There are concerns that  community policing is now morphing into an intelligence gathering strategy, with detrimental effects on community confidence in law enforcement agencies. The success of community policing rests on community trust and support for police counter-terrorism efforts. 

Impact on Australian Muslims

Members of the Muslim community have stressed the importance of engaging with the community as a key factor to counter violent extremism. The success of community policing is often undermined by the police’s focus on surveillance and intelligence gathering, rather than on genuine efforts to include Muslims in creating counter-terrorism strategies and policies.^[1]

The question of trust – Anti-Muslim sentiments

Anti-terror tactics employed by the police against Muslims have contributed to the erosion of confidence in the police. Among these include ‘stop and search’ powers against Muslims, informal questioning of Muslims, and raids and searches of Muslims’ houses. Anti-terror police raids remain a source of contention, with many respondents expressing that the way such raids are conducted is offensive and upsetting to Australian Muslims. 

The politicisation of police

Many Muslims are disillusioned with the way politicians and the media sensationalise terrorist attacks and imply that there is a link between Islam and terrorism. This sensationalism is seen as fear mongering, often by politicians to advance ‘their own agenda.’  There is an overwhelming feeling that Australian public opinion of Muslims is skewered by sensationalism. Effective community policing facilitates two-way engagement between the police and Muslim community and requires that the police are responsive to Muslim concerns and recommendations. 

Valued as a citizen

The spike in anti-Muslim discourse following 9/11 has led to feelings of isolation within the Australian Muslim community. There are also sentiments that Muslims have to work significantly harder than non-Muslims for their voices to be heard and that when it comes to counter-terrorism strategies, their opinions, concerns and recommendations were not taken seriously by authorities. 

Freedom of religious expression and freedom

Members of the Muslim community have discussed this in relation to voting in elections, which they claimed was their ‘strongest power’ in validating their opinions, however, there are overall feelings of being treated as ‘second class citizens’.

The Muslim community and consultation

The feeling of not being heard among Australian Muslims is elevated at times of crisis. Many respondents expressed frustration over the lack of meaningful consultation with the Australian Federal Government and police regarding anti- terror laws and strategies.

To download the research paper, visit here.

Citation: Akbarzadeh, Shahram (2021) Australian Muslims’ Experiences of Policing and Surveillance (Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights: Melbourne).

^[1] Cherney, Adrian and Kristina Murphy (2016) ‘Being a ‘suspect community’ in a post 9/11 world – The impact of the war on terror on Muslim communities in Australia’, Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 480 – 496

The post Policy brief – Australian Muslims’ Experiences of Policing and Surveillance appeared first on Australian Muslim Advocacy Network.

WEDNESDAY, 8 SEPTEMBER 2021

The Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN) urges Premier Gladys Berejiklian to not delay legislating urgently needed protections against discrimination and vilification. The NSW Government has delivered its response to the Religious Freedom Bill inquiry.

While the Berejiklian Government committed to amend the Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) (ADA) to prohibit discrimination on the ground of religious belief or activity, it would delay legislating until after Religious Discrimination Bil 2019 (Cth) passed through the Federal Parliament.

There is no guarantee or timeframe for this. Already 3 years have passed since the Expert Panel Report: Religious Freedoms Review recommended this change. The change would be simple, but the debilitating harm it will reduce is widespread. Muslim children, students, workers and communities are discriminated against with impunity in NSW. Discrimination, without any form of recourse, is devastating and can destroy careers and lives.

Acting swiftly is clearly in the public interest. Despite being one of the most targeted communities, Muslims living in NSW have absolutely no recourse, unlike Jews, Sikhs and other racial minorities experiencing racism.

The post Premier Berejiklian, Don’t Deny Much Needed Protection! appeared first on Australian Muslim Advocacy Network.

Wednesday 4 August 2021

AMAN has made history as the only Muslim civil society organisation worldwide to author a policy paper shortlisted by the Global Internet forum to Counter Terrorism (GIFCT), an organisation that is grappling with how to identify violent extremist and terrorist content in a way that is not limited to one ideology.

GIFCT has recognised that their current system relies on designation lists that are influenced by political imperatives and tend to only focus on ISIL, Al-Qaeda and other self-declared Islamist organisations.

The effects are profound – these lists construct a reality that distorts the way people see certain communities and even how communities see themselves.

But how to move to a system that is focused more on behaviour, rather than who is doing it, is also fraught with dangers from a human rights perspective.

AMAN Advisor Rita Jabri Markwell participated in this global conversation, partnering with University of Queensland researchers to further develop a new algorithmic model they were conceiving.

While every model will be problematic, the strengths of the proposed UQ/AMAN model are worth highlighting.

Making decision-making transparent would improve the status quo.

“Full transparency enables researchers to review the scope for discrimination, to see the degree to which human rights and humanitarian laws are weighted, and to explain why certain actors are left out or put in,” said Jabri Markwell.

“Choosing to make such an algorithm transparent is one of the most powerful steps a social media company can take to show their commitment to human rights is genuine.”

Importantly, AMAN advocated for serial or systematic dehumanisation of a group on the basis of a protected attribute, such as their race or religion, to be counted in any new severity framework.

“It was the strength of this work that prompted GIFCT to invite us to participate,” said Jabri Markwell.

“Preventing incitement to genocide through dehumanisation is not a negotiable option by companies – that was our view.”

The paper elevates the concepts of dehumanising language and dehumanising discourse, as defined in AMAN’s studies, to the global stage.

The paper by Risius, Blasiak, Wibisono, Jabri Markwell and Louis can be found in the Report, Broadening the GIFCT Hash-Sharing Database Taxonomy: An Assessment and Recommended Next Steps.

The post How to Identify Violent Extremist and Terrorist Content: AMAN makes history on global stage appeared first on Australian Muslim Advocacy Network.

The complaint, lodged under the Racial Discrimination Act 1975, appears to be the first time this law has been used to rein in discrimination by tech companies operating in Australia.

The complaint alleges direct and indirect discrimination by the platform (section 9) and liability for hate speech (section 18C) in Facebook’s hateful echo chambers.

In this claim, AMAN will represent Australian Muslims of Arab, Middle-Eastern, South Asian, Asian, African backgrounds, or immigrant status in Australia.

AMAN has been observing Facebook’s performance for more than a year and engaging in good faith discussions to propose policy changes.

“Our concern is that Facebook only takes action when the community does the heavy-lifting in documenting the violations and is prepared to escalate through media,” says AMAN Advisor Rita Jabri-Markwell.

“This approach isn’t sustainable and places an unreasonable burden.”

The complaint alleges that Facebook allows pages that superficially position themselves as ‘anti-Islam’ even when it is clear they routinely and dangerously dehumanise Middle Eastern, African, South Asian and Asian people.

It contends that Facebook has not taken steps to recognise hateful narratives drawn from violent extremist movements that portray Muslims and immigrants as an existential threat.

“Our community has experienced many attacks on mosques, as well on individuals and families going about their lives.”

“But it’s not only Muslims who are affected. Research has clearly shown anti-Muslim populist movements online have been the predominant force behind the growth in Right-Wing Extremism.”

“Australian communities have paid the price too long. We have no choice but to escalate this.”

Other communities affected by Facebook are encouraged to get in touch with AMAN.

The post AMAN lodges Racial Discrimination Complaint against Facebook appeared first on Australian Muslim Advocacy Network.

This is a shorter explanation. To see the detailed explanation, head here.

The post Our idea to deal with hateful online echo chambers appeared first on Australian Muslim Advocacy Network.