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-News for Thur. 25 April & Fri. 26
April 2002
Ethnic, Human Rights Group Protest 'Reverse Terror' Against Muslims
in America
Michael Leland
Chicago
26
Apr 2002
 
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Ethnic and human
rights groups in Chicago are banding together to stop what they are calling
"reverse terror" against Muslims and Arab-Americans. The groups say Middle
Eastern-looking people are still being harassed by people angry about the
September 11 terrorist attacks.
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Muslim Civil Rights Center vice-chair, Seema Iman
VOA Photo - M.
Leland |
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The Muslim
Civil Rights Center in Chicago says there have been almost 90 reported hate
crimes against Muslims and Arab-Americans in the state of Illinois since
September 11. But it also says there have been many more unreported incidents
of discrimination and harassment. The center's vice-chair, Seema Iman, has
firsthand knowledge of such abuse. "Sitting in my car, waiting for something
and a man, a tough burly guy, walked to my car, came near me, spat at me,
turned from me, swearing at me and all I could say is he does not know me, but
he has been misinformed and somehow relates me to a crime," she
said.
The Muslims
Civil Rights Center has joined with several other Chicago-area human rights and
ethnic groups to create a year-long campaign called the "LINC Project." It
hopes to shed light on the isolation felt by many Muslims and Arab-Americans in
the area, and to promote collaboration and understanding with Chicago's other
ethnic communities.
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Muslim Civil Rights Center Director Kausar Ahmad
VOA Photo - M.
Leland |
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Muslim Civil
Rights Center Director Kausar Ahmad said the project includes a series of
public forums. "To speak specifically about hate crime, racial profiling,
housing discrimination," she said. "We are going to provide information to them
and hopefully, this information will be empowering so that they know how to
respond."
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William Yoshino, head of the Japanese-American Citizens League in
Chicago
VOA
Photo - M. Leland |
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The head of the
Japanese-American Citizens League in Chicago, William Yoshino, said his group
is a part of the LINC Project because he thinks it is important for all ethnic
groups to support those being harassed. He said such support did not exist for
Japanese-Americans during World War II. "There were virtually no supportive
organizations, whether public or private. In fact, very few individuals came
out in support of the (Japanese-American) community," he said. "That is what
really resulted in that climate of fear that led to the evacuation and
subsequent internment of Japanese-Americans."
Nationwide, the
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee says there have been more than 600
incidents of harassment or violence against Middle Eastern-looking people since
last September.
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