President Macron,
As an organisation that has spent over two decades bringing people together across the world from various backgrounds, of all faiths and none, we would like to ask you to reconsider your unilateral assault on Muslims, Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The horrific murder of M. Samuel Paty drew condemnation and empathy from people all over the world. This is a moment in which French citizens look to you to provide strong moral leadership. Yet, unfortunately, there has been neither wisdom nor moral leadership in your response. Maligning Islam and your own Muslim citizens, closing mainstream Islamic organisations and mosques, and using this as an opportunity to stir up further hatred has given further encouragement to racists. Your own words and actions go against laïcité, as well as the French Constitution of 1958, which states that “all citizens regardless of their origin, race or religion are treated as equals before the law and respecting all religious beliefs”.
Your use of state mechanisms and the security services of the French State to raid civic organisations, arrest peaceful citizens holding opposing political views, close Mosques and shut down legitimate organisations is symptomatic of the underlying malasie in France’s political institutions and goes against the fundamental principles of Egalite, Liberte and Fraternite.
The global demonstrations & BDS movements that have started against French goods and services are a result of your actions. It is a gross disservice to both the office you hold and the people of France. You appear to have forgotten that you came into office on the hopes and dreams of young French men and women who were looking for a fresh approach to race and faith relations. Adopting the policies of xenophobes and pandering to bigots serves only to further the divisions in France between communities and undermine her long-standing democracy.
The moral high-ground that we invite you to is to reject hatred and divisive rhetoric and use your leadership to bring people together. It is within your capacity to nurture understanding between people and to counter dangerous forms of polarisation within France and globally. The hand of friendship from Muslim organisations, both in France and beyond, has long been extended. It would be a service to France and to its cherished principles, and to the rest of the world, if you took it.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
“Kindness is not to be found in anything but that it adds to its beauty and it is not withdrawn from anything, but it makes it defective.”
Reference: [Sahih Muslim Book 45, Hadith 100]
