Held SA Muslims 'victimised'
17/10/2005 08:51  - (SA)

Duma Pewa

Pietermaritzburg - A South African Muslim cleric and his son remain in
detention in The Gambia for what media reports have said are allegations
of South African connections to al-Qaeda activities in various regions of
the world.

Moulana Farhaad Dockrat, a principal of the Darus Salaam Islamic College
in Pretoria and his son, Muaaz, a lecturer at the college, were on a brief
exchange visit to Islamic institutions in Senegal and The Gambia when they
disappeared.

South African-based Khulumani Support group has expressed concern in the
"initial enforced disappearance and on-going detention of the two clerics
in the name of assumed Islamic fundamentalism and allegations of links to
Islamic fundamentalist groups".

"The criminalisation of Muslims across the world is a growing phenomenon
and one that does not serve the purpose of the promotion of mutual respect
and understanding between people and communities," said the support group
in a statement.

'War of terror'

The group said the so-called "war on terror" has now become a "war of
terror" as "innocent and faithful Muslim people are being suspected of
terrorist activities".

The group said although they respect the right of a state to advance state
security, "we wish to assert that human security is not advanced by
undermining basic human rights, as has happened in this situation".

"In the case of the detained South African Muslim clerics, we fear that an
unhelpful and hegemonic discourse is being used to justify their detention
in line with the harassment to which Muslims are being subjected across
the world," said the statement.

It expressed its vigorous disapproval of Gambia, which has taken on an
alleged basis of protecting public security.

"We believe such victimisation doesn't serve the deepening of democracy in
South Africa."

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