February/March 1996, Pages 78-79

Muslim-American Activism

Mujahadeen Not Threat to U.S. Troops in Bosnia

The Washington-based American Muslim Council has protested recent media representations of international volunteers who supported Bosnian government forces in the Balkan war as being a threat to American troops in Bosnia. The Islamic mujahadeen, or "freedom fighters," have been in Bosnia since shortly after war erupted in April 1992, backing the Muslim-led, multi-sectarian Bosnian army. Various news reports, including two recently in the Washington Post, refer to the mujahadeen as "mercenaries" who are "inherently hostile" to Americans. The AMC says the Islamic fighters in Bosnia should be seen, instead, as volunteers who fought for people who could not defend themselves because of the arms embargo. "They came to fight on the side of the people of Bosnia when the rest of the world hesitated," the AMC said. "They came under difficult circumstances with intentions of defending innocent civilians and stopping genocidal aggression committed by Serb terrorists in Bosnia."

The AMC added that the mujahadeen should be seen as partners for peace with the American and NATO troops, instead of instigators of violence. "Most of the mujahadeen view the United States as an ally in Bosnia and not an enemy," the AMC said. "The very same mujahadeen fought on the side of the U.S. in Afghanistan just a few years earlier."

As part of the Bosnian peace accord reached in Dayton, Ohio, in November, all mujahadeen members were supposed to have left Bosnia by Jan. 19. About 1,000 mujahadeen were estimated to have been in Bosnia when the peace agreement was signed. Most have returned to their homes, but the Bosnian government estimates that 50 to 100 members remain. Although there have been no reported mujahadeen attacks on NATO or U.S. forces, the U.S. government has asked Bosnian officials to evict the rest of the Islamic fighters. The Bosnians, however, are reluctant to turn away those who came to their aid. A Bosnian military police lieutenant was quoted in the Jan. 19 Washington Post as saying, "It's sad what we had to do. These guys were the best for us. They prayed, they didn't maltreat anyone, and they fought well. They were with us when nobody else was here." The Bosnian government recently has agreed to let mujahadeen members stay if they turn in their weapons.

The AMC warned that wrongly presenting the mujahadeen as fanatics or murderers only feeds the stereotypes of Muslims advanced in some Serbian propaganda. "We ask the media to be fair to everyone and not to try, in yet another case of stereotyping, to use Muslims as scapegoats," the AMC said. "The mujahadeen must not be turned into a tool to hurt American perceptions of Muslims."

—Geoff Lumetta

Muslims Hold Vigil Outside Texas Governor's Mansion

Members of local and national Muslim communities gathered outside the mansion of Texas Governor George W. Bush on Jan. 13 to hold a silent vigil to bring to the governor's attention the plight of the Krasniqi family in Dallas. In 1989, Sadri "Sam" Krasniqi, an Albanian Muslim immigrant living with his wife, son and daughter in Dallas, was accused of sexually abusing his 4-year-old daughter.

Shortly after Krasniqi's arrest, his son and daughter were taken into protective custody. Despite his having been found innocent on all charges following the testimony of two doctors who found no evidence of abuse of any kind, local authorities did not return the children to the Krasniqis, but instead placed them for adoption by a family that has raised them as Christians.

News reports about this case, including a Dec. 22 televised program on ABC's "20/20," have helped raise attention to the plight of the Krasniqis, who are trying desperately to have their children returned. The Dallas Muslim community is seeking the personal intervention of Governor Bush to reopen the case. Anyone interested in offering support for the Krasniqis can contact the Dallas Muslim Council at (214) 644-4071, or the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) at (202) 638-6340.

—Shawn L. Twing

Silicon Valley Firm Seeks to Close Muslim School

An Islamic school and mosque in California's Silicon Valley faces closure due to persistent legal actions by a nearby high-tech facility. According to the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the LSI Logic Corp. in Santa Clara, CA has been attempting to close Granada Elementary School since it opened two years ago. LSI Logic claims the presence of children so close to its facility causes a financial burden due to insurance costs. Muslim leaders, however, say closing the school at this time would result in hardship for students, parents and teachers. They also claim a closure would affect social services provided to hundreds of Bosnian refugees and would disrupt activities during the holy month of Ramadan.

Representatives of the school said they have complied with all city regulations and procedures and that LSI's legal attacks amount to a form of religious harassment. In a San Francisco Chronicle news article about the dispute, the Rev. Herb Schmidt, a Lutheran chaplain at Stanford University, said, "We are deeply concerned that if this were a synagogue or a Roman Catholic parochial school, this would not be happening."

In an open letter to LSI Logic, the Muslim Community Association in Santa Clara pointed out that there are other housing and teaching facilities near the plant that the company has not objected to for safety or cost reasons. "Frankly, we cannot understand why you oppose our presence in this community," the letter stated. "A youth [music] facility operates right next to LSI Logic and a large apartment complex, housing many families with children, is located less than 750 feet from your facility.

"These facts make us wonder: What is the real reason for LSI Logic's hard-line stance against our community?"

In earlier legal battles, a Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the Muslim community. But that decision was recently overturned by the Appellate Court. The court ordered the city to revoke the school's permit pending an Environmental Impact Report. That report is expected to take at least six months to complete. In the meantime, the Muslim community recently staged a news conference and demonstrations demanding that LSI Logic cease its legal opposition to the school. The Santa Clara City Council was expected to hold a hearing on the topic in late January.

—Geoff Lumetta

Islamic Assembly Has Third Annual Meeting

The Islamic Assembly of North America held its third annual meeting Dec. 21 through 25 in Dearborn, MI, with over one thousand people attending. Muslim scholars, political activists and community leaders offered seminars on Islamic theory, practice and the role of American Muslims in their communities and nation-wide. Also included during the four-day conference were fiqh debates, scholarly deliberation on Islamic jurisprudence and analysis of current affairs affecting the American Muslim community. For information about the fourth annual meeting, contact the Islamic Assembly of North America, (313) 677-0006.

—Shawn L. Twing