Pakistan and other countries praise Ireland’s blasphemy laws

Source: Irish Times

Ireland’s blasphemy law is being cited by Islamic states “as justification” for persecuting religious dissidents, according to an exiled Indian campaigner for free speech.

Sanal Edamaruku, who is on a five-day visit to Ireland, is facing charges of blasphemy in his home country after challenging claims that water dripping from a revered statue in Mumbai was a miracle.

Sections of the Catholic Church in India complained last April to the police who sought his arrest under charges that carry a three-year sentence. He has since fled to Finland which has granted him a residency permit.

“World public opinion has to be raised to this issue. I am not so much worried about me; I am worried about the end of these laws,” said Mr Edamaruku, who is founder president of Rationalist International.

He said he was “surprised” by Ireland’s decision two years ago to introduce a law on blasphemy, something the Fianna Fail-led government claimed was necessarily to comply with the constitution. Pakistan and other countries have referred to the statute at the United Nations to support their own blasphemy laws.

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Dublin drama celebrates veiled Muslim women

Source: On Islam

Breaking down stereotypes and assumptions about female Muslims in Ireland, a new drama would be staged next year in Dublin to present personal and true stories of successful veiled Muslim women.

“Over 49,000 Muslims now call Ireland home,” Denise Charlton, CEO of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, said in a statement on the council’s website on Monday, November 26.

“They are playing a positive role in our society and are active in every part of Irish life.

The drama, entitled the “Hijabi Monologues”, is planned to be staged on the Axis Theatre in Ballymun, Dublin, next year.

“The aim of this production is to reflect that reality and to breakdown misconceptions which people may have about the Muslim community.”

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Growing up in a multi-ethnic Ireland

Source: Irish Times

The grown-up children of immigrants talk skin-colour, college fees, sport and national identity in multiethnic Ireland

Twenty years ago Gretchen Fitzgerald from Goa wrote Repulsing Racism, an insightful essay about living in an overwhelmingly white Ireland with dark skin. “I was stared at, often to the point of rudeness,” she wrote of her college years. “My social relations with other students became limited and distorted.”

She questioned “whether I had the right to bring a child, whose cultural origins would be as complex as my own, into such an unthinking society.”

Today there are many Irish children with complex identities. From 1992 Ireland experienced rising levels of immigration. The last Irish census records that 12 per cent of the population was born outside the country, with the biggest groups being Polish and British. More than 100 nationalities now inhabit our towns, cities and villages.

The children of those migrants have have grown up in a changed Ireland. The Irish Times asked six of them to participate in a discussion this week about their experiences of growing up in multiethnic Ireland.

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President of Ireland to visit ICCI

Source: Islam Ireland

The ICCI is delighted to announce that the 11th annual Neighbourhood Week will be launched on 28th November 2012 by President of Ireland, Mr. Michael D. Higgins and it will be open to general public daily from 12pm – 7 pm from 29 November to 10 December 2012.

This year’s week is entitled ‘Timeless Islamic Art’ and it will feature internationally renowned artists in Embroidery, Brass Embellishment and Calligraphy who will showcase their art, perform live demonstration as well as offer articles for sale.  The admission is free and all are welcome.  For more information see the attached poster or contact the Women’s Department at the ICCI.

Ireland’s growing reputation as a hub for Islamic finance operations

Source: The Daily Business Post

Islamic finance company Amanie Advisors is to set-up an operation in Dublin, IDA Ireland has said.

Amanie was established in Kuala Lumpur in 2005 and provides its clients with advice on the Islamic capital markets, structured finance and fundraising solutions.

From its Dublin office the company will also give advice on product structuring that complies with Islam’s Sharia law as well as Sharia supervisory and monitoring services, annual Sharia reviews and Sharia screening for equities.

Amanie said it chose Ireland for this investment due to its growing reputation as a hub for Islamic finance operations.

There are around $1 billion (€800 million) of Sharia-compliant funds in Ireland while around 20 per cent of all Sharia funds outside the Middle East are now based in Ireland, IDA Ireland said. It is the IDA’s first investment win from a Malaysian company.

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Controversy over video of Qur’an burning in Galway

Source: Irish Sun

A top Muslim has appealed for calm after a vile hate video was posted online by bigots in Galway.

Now gardai are probing the six-minute clip of racists burning the Qur’an.

The “nationalist” nuts are anti-Muslim, anti-Jew, anti-gay and want to end all immigration into Ireland.

The book-burning has so far amassed just a few hundred hits on YouTube.

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