Arab and Muslim voters in Britain, from abstention to participation

Al Jazeera Net - London

The votes of Muslim and Arab voters in Britain are receiving increasing attention during the election campaign, and there are people who are convinced of the ability of these votes to win tens of seats, amid expectations of unprecedented participation in the parliamentary elections that will take place tomorrow, Thursday.

On the sidelines of a symposium organized by the "Arab Thinking Forum" in London, on the importance of the participation of the Muslim community in Britain in the upcoming elections, Faten Hamid, a candidate from the Labor Party in Glasgow, Scotland, told Al Jazeera Net that the biggest challenge for her was to convince the Arab and Muslim community that their voice would matter. And to be convinced that this country is our home and we are citizens of all rights and we also have duties. "

Citizenship
And sees the British politician of Iraqi origin, who had previously fought two electoral experiences, that "the elections are the means by which a clear position on the current events and a change in the political scene can be expressed."

She believes that the Arab and Muslim community in Britain "does not lack the competence or experience for political participation and to lead the British political scene" and it remains only to "be convinced of this community the importance of its voice."

Faten Hamid expresses her regret that the participation rate of Muslim communities in the previous elections was below the required level. "Therefore, for me, I am paving the way for future generations by storming the world of politics and I want to deliver a message to every Arab or Muslim individual that your community needs your voice."

She also says, "Everyone is free in his political choices for all the most important thing is participation in the elections, and not being reluctant. Without this vote, we, as Arabs, do not exist," stressing the necessity of joining "democratic" parties.

It also calls for "the Arab and Muslim communities to show confidence and pride in their origins, and to show that they are citizens who care about the fate of their country, Britain, and do not deal negatively and participate in the elections."

The candidate affirms that political action "requires commitment and taking to the streets to work and not limiting itself to speaking without action, because the effect takes place through continuous work and facing challenges away from surrender and withdrawal away from public affairs."

Psychological barrier
For her part, Mina Hawa, a candidate for membership of the Municipal Council Kenston Clinton in London, believes that there are significant efforts made during the current elections to give the Arab community a prominent role.

She explained that the Arab group "knocked on doors in the regions known to have a heavy presence of Arabs and Muslims, in order to urge them to participate in politics," saying that the priority "was to get rid of the problem of abstention."

She attributed the reluctance of the Arab and Muslim community to participate in the previous elections to "a state of dissatisfaction among Muslims that their voice is not heard by the parties, anger over foreign policy and its relationship to what is happening in the Arab world, especially the Iraq war, which still constitutes a psychological barrier for voters of Arab origin."

On the importance of the elections for the Muslim community, it says, "The upcoming entitlements are crucial not only for Muslims, but for all countries, and any change that will affect Muslim and Arab communities. The programs of political parties included files of interest to Arab and Muslim communities, such as immigration."

Mona Hawa emphasized that the role of the Arabs belonging to the various parties is to "educate the members of the minority to which we belong to the importance of elections and the necessity of participation", noting that there is a growing interest of citizens of Arab and Muslim origins in political affairs, and the result was a 38% increase in the number of those registered in the electoral lists.

And you expect that the high registration in the electoral lists will lead to an increase in the percentage of participation in elections among the Arab and Muslim communities.

She concluded her speech by inviting the voters to send a strong message that the voter of Arab and Muslim origins is "not just a number to fill the void but a voice of importance, and then we will be able to impose our agenda on foreign policy and influence the decision-makers in this country, because democracy always requires expressing the demands of the people and listening to its priorities." .