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Stockholm:
Becoming a victim of unfounded attacks and conspiracy theories
about Islam, a Swedish Muslim has been forced to quit his duties
with the Social Democrats party.
“The party leadership believes that having a mandate within the
party and within Muslim civil society is incompatible,” Omar
Mustafa wrote in an open letter cited by The Local newspaper.
“The party leadership’s view isn’t
only regrettable, it’s also a frightening signal to Muslims and
other Social Democrats who are people of faith. I therefore feel
that the party leadership doesn’t have confidence in me and have
forced me to resign from all my duties in the party", he added.
Mustafa, 28, who chairs Sweden’s
Islamic Association, was chosen to sit on the governing board of
the left-of-center opposition party at last weekend's party
congress. But later members demanded his ouster over claims of
hosting speakers known for alleged anti-Semitic views by the
Islamic Association.
Party officials defended the decision on ground that the Muslim
members held views that contradict with the party’s values.
“Knowing what we know now and
considering how events unfolded, the situation became
unsustainable,” Veronica Palm, chair of the Social Democrats in
Stockholm, told TT (Tidningarnas Telegrambyra) news agency. “I
therefore urged him to resign.”
Palm explained that she and her
colleagues had nominated Mustafa to the Social Democrats’
governing board because he had done a good job for the party in
Stockholm.
“We thought he had valuable
experience that could contribute to the party on a national
level.” Mustafa “had never shown values other than those held by
the Social Democrats,” she said.
Party officials argue that the Muslim politician had to cope with
the party’s values about equality between men and women.
“You can't hold an elected position
within the Social Democrats unless you can fully stand up for the
party's values that all human beings are equal and for equality
between women and men," party leader Stefan Löfven said.
"These are the values which we base
our whole political platform on. This is inviolable." But the
Muslim politician hit back, saying he was a victim of “unfounded
attacks and conspiracy theories about Islam, Muslims, and Muslim
organizations", Stefan said.
Despite leaving his duties with the
party, Mustafa vowed to continue working within Muslim civil
society for “justice, equality, and human rights.”
“I plan to continue my work with
Swedish-Muslim identity, against racism in all its forms, and for
a more just national and international policy,” he wrote.
Muslims make up between 450,000 and 500,000 of Sweden’s nine
million people, according to the US State Department report in
2011.
Islam, as a divine religion, sets
down rules that strike a balance between men's responsibilities
and women's rights.
Woman is recognized by Islam as the
full and equal partner of the man in the procreation of humankind.
By this partnership, she has an
equal share in every aspect.
She is entitled to equal rights, she
undertakes equal responsibilities, and she has as many qualities
and as much humanity as her partner.
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