NEWS DESK
Cliff track talks THE Beleura cliff path, Mornington, remains officially closed, despite being used by many people each day. Safety barriers erected by Mornington Peninsula Shire have been pushed aside, providing access to the cracked and crumbling bitumen path up the steep cliff. Its use is expected to increase over summer but the shire has yet to say when, or if, the seriously eroded path will be repaired and made safe. The previous mayor Cr Bev Colomb has praised the state government for a $50,000 grant, although Mornington MP David Morris says the amount falls well short of the amount needed. A public meeting at the shire’s offices in Queen St, Mornington, will enable residents and members of the Beleura Cliff Path Steering group to questions councillors and officers about why the path remains closed two years after it was affected by a landslip. The landslip was caused by drainage from properties along the cliff top in Kalimna Drive. The meeting starts 5pm, Wednesday 16 December. Details: www.beleuracliffpath.com.au
Leaders united: Religious and community leaders are united in their wish for peace.
Muslims lead the way in peace talks LEADERS from six major religions went to a mosque in Langwarrin to explain the role their faith was taking to promote peace. President of Ahmadiyya Muslim Association of Australia Inam-ul-Haq Kauser said “the majority” of Muslims were peaceful and that terrorist attacks had nothing to do with Islam. “There are only a handful of [Muslims] who are troublemakers, who are creating the whole trouble,” Imam Kauser said in his keynote address at the Conference of World Religions at the Bait-ul-Salam (House of Peace) Mosque on Sunday 29 November. The theme of the conference – attended by 350 community leaders, including police and politicians - was “The role of my religion in promoting peace”. The conference came two weeks after a wave of terrorist attacks in the Middle East and Paris left hundreds dead and even more people injured. “Do not feel that all Muslims verify
them [the terrorists] and support them. We do not support them,” Imam Kauser said. “If the 1.8 billion Muslims, God forbid, become terrorists, what is going to happen? They are not terrorists.” Imam Kauser said Islam was being terrorised and was in need of “more help than anyone else”. He said Muslims were suffering as a result of a handful of terrorists, and compared their plight to “a mother who is suffering because of her son’s bad deeds”. Imam Kauser said the world was being terrorised and “heading towards a brink of fire and a third world war”. He said “man has gone away from his lord” and “people are not talking about peace but rather they are talking about the differences”. Imam Kauser believed peace could be achieved by religious and political leaders getting together and promoting peace.
ĚǀĞƌƟƐĞŵĞŶƚ
BROOKLANDS – THE TALK OF THE TOWN ŽĨ ƚŽǁŶ ĂŶĚ ƐƚĂLJŝŶŐ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ŚŽƚĞů͘ DĂŶLJ ŽƵƚ ŽĨ ƚŽǁŶ ĂƚŚůĞƚĞƐ ŚĂĚ ƚŚĞ ŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJ ƚŽ ĞĂƚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƌĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƐĂŵƉůĞ ƚŚĞ ĨŽŽĚ͘ dŚĞƐĞ ĚĂLJƐ ƚŚĞ ƌĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚ ŝƐ ĂůǁĂLJƐ ĐŽŵƉůĞƚĞůLJ ŬĞĚ ŽƵƚ ĂŶĚ Ă ďŽŽŬŝŶŐ ŝƐ ĞƐƐĞŶƟĂů͘ hŶĚĞƌ ƚŚĞ ŐƵŝĚĂŶĐĞ ŽĨ ŚĞĨ ͕ ŝƚ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ŶƵŵďĞƌ ŽŶĞ ƌĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚ ŝŶ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ ĂŶĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƉ ϯ ͞ Ŷ ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐĂƟŽŶ ůŝŬĞ ƌŽŽŬůĂŶĚƐ ŽĨ ƌĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ WĞŶŝŶƐƵůĂ͘͟ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ ŚĂƐ Ă ĚƵƚLJ ŽĨ ĐĂƌĞ ƚŽ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ůŽĐĂů ĞǀĞŶƚƐ ůŝŬĞ ƚŚĞ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ dƌŝĂƚŚůŽŶ͕ hŶĚĞƌƐƚĂŶĚŝŶŐ ŚŽǁ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ ŝƚ ŝƐ ƚŽ ďĞ ůŽĐĂů ƚĂůĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ůŽĐĂů ĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ ƐŽ ƚŚĂƚ ƚŚĞLJ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƟǀĞ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ůŽĐĂů ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĂŶĚ ĞǀĞŶƚƐ͕ ĐĂŶ ĂůƐŽ ŐƌŽǁ ĂŶĚ ŇŽƵƌŝƐŚ͕͟ ƐĂŝĚ 'ĞŶĞƌĂů ƌŽŽŬůĂŶĚƐ ŽĨ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ ǁĞƌĞ ĚĞůŝŐŚƚĞĚ ƚŽ DĂŶĂŐĞƌ͕ DĂƌƌĞĐŬ ,ĞĂĚ͘ ͞tĞ ŚĂǀĞ ŵĂĚĞ Ă ďĞ ŝŶǀŽůǀĞĚ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ dƌŝĂƚŚůŽŶ͕ ŶŽǁ ƐƚƌŽŶŐ ĐŽŵŵŝƚŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ŽƵƌ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĂŶĚ ǁĞ ŝŶ ŝƚƐ ƐĞĐŽŶĚ LJĞĂƌ͘ ŚŽƉĞ ƚŚĂƚ ǁĞ ĐĂŶ ĐŽŶƟŶƵĞ ƚŽ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ŐƌĞĂƚ ĞǀĞŶƚƐ ůŝŬĞ ƚŚŝƐ ĨŽƌ ŵĂŶLJ LJĞĂƌƐ ƚŽ ĐŽŵĞ͘ /ƚ ŝƐ ͞dŚĞ ĞǀĞŶƚ ǁĂƐ ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐĞĚ ďLJ ^ĐŽƩ ,ŽůůŽǁ Ăƚ ĂůƐŽ ǁŽŶĚĞƌĨƵů ƚŽ ƐĞĞ ƐŽ ŵĂŶLJ ůŽĐĂů ƌĞƐŝĚĞŶƚƐ yK^/ ĞǀĞŶƚƐ͕ ǁŚŽ ĂůƐŽ ƌƵŶƐ ƚŚĞ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ ǀŝƐŝƟŶŐ ŽƵƌ ĞƐƚĂďůŝƐŚŵĞŶƚ ƚŽ ĞdžƉĞƌŝĞŶĐĞ ĮƌƐƚͲ ƌƵŶŶŝŶŐ ĨĞƐƟǀĂů ƚŚĂƚ ƚŽŽŬ ƉůĂĐĞ ĞĂƌůŝĞƌ ŝŶ ŚĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ŐƌĞĂƚ ĨŽŽĚ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƐ ďĞŝŶŐ ƉƌŽĚƵĐĞĚ ƚŚĞ LJĞĂƌ͘ /ƚ ŶĞĞĚƐ ůŽĐĂů ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ŝŶ ŽƌĚĞƌ ƚŽ ĂŶĚ ƐĞƌǀĞĚ Ăƚ ŝŐŚƚĞĞŶϳϴ ďLJ ŚĞĨ ĂŶĚ ŚŝƐ ŐƌŽǁ ĂƐ Ă ŐƌĞĂƚ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĞǀĞŶƚ͕͟ ƐĂŝĚ Dƌ ,ĞĂĚ͘ ͞/ƚ ǁĂƐ ĂůƐŽ ƚŚĞ ƉĞƌĨĞĐƚ ǁĂLJ ĨŽƌ ƵƐ ƚŽ ƚĞĂŵ͘͟ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ >ĞŐĂĐLJ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŝƐ Ă ĚŝƌĞĐƚ ďĞŶĞĨĂĐƚŽƌ ^ƵƉƉŽƌƟŶŐ ƚŚĞ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ dƌŝĂƚŚůŽŶ ƚŚĂƚ ĨƌŽŵ ƉƌŽĐĞĞĚƐ ƌĂŝƐĞĚ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ ĞǀĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƚŽŽŬ ƉůĂĐĞ ŽŶ EŽǀĞŵďĞƌ Ϯϴ ĂŶĚ Ϯϵ ŵĞĂŶƚ ƚŚĞ ĐŚĂƌŝƚLJ ŽĨ ĐŚŽŝĐĞ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ ƚŚĂƚ ƌŽŽŬůĂŶĚƐ ŽĨ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ ǁĞƌĞ ĂďůĞ dƌŝĂƚŚůŽŶ͘͟ ƚŽ ƉƌŽŵŽƚĞ ůŽĐĂů ƚĂůĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƚŽƵƌŝƐŵ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƉĞŶŝŶƐƵůĂ͘ dŚĞ ĞǀĞŶƚ ƚŽŽŬ ƉůĂĐĞ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ tŝƚŚ ƌŽŽŬůĂŶĚƐ ŽĨ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ ĞƐƚĂďůŝƐŚŝŶŐ ďĞĂĐŚĞƐ Ăƚ DŽƵŶƚ DĂƌƚŚĂ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞ ƌŽĂĚƐ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶ ĂƐ Ă ƉƌĞŵŝĞƌ ŚŽƚĞů͕ ĐŽŶĨĞƌĞŶĐĞ͕ ĂƌŽƵŶĚ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ͕ DŽƵŶƚ DĂƌƚŚĂ ĂŶĚ ĞǀĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ƌĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚ ǀĞŶƵĞ ŝŶ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ͕ ďLJ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƟŶŐ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĞǀĞŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ ĂĐƟǀŝƟĞƐ ƌŽŵĂŶĂ͘ ƚŚĞLJ ĂƌĞ ƋƵŝĐŬůLJ ďƵŝůĚŝŶŐ Ă ƉƌĞƐĞŶĐĞ ĂŶĚ ͞tĞ ǁĂŶƚĞĚ ƚŽ ďĞ Ă ƉĂƌƚ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ƚƌŝĂƚŚůŽŶ ĨŽƌ ƌĂƉƉŽƌƚ ǁŝƚŚ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ƚŚĂƚ ŝƐ ĐŽŶƐƚĂŶƚůLJ Ă ŶƵŵďĞƌ ŽĨ ƌĞĂƐŽŶƐ͕͟ ƐĂŝĚ Dƌ ,ĞĂĚ͘ ͞/ƚ ŝƐ ŐŝǀŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŵ Ă ŐƌĞĂƚ ĚĞĂů ŽĨ ŶĞǁ ĂĚǀŽĐĂƚĞƐ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ ƚŽ ƌŽŽŬůĂŶĚƐ ŽĨ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ ĂŶĚ ĂŶĚ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚĞƌƐ͘ dŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚ ϮϬϭϱͬϭϲ ZĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚ ŝŐŚƚĞĞŶϳϴ ƚŽ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ŚĞĂůƚŚ ĂŶĚ ƌŽŽŬůĂŶĚƐ ŽĨ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ ǁŝůů ďĞ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚĞĚ ǁĞůůďĞŝŶŐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƉĞŶŝŶƐƵůĂ͘ ƚ ƌŽŽŬůĂŶĚƐ ǁĞ Ă ƌĂŶŐĞ ŽĨ ŽƚŚĞƌ ĞǀĞŶƚƐ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ ŚĂǀĞ ĂŶ ĂŵĂnjŝŶŐ ƉŽŽů͕ ƐƉĂ ĂŶĚ ŐLJŵŶĂƐŝƵŵ WĞŶŝŶƐƵůĂ ƚŚĂƚ ǁŝůů ƐĞĞ ůŽĐĂů ĐůƵďƐ͕ ŵƵƐŝĐ ƚŚĂƚ ǁĂƐ ŝŵƉŽƌƚĂŶƚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ ĂƚŚůĞƚĞƐ ƚĂŬŝŶŐ ĨĞƐƟǀĂůƐ͕ ƐƉŽƌƟŶŐ ĞǀĞŶƚƐ ĂŶĚ ůŽĐĂů ĐŚĂƌŝƟĞƐ Ăůů ƉůĂĐĞ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĞǀĞŶƚ ǁŚŽ ǁĞƌĞ ĐŽŵŝŶŐ ĨƌŽŵ ŽƵƚ ďĞŶĞĮƟŶŐ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŐĞŶĞƌŽƵƐ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ͘ tŚĞŶ ƌŽŽŬůĂŶĚƐ ŽĨ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ ƉƵƚƐ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŵŝŶĚ ƚŽ ƐŽŵĞƚŚŝŶŐ ƚŚĞƌĞ͛Ɛ ŶŽ ƐƚŽƉƉŝŶŐ ƚŚĞŵ͕ ǁŚĞƚŚĞƌ ŝƚ ďĞ ĐƌĞĂƟŶŐ ƚŚĞŝƌ ŝŶĐƌĞĚŝďůĞ ŶĞǁ ƌĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚ͕ ZĞƐƚĂƵƌĂŶƚ ŝŐŚƚĞĞŶϳϴ Žƌ ƐƉŽŶƐŽƌŝŶŐ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ ĞǀĞŶƚƐ ůŝŬĞ ƚŚĞ ƌĞĐĞŶƚ DŽƌŶŝŶŐƚŽŶ dƌŝĂƚŚůŽŶ͘
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Imam Kauser said the 126-year-old Ahmadiyya Muslim sect rejected violence and had “never participated in any boycotts or terrorist activities”. “We have educated our youths very well. There is no question that our youths are involved in any terrorist activities in any part of the world.” Pandit Abhay Anand Awashthi, president of the Hindu Council of Australia, told the conference that religion had “the wisdom and capacity” to bring peace and prosperity to the world. The need for religions to work together to achieve world peace was backed up by Rabbi Lange, of Jewish Care Victoria. The Buddhist Society of Australia’s Michael Wells stressed the importance of finding refuge in oneself and taking their personal qualities “from a heart of kindness, from a place of peace and from a place of wisdom to influence the world”.
Retired Anglican priest the Rev Philip Manktelow said “love and peaceful harmony is a desire that we will all harbour in our hearts and in our minds. We believe that peace is a goal that we can all strive for and that we can live in peace”. Eradicating misinterpretations “back home” could help “achieve so much”, said Sikh Amar Singh. Opposition multicultural affairs and scrutiny of government spokesperson Inga Peulich said she had been to the Langwarrin mosque several times for “events that promote intercultural dialogue, interfaith dialogue” and praised its members for “really trying to be leaders in our community on building that communication and understanding that I think world peace and certainly peace in our communities we are so dependant upon”. The conference ended with a silent prayer led by Imam Kauser. Keith Platt