Join in to end fears:
13th April 2011
Be welcoming: mayor
Hume community leaders have encouraged Muslim residents to be part of the community and not fear racism — and called on residents to welcome them.
It follows an Islamic Council of Victoria submission to a federal inquiry on multiculturalism which stated that fear of racism, along with housing affordability and access to multicultural services, were reasons certain Muslim communities congregated in suburbs such as Broadmeadows.
Hume mayor Helen Patsikatheodorou called for more respect, less judging and more inclusiveness in the community to get rid of fears of racism.
“We all have families, we all have the same aspirations, we all have the same goal in life — to live in peace,” Cr Patsikatheodorou said.
Broadmeadows Labor MP Frank McGuire called for tolerance and said Broadmeadows had a “proud reputation for making people from around the world feel at home in their new country”.
Sareera female youth group spokeswoman Aksen Ilhan said it was natural for people to want to be near family, friends and people with similar interests and tastes and didn’t think Muslim communities were creating enclaves in Hume because of fear of racism.
She encouraged Muslim residents to take advantage of free English classes in the area and join hobby and cultural groups to break down language barriers.
Victorian Arabic Social Services spokeswoman Leila Alloush said Muslims were experiencing racism and called on the community to make them feel welcome.
Ms Alloush said employment opportunities, cultural festivals and meeting places were needed and that because Hume’s Muslim community were economically disadvantaged, community leaders needed to
work to take away financial barriers to participation. “It takes strong leadership at a federal, state and local level,” Ms Alloush said. Meadow Heights Turkish Women’s Association chair Ayse Koksuz said as a Muslim woman she felt welcome in Hume and believed new migrants should be educated about road rules and courtesy in daily situations to help them integrate.
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