Map of Islam in collaboration with religionists from the University of Vienna, it prepared the Documentation Center for Political Islam (Dokumentationsstelle Politischer Islam), which was established last year by the current government of the People’s Party (ÖVP) and the Greens. Its goal is to “scientifically document and research” political Islam.
–
“We registered and described 623 associations, organizations and mosques,” said project leader Ednan Aslan, adding that the goal was to provide transparent data that could help integrate Muslims into mainstream society. The second goal was to draw the attention of politicians to the “dangerous tendencies” that, according to him, the majority of Muslims in Austria end up suffering. In addition, the Center also published extensive summaries of the main organizations promoting political Islam in Austria, including their ideological background and links abroad.
–
According to Integration Minister Susanne Raab, the map is by no means intended to make Muslims suspicious individuals in advance. On the other hand, according to her, it is not possible to “close my eyes” and ignore the “dangerous development of political Islam”, which according to her is a threat to the Austrian value system and liberal democracy. According to Raab, the task of politicians is to prevent such ideologies from spreading “under the guise of tolerance.”
–
The project was sharply criticized by the Islamic community in Austria (IGGÖ), according to which it is “an obvious effort by the government to stigmatize all Muslims living in Austria as a potential danger”. She added in a statement that the map “encourages racism” and – given the fact that it publishes the addresses of individual mosques and associations – exposes Muslims to “a massive security risk”.
–
The map was also condemned as “another ÖVP attack on Muslims” by some Social Democrats (SPÖ) and the Greens also distanced themselves from it, forming a governing coalition with the People’s Party. It was also rejected by the Evangelical Church in Austria or the Council of Europe’s agent for combating anti-Semitism and hatred of Muslims. Turkish Islamist President Recep Tayyip Erdogan joined opponents of the project on Friday. He told the mouth of his Austrian spokesman that the map was “xenophobic, racist and anti-Islamic”.
–
Raab announced on Monday that she had been the target of threats on social networks and that the case was being handled by the secret service of the BVT and the police. According to the project leader Aslan, another of the project’s co-authors, theologian and sociologist Mouhanad Khorchide, also had to be given police protection and faced threats.
–
Poll
Is the Austrian map of Islam racist?
A total of 1643 readers voted.
—
