The British Muslim Initiative (BMI) has announced a demonstration in support of Qatar in its quarrel with other Arab states over supporting the Muslim Brotherhood. According to the announcement, the events was to have been held last Sunday:
SAUDI ARABIA, UAE AND BAHRAIN MUST STOP BULLYING QATAR! ˜ THE WORLD DEMANDS JUSTICE, NOT OPPRESSION! Despite the troubles and turmoil in the Middle East, Qatar has assumed prominence for standing with the Arab and the Muslim world at times of crises and challenges. Through its promotion of free media, namely Aljazeera TV and other NGOs, Qatar has largely presented the Arab world alternative socio-political narratives, which have come to be viewed as a threat to the archaic and corrupt Arab regimes. Three of the most oppressive Arab regimes — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain — have on Wednesday 5th March recalled their ambassadors from Qatar on the pretext of ‘to protect their security and stability’.
This action is clearly to punish Qatar for standing with the people of Egypt, Syria, Palestine, Tunisia and elsewhere. Demanding Qatar expels all political activists and refugees, these three regimes are effectively asking Qatar to support repression and human rights violations, in Egypt for example where the military coup regime has detained a number of prominent Aljazeera reporters. We call on all peace-loving people who aspire for freedom and justice to express their solidarity with Qatar for its principled stand.
STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH QATAR | SUNDAY 9TH MARCH | 1PM-3PM | OUTSIDE THE QATARI EMBASSY IN LONDON 1 South Audley Street, London W1K 1NB. Nearest tubes: Green Park, Marble Arch, or Hide Park Corner.
Called by: British Muslim Initiative (BMI), Egyptians Worldwide for Democracy & Justice, Bangladesh Crisis Group, Egyptian Forum in Britain, Lebanese Muslim League, and others.”
The GMBDW reported last week that Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates had recalled their envoys to Qatar to protest the Qatari support of the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) had for many years been the most active organization in the U.K Muslim Brotherhood. Many of the leaders of the MAB left in 2007 to form the British Muslim Initiative (BMI). According to an Israeli think-tank report, the breakup appeared to be the result of a conflict between traditionalists in the MAB who were unhappy with the high level of involvement in U.K left-wing politics while those who who formed the BMI wished such activity to continue. Anas Al-Tikriti, the leader of the BMI, and former MAB official, is the son of Osama Al-Tikriti, one of the leaders of the Iraqi Islamic Party representing the Muslim Brotherhood in that country.
Both the Egyptians Worldwide for Democracy & Justice and the Bangladesh Crisis Group appear also to be close to the Muslim Brotherhood.
