The Rites of the Two-edged Sword

In the Sikh tradition,

Panj Pyare - the Five Beloved Ones

In the institution of Panj Pyare, Guru Gobind Singh had created 

the nucleus of a casteless and democratic continuing society.

Australia's beauty lies in the harmony & diversity within our society. Let's support and maintain this.

THESE ARE THE HEADLINES REGARDING 

WHAT HAPPENED IN MELBOURNE

ON SATURDAY 18 JULY 2015 

AT PARLIAMENT HOUSE.

Who was the centre of attention in front of and near Victoria's Parliament House yesterday?  Reclaim Australia and their associates wanted to provide a double focus of attention: themselves and Muslims living in Australia.

No Room for Racism and its sympathisers were equally determined on a dual focus: to counter the racism of Reclaim Australia and its cohort and to make the public aware of their organisation.

Did the events of the day go as planned for both sides?  Possibly. Possibly not.  However, it seems that there were elements on both sides who were prepared for trouble one way or another.  

A group with a similar title to Reclaim Australia hit Ballarat early in 2014.  Restore Australia arrived in Ballarat trying to incite antagonism to the building of a mosque in the city - a city which was the site of Australia's first document demanding democratic rights.  As can be seen from this Facebook presence, drumming up opposition to the mosque being built by Ballarat's small Islamic community was not too successful.  

What Restore Australia did not take into account in the Ballarat situation is that community friendships had already been forged within the broader community by the time they blew into town.  The local Islamic community had friends - a broad spectrum of friends.  And the then Mayor was an early responder.

Meanwhile, amid all this swirling of clashing tensions and violent police intervention, what were Muslims doing? Yesterday was the beginning of Eid celebrations. Muslims were enjoying themselves. Behind them was a month of fasting. Now can come the feasting.  Perhaps Reclaim Australia chose the day and date deliberately with an intent to insult Muslims - or perhaps they knew there would not be a Muslim in sight or hearing of their rampage!

The Faith Communities Council of Victoria has issued the following statement.

Statement on Nationwide Rallies:  Faith Communities Council of Victoria The Faith Communities Council of Victoria (FCCV) has issued the following statement in light of reports that over the weekend of the 18/19th July 2015, Reclaim Australia is planning nationwide rallies which we believe are divisive and not in the nation’s best interests.  The acceptance of our multicultural and multifaith society is one of Australia's greatest achievements and assets. The celebration of this rich diversity that exists in our society ensures we remain innovative, resilient and globally competitive - all of which enhances our society and increases our standard of living. Like any asset, our multicultural and multifaith identity needs to be continuously nourished and threats to undermine it need be addressed. The current environment fueled by economic uncertainty and fear is encouraging the rise of extreme groups like Reclaim Australia and UPF (United Patriots Front), who are intent on disenfranchising minorities and disturbing the peace within our society. These groups demonstrate they possess anti-Muslim, anti-Asian, anti-Indigenous, anti-Semitic and anti-Refugee sentiments. We, the Faith Communities Council of Victoria, actively discourage any kind of involvement with these groups and see them as a threat to peace and social cohesion within our society.  We believe there has to be a continuous dialogue promoting multiculturalism and multifaith. We also encourage all to discourage others from supporting these groups in any way. The harmony and diversity in our society is the basis of the beauty of Australia, and we request your support in maintaining this. Faith Communities Council of Victoria is comprised of the following peak bodies: Baha'i Community of Victoria, Brahma Kumaris Australia, Buddhist Council of Victoria, Hindu Community Council of Victoria, Islamic Council of Victoria, Jewish Community Council of Victoria, Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria and Victorian Council of Churches.

Women of Islam - 7

 

Shirin Ebadi (Iran, 1947-Present)

In 2003, Shirin became the first Muslim woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

 

As a judge in Iran, she was the first woman to achieve Chief Justice status. However, she was dismissed from this position after the 1979 Revolution.

 

As a lawyer, Shirin has taken on many controversial cases and in result, has been arrested numerous times. 

 

Her activism has been predicated on her view that, "An interpretation of Islam that is in harmony with equality and democracy is an authentic expression of faith. It is not religion that binds women, but the selective dictates of those who wish them cloistered."

From Huffington Post

Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka - M.A.D.E. : Human Rights Arts and Film Festival - Oct, Nov 2013

M.A.D.E for Movies M.A.D.E and the Human Rights Arts and Film Festival present four award winning and thought provoking documentaries.   PRAY THE DEVIL BACK TO HELL  (72 minutes) FRI 25th OCT 7.30pm SUN 27th OCT 11.30am SUN 3rd NOV 2pm Director: Gini Reticker/ USA / 2008 / Documentary Tribeca Film Festival ‐ Best Documentary Feature        Pray the Devil Back to Hell chronicles the remarkable story of the courageous Liberian women who came together to end a bloody civil war and bring peace to their shattered country. Thousands of women — ordinary mothers, grandmothers, aunts and daughters, both Christian and Muslim — came together to pray for peace and then staged a silent protest outside of the Presidential Palace. A story of sacrifice, unity and transcendence, Pray the Devil Back to Hell honours the strength and perseverance of the women of Liberia. Inspiring, uplifting, and most of all motivating, it is a compelling testimony of how grassroots activism can alter the history of nations. Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uon9CcoHgwA WORDS OF WITNESS (68 minutes) SAT 26th OCT 7.30pm (one screening only) We are pleased to announce this session will be introduction by Ella McNeill - Director of Human Rights Arts and Film Festival.  Director: Mai Iskander / Egypt and USA / 2012 / English and Arabic with English subtitles / Documentary Berlinale, 2012, One World Film Festival, 2012 – Best of the Festival Jury Award During the Egyptian uprising, social media was the weapon of choice for a new generation. In Words of Witness, filmmaker Mai Iskander follows Heba Afify, a budding online journalist reporting from the frontline of the revolution. Heba's attempts to report are continually compromised by the restrictions she faces as a young woman in Egyptian society – in particular, by her mother's incessant reminders that, whilst a journalist, she is above all 'a girl'. Exploring the personal and political in equal measure, Words of Witness is a timely glimpse into post-­revolution Egypt today.               Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jjgin_7xpb8   TAXI SISTER + RED WEDDING - 2 Documentaries combined as one session (1hr 45 including 15minute intermission) SUN 27th OCT 1.30pm SUN 27th OCT 5.00pm FRI 1st NOV 7.30pm TAXI SISTER (30 minutes)   Director: Theresa Traore Dahlberg / Senegal / 2011 / Wolof and French with English subtitles / Documentary     There are 15,000 taxi drivers in Senegal; only 15 of them are women. Taxi Sister follows one of them. As Boury speeds around Dakar transporting tourists and locals to their destinations, she must defend herself against the social taboos that define driving as a male profession. An energetic peek into urban West Africa, Taxi Sister revels in the solidarity of a small group of women as they accelerate change. Trailer:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGf6pVRRui0 RED WEDDING (58 minutes) Directors: Lida Chan & Guillaume Suon / Cambodia and France / 2012 / Khmer with English subtitles / Documentary IDFA, 2012 – Winner Best Mid-­Length Documentary   Thirty years have passed, and on the eve of her son’s wedding, Sochan Pen is finally ready to break her silence. At the age of 16, she was forced to marry a soldier as part of Cambodia's genetic engineering. Juxtaposing haunting archival and present day footage as Sochan confronts the people responsible for her rape and torture, Red Wedding is a land mark exposition of forced marriages under the Khmer Rouge.  Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jBnePP31c04   Bookings Essential - 1800 287 113 or http://made.org/WhatsOn/Events.aspx Tickets $10 or Conc. $7 per session M.A.D.E (Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka) 102 Stawell St South, Ballarat Phone: 1800 287 113 info@made.org http://www.made.org Share Tweet Forward to Friend Facebook Twitter Website

Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka (M.A.D.E) is Australia's newest museum. It is located on the site of the Eureka Stockade in Ballarat, western Victoria. With the evocative 159-year-old Eureka Flag as its centrepiece, M.A.D.E’s interactive and immersive exhibitions will explore the evolution and the future of democracy – looking at culture, civics, history and citizenship. For more information, visit our website www.made.org