Muslims back Holocaust memorial

[Behind the Aegis]

Britain's Muslim leaders are considering ending their controversial boycott of Holocaust Memorial Day when the national commemoration is held next month.

The Muslim Council of Britain has long argued that HMD is 'exclusive' to Jews and that an EU genocide memorial day would better represent all victims of crimes against humanity. This year the council's leadership snubbed the HMD ceremony in Westminster marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

But Sir Iqbal Sacranie, secretary general of the council, signalled the organisation's position has now softened and he is actively considering attending the next national event at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff on 26 January, where guests are likely to include Tony Blair.

'This is being discussed at the moment within the MCB,' he said. 'A meeting is taking place in the next 10 days and then we'll able to tell you our decision on this. We want to make sure how inclusive it can be. Once the inclusivity is there, we have no problem with it.'

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[UncleSepp]

1. Good news. And good on them.

It seems to me that including other genocides - like the Armenian genocide, among horribly many others - underscores the point that without understanding and vigilance, it can all happen again. Isolating the Holocaust into something unprecedented makes it something unrepeatable, which is a very, very dangerous idea.

[PsychoDad]

2. The Holocaust must be remembered....

But also in the greater context for our inhumanity to our fellow man we seem to show as a species.

Sad to say, the Holocaust is/was not an isolated incident. We must not only remember the Jewish Holocaust but each attempt at genocide. Not just the german attempt in the 20th century, but the earlier purges during the crusades, and other attempts at exterminating populations around the world.

Build the Holocaust memorial, but use the occasion to remember our cruelty and inhumanity to all men in the hope that we will se the wrong we have done, and learn not to hate.

Peace.