Australian Prime Minister is quoted to have said

bigears


Joined: 14/03/2008
Posts: 62

Message Posted:
22/10/2008 14:55

Prime Minister John Howard - Australia





Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks.



Separately, Howard angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation's mosques. Quote: 'IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in pa triotism by the majority of Australians.'





'This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom'.



'We speak mainly ENGLISH; not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society. Learn the language!'

Sue

McSteviet



Joined: 11/05/2007
Posts: 1089

Message Posted:
22/10/2008 15:03

Is this the current view of the Australian government?



This must have been said some time ago, as John Howard hasn't been the Prime Minister for nearly a yaer now...



Mc

Krin52


Joined: 25/08/2008
Posts: 419

Message Posted:
22/10/2008 15:04

This piece is developing "urban Myth' proportions as it goes around the Internet!



It is comprised of a number of government minsters comments shortly after the London Tube bombings in 2005, all put together in one attributed to the NOW EX-Prime Minister Howard - he was resoundingly thrown out of office last November.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
22/10/2008 15:07

This is an excerpt from a recent article in the New York Times.

Local governments in a Muslim desert region in western China have imposed strict limits on religious practices during the traditional Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which began last week, according to the Web sites of four of those governments.

The rules include prohibiting women from wearing veils and men from growing beards, as well as barring government officials from observing Ramadan. One town, Yingmaili, requires that local officials check up on mosques at least twice a week during Ramadan.

The local governments administer areas in the western part of Xinjiang, a vast autonomous region that is home to the Uighurs, a Muslim Turkic people who often chafe under rule by the ethnic Han Chinese. In August, a wave of attacks swept through Xinjiang, the largest surge of violence in the region in years. Some local officials blamed separatist groups for the instability, and the central government sent security forces to t

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
22/10/2008 15:08

sent security forces to the area.

The limits on religious practices put in place by local governments appear to be part of the broader security crackdown. The areas affected by the new rules are near Kuqa, a town struck by multiple bombings on Aug. 10.

It was unclear whether the rules would be relaxed after Ramadan, an observance that some Islamic extremists have used elsewhere as a symbolic backdrop for attacks on their perceived enemies. It was also unclear how the Chinese authorities intended to enforce the rules, which appeared to run the risk of antagonizing devout Muslims who present no obvious security threat.

They include barring teachers and students from observing Ramadan, prohibiting retired government officials from entering mosques and requiring men to shave off beards and women to doff veils. Mosques cannot let people from outside of town stay overnight and restaurants must maintain normal hours of business. Because of the sunrise-to-sunset fasting, many restaurants w

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
22/10/2008 15:08

Because of the sunrise-to-sunset fasting, many restaurants would normally close during daytime for Ramadan.

In nearby Xinhe County, the government has decreed that Communist Party members, civil servants and retired officials must not observe Ramadan, enter mosques or take part in any religious activities during the month. In addition, children and students cannot be forced to attend religious activities, and women cannot be forced to wear veils.

County rules also emphasize the need to maintain a strict watch over migrant workers and visitors from outside the county. Companies and families that have workers or visitors from outside the county are required to register the outsiders with the nearest police station and have them sign an agreement “on maintaining social stability.”