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Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, US President George Bush, and French President Jacque Chirac are the world's worst "Islamphobes" of 2004, according to a leading British Muslim rights group.

Source : http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/ ... A094DB.htm

The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) selected the three leaders on Saturday, marking the annual "Islamophobia Awards" to highlight what they described as growing anti-Muslim prejudice.

"It is with great sadness that we reveal this year's winners," the commission said in a statement.

"Sadly, the competition was extremely tough and we see no signs of this abating in the year to come."

While the awards are satirical, commission Chairman Massoud Shadjareh said demonisation of Muslims was now comparable to that endured by the Jewish community before and during World War Two.

A crusader

Bush got the top "Islamophobe of the year" award for his anti-terror war, which the IHRC claimed was in fact a crusade against Islam. Chirac and Israel's Sharon were named joint winners of the "Most Islamophobic International Politician".

"What we are concerned about is that a generation of Muslim youths are becoming disaffected."

Inayat Bunglawala, IHRC spokesperson

Chirac outraged Muslims last year when he termed the Islamic headscarf as "aggressive" during a campaign to ban all religious symbols from public schools.

Sharon was included after another year of Israeli-Palestinian violence. "Sharon has a whole history of being Islamophobic and basically racist over Palestine and the way that the Palestinians have been treated," Shadjareh said.

Fighting prejudices

The head of Britain's government-funded Commission for Racial Equality, Trevor Phillips, welcomed the awards as an important step to "fight bigotry and prejudice against Muslims."

Since the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US, rights groups in Britain and elsewhere have reported an increase in anti-Muslim attacks and prejudiced attitudes.

Britain's leading Muslim umbrella organisation, the Muslim Council for Britain, said Islamophobia was becoming institutionalised. "Ordinary Muslims have felt it through anti-terror laws which have targeted disproportionately the Muslim community," said spokesman Inayat Bunglawala.

"What we are concerned about is that a generation of Muslim youths are becoming disaffected."

British politicians and elements of the media were also singled out by the IHRC for promoting Islamophobia.

Far-right British National Party leader Nick Griffin was named most Islamophobic British politician while the right-leaning Daily Telegraph took the media award.

London's police were given a special award for, amongst other things, disproportionately targeting Muslims."

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What is Islamophobia?

A contemporary and emerging form of prejudice Islamophobia can be described as stereotypes, bias or acts of hostility towards individual Muslims or followers of Islam in general. In addition to individual acts of intolerance and racial profiling, Islamophobia leads to viewing Muslims as a greater security threat on an institutional, systemic and societal level and perceiving their views to be intrinsically problematic, violent or unethical.

Islamophobia Awards:

The Islamophobia Awards is an annual event to acknowledge - through satire, revue and comedy - the worst Islamophobes of that year. Centred around a gala dinner, the 'awards' themsleves are both entertaining and raise awarness of a serious and growing prejudice. Real awards are given to those who have battled against Islamophobia - often against enormous odds.

Vote Here for the next Islamophobe.http://www.ihrc.org.uk/islamophobia/

Sorry I dont understand why the French president is included. When Israel invaded Lebanon, the people in Lebanon was welcomed with open arms in France, isnt it?

Have you seen most of the French policies towards muslims in the last year or so? That would explain why. Chirac is a nutter.

i wish muslims had a leader like ariel sharon .. i like that guy .. aight he was a jew aight he was an israili .. but he was a man.

not like the bunch of faggot leaders we got ..

Just say what you feel Jamal! But I do agree with you to some extent and that there aren't any reall ME leaders with any guts about, I know what you mean.

Chocoholic wrote:Just say what you feel Jamal! But I do agree with you to some extent and that there aren't any reall ME leaders with any guts about, I know what you mean.

You have - Ahmedenijad, khomeini, Mossadeq...... All Iranian.

I might get some flack for this... but the rest of the Middle East hasnt had any balls since they parted with the Turks....

That's a pretty fair comment.