Australian Federation of Islamic Councils says event due to feature two senior Taliban representatives was not intended to ‘legitimise any group’
The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (Afic) has cancelled its planned online forum that was due to include two senior Taliban representatives, after it faced heavy criticism from within the Muslim and Afghan communities.
“I genuinely thought it was a joke,” said Mariam Veiszadeh, a lawyer and community rights advocate from the Afghan-Australian community.
“I think Afic has been out of touch with the broader Australia Muslim community for a very long time, and this just cements that further.”
In a statement released on Thursday morning, Afic said it decided to cancel the event “in response to community concerns”, with Afic president Dr Rateb Jneid saying the event was not intended to “legitimise any group”:
“This event was not convened to legitimise any group or to offend any group ... in view of developments, I have taken the executive decision to cancel the event.”
The statement said “discussion” had taken place with “officials in Australia” during the planning for the event.
Afic chief executive Keysar Trad told ABC Radio on Thursday that the event was an opportunity to “obtain assurances about the rights of minorities and women, and to also dissuade and discourage any young people from going to that region.”
But Veiszadeh said the event reflected a “lack of judgment” by Afic, and questioned the leadership at the organisation.
“I don’t think that the current leadership of Afic has the judgment or experience to be able to know how to advocate on behalf of the community.”
“They should be elevating and taking the lead from Afghanistan Australians, and asking them how they can help, rather than seeking to frame the narrative in a way that benefits them personally.”
“It’s just a slap in the face that instead of platforming and elevating the voices of the victims, they’ve thought to elevate the voices of the perpetrator.”
>snip<
The cancellation also comes after the New South Wales premier, Dominic Perrottet, released a statement, saying the NSW government had asked Afic to cancel the event.
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-n ... -community
Keysar Trad was on tv saying "Who better to talk about the rights of women and minorities than the Taliban?"
Trad should have been deported years ago and there should be NO Federation of Islamic Councils in Australia! They are often bringing radical imams here to preach hatred in the mosques.
