OIC Slams Germany Anti-Islam Meeting

CAIRO. — The Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) has deplored an anti-Islam conference to be held in Germany next month, urging all segments of the German society to take a firm stand against the proponents of hatred.
"The OIC expresses serious concern over reports of the holding of 'Anti Islamization Congress' in Cologne, Germany," the world's biggest Muslim body said in a statement on Saturday, August 10.
The so-called "Anti-Islamization Congress" is to take place on September 19-20 in Germany's fourth-largest city of Cologne.
The meeting is organized by Pro Koeln, a far-right organization which has held five seats in Cologne's city council since 2004, and the its political party Pro NRW.
It will bring together far-right political forces and some of the most inflammatory names in politics Europe-wide, including France's Jean- Marie Le Pen, Austria's Heinz-Christian Strache and Belgium's Filip Dewinter.
The pan-Muslim body warned that the conference was "intended to arouse anti-Muslim sentiments in Europe.
"Organizers of the proposed event were motivated by racial hatred and xenophobia."
Many of Pro Koeln members were associated with neo-Nazi parties or groupings.
Recently the group led a campaign against plans for a large mosque in Cologne, home to more than 120,000 Muslims.
Pro Koeln is under the microscope of Germany's domestic intelligence agency because its "generalizing and sweeping defamation of foreigners is suspected of violating human dignity."
Public stand
The OIC warned that the conference jeopardize the peaceful relations between religious groups in Germany, home to a 3.2-million-strong Muslim community.
"It would pose a threat to inter communal peace and harmony in the society."
The 57-nation body urged the German people to take a strong public stand against racism and hatred.
"The OIC hopes that all segments of the society in Germany and other parts of Europe will come out strongly against the holding of the 'Anti Islamization Congress' and reject the proponents of hatred and racism."
Last week, a well-known German Jewish writer spoke out against the scheduled anti-Islam conference.
Ralph Giordano refuted Pro Koeln claims of seeking democracy, slamming the meeting as xenophobic.
Various German groups have also condemned the anti-Islam congress.
A number of political groups and organizations have launched an online campaign http://www.hingesetzt.mobi/cms urging public boycott of Pro Koln's gathering to confront its right-wing propaganda against people of other ethnic or religious backgrounds.
Source: IslamOnline