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AUSTRALASIAN MUSLIM TIMES
www.amust.com.au ISSUE # 170
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Multicultural News & Views
JANUARY 2020; JAMAADIYUL OULAA 1441
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PH: (02) 9158 3020
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Woggle Box: To humanise refugees
Mufti’s appeal on bushfires
AUSTRALIA PAGE 15
BACK PAGE 24
Widespread protests against Modi government’s anti-Muslim agenda
Australia burns amid drought, heat and bushfires
Zia Ahmad Sydney protesters being address by former senator Lee Rhiannon on Sunday 29 December 2019 at Martin Place. Zia Ahmad Fresh protests have broken out within India as well as outside the country condemning violent attacks, by thugs belonging to the ruling BJP Hindu nationalist party, on protesters at university campuses and elsewhere in the country who have been raising their voices on discriminatory laws being enacted by the government. The latest incident took place at Delhi’s prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University on Sunday night 5 January 2020 where a group of more than 50 masked goons reportedly belonging to ABVP, the student wing of ruling BJP, armed with iron rods and sticks, brutally attacked teachers and students within the campus and vandalised dormitories
and other property while police watched. Earlier in December students at Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University were brutally attacked by police for protesting against discriminatory policies of the BJP nationalist government in India, led by PM Modi having ideological roots with Hindu supremacists, for its program of disempowerment of its large Muslim minority by enacting laws leading to denial of citizenship, religious discrimination and outright oppression. This comes in the wake of total military lockdown in Kashmir since 5 August (more than 150 days) granting of historic Babari Mosque land to build a temple in November, denial of citizenship to 2 million people mostly Muslims in the state of Assam through a citizen’s register that will be soon
expanded to cover the whole of the country and the passing of CAA legislation that will grant millions of refugees citizenship except those who were Muslims. Australians of Indian origin held a mass rally in Sydney on Sunday 29 December to protest against the citizenship laws being enacted in India that are considered discriminatory, anti-democratic, unconstitutional and against the secular traditions of the country. The Sydney demonstration held in Martin Place was possibly the first time Indian Muslim diaspora united together to use their people power to show concern for the attacks on Indian Muslims including their faith identity, religious practices, historic legacy and their languages being marginalised. continued on page 3
Following a long drought, Australia is experiencing an unprecedented devastating ongoing summer 2019-2020 with record temperatures in outer Sydney and out of control fires burning around the city covered by smoke for the past few weeks. The ongoing bushfires this season have burnt more than 15 million acres of land, destroyed almost 2000 houses with 27 deaths so far and an estimated half a billion mammals, birds, and reptiles have been lost. Australian firefighters and volunteers have been heroically fighting the bushfires in NSW and Eastern Victoria for weeks and have been joined by contingents from New Zealand, US and Canada. Australian Defence Force has been deployed recently for rescue operation of tourists taking refuge on the beaches of south coast of NSW where a large number of homes have been destroyed. continued on page 2
AMUST dominates at Premier’s Awards night Zia Ahmad, AMUST Editor-in-Chief and Rubinah Ahmad, AMUST Multimedia Technology Manager with their awards.
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Mehar Ahmad The Australasian Muslim Times AMUST won two awards at the 2019 ‘Premier’s Multicultural Communications Awards’ (PMCA) at a Gala Dinner event held in Sydney on Tuesday 3 December 2019 in the Garden Ballroom, Oatlands House. AMUST was recognised as the “Publication of the Year” with the award received by its Multimedia Technology Manager, Rubinah Ahmad while Zia Ahmad, Editor-in-Chief received the award for “Best Print Report” for his reflections on the ground from Christchurch soon after the Mosques’ terrorist attack in March 2019. The annual NSW Premier’s Multicultural Communications Awards (PMCAs) recognise excellence in the multicultural media and marketing industry where the awards
program celebrates the achievements of marketers, journalists, editors and producers. The award Judges for 2019 nominated entries were Majida Abboud Saab, Tim Burrowes, Ky Chow, Steven D’Alessandro, Dr Helen Vatsikopoulos, Peter Lynch, David Terrazas, Tuong Quang Luu AO and Natalie O’ brien. Reports on dowry abuse, the Christchurch terror attack and an innovative multilingual radio podcast for children were among the winning entries at the Premier’s Multicultural Communications Awards 2019. The event was attended by more than 300 guests including politicians, businessmen, community leaders from all over New South Wales as well as the finalists and award winners. continued on page 3
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NEWS 1-4
BOOMERANG 5-7
COMMUNITY 8 - 12
AUSTRALIA 13 - 15
Urgent: To the Muslim community in Australia To our brethren in all Australian states and territories. To all the men, women and youth. As you are well aware, our country, Australia, has given us so much. Currently, our Australian land and people are facing a catastrophic event. The bushfires are destroying thousands of hectares of vegetation and property. Thousands of homes have been burnt. A number of people, both property owners and volunteer firefighters, have lost their lives as a result of these bushfires. Our families and the Australian people who are in the vicinity of these bushfires, as well as being victims, have a right over us. The time has now come for us to fulfil our role in supporting, financially and otherwise, the affected families. We must also support them socially and on a personal level. We need to help fight these bushfires. You need to give a portion of your earnings to them. Be as we have known you. Be as you have been in the past. Your precious Australian land is awaiting your support. I am also certain of your generosity and kindness and that you can leap to the highest levels and be role models for others. Make much prayers and be generous in your support. Pray that Allah protects Australia: its people, its land, its environment. Pray that Allah brings down much rain and protects our flaura and fauna. - Grand Mufti of Australia Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed
HELP THE FIREFIGHTERS NSW Rural Fire Service www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/about-us/ fundraising VIC Country Fire Association tinyurl.com/cfavictoria
HELP THE WILDLIFE NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service (WIRES) wires.org.au/donate/now Port Macquarie Koala Hospital tinyurl.com/helpkoalas
HELP THOSE AFFECTED Australian Red Cross tinyurl.com/supportredcross The Salvation Army tinyurl.com/saesappeal
Image: Saeed Khan/AFP/Getty
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AUSTRALASIAN MUSLIM TIMES
WWW.AMUST.COM.AU
ISSUE 170 / JANUARY 2020