Misinformation, Islamophobia to blame for UK riots

THE shocking and heart-breaking murder of three children in Southport, UK, was erroneously and unjustly linked to an asylum seeker.

Instead of showing solidarity with the grief experienced by the families and communities affected by this heinous crime, supporters of the far right amplified these false claims about the identity of the murderer and posted inflammatory posts fuelling anti-migrant violence.

Rabid racists caused damage to property, attacked religious institutions and instilled fear among innocent people.

This unfounded anti-immigrant and racist-rioting on the streets of the UK is unacceptable and needs to be condemned in the strongest possible terms.

The flare-up of violence against asylum seekers and minority groups such as Muslims, has been fermenting due to years of calculated misinformation and Islamophobia by some sections of the mass media and politicians.

The growth of extremism, undemocratic, fascist and far right movements ought to be confronted and brought to an abrupt halt by civil society and governments internationally. Governments, political and community leaders around the globe must challenge and address the rampant racism, stereotyping, Islamophobia and xenophobia. Acts of violence against minorities and communities based on religious beliefs and practices must not merely be portrayed as social media misinformation. This bigotry needs to be neutralised by a systematic process of effective dialogue and education. This necessitates a transformative education premised on social justice, human rights and universal values informed by international law.

All shades and forms of violence moulded by intolerance, racism and ethnicity must be unequivocally censured. We need to remember that our humanity unites far more than artificial constructs based on differences which some diabolical forces use to divide us.