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AUSTRALASIAN MUSLIM TIMES
www.amust.com.au ISSUE # 179
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Multicultural News & Views
OCTOBER 2020; SAFAR 1442
NSW Parliament: Review ties with India over CAA NEWS PAGE 3
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PH: (02) 9158 3020
Islam in Australia survey results
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Making events deaf-friendly & accessible
Parkinson’s Law and it’s relation to productivity
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Community icon presented with Australian award Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad receiving the Award Medals from the Governor of NSW, Her Excellency the Honourable Margaret Beazley, AC, QC on Tuesday 8 September 2020 at Government House, Sydney. Photo by Rob Tuckwell Photography. Zia Ahmad Dr Qazi Ashfaq Ahmad OAM, 90, a retired professor of mechanical engineering and a Quranic scholar and long time community leader was presented with his Order of Australia medals on Tuesday 8 September 2020 by Her Excellency the
COVID-19 second wave: Islamophobia in media continues Gulhan Eryegit Yoldas Continuing the Islamophobic narrative in mainstream Australian media through COVID-19 pandemic, last week The Age newspaper attempted to single out Muslim security staff at the hotels and in aged care in their reporting of the state hotel quarantine inquiry in the state of Victoria. On Wednesday 16 September, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Professor Brett Sutton, gave evidence at the state hotel quarantine inquiry. Some of Dr Sutton’s comments were used alongside other content in The Age newspaper in attempts at painting the picture of Muslim hotel security staff refusing to use alcohol based hand sanitiser for ‘religious reasons,’ and therefore playing a key role in the second wave of COVID-19 in Victoria. Continued on page 2
Honourable Margaret Beazley, AC, QC, the Governor of NSW. The award was announced on Australia Day 26 January earlier this year but the investiture ceremony was much delayed due to the pandemic and was held in September at the Government House in Sydney under COVID-19 restrictions. Dr Ahmad, professor and head of depart-
ment of mechanical engineering in Kashmir was forced to leave his job and arrived in Australia in 1971 and has been in the forefront of building Islamic institutions, founding community organisations and promoting interfaith harmony for almost half a century. This was the first of a number of investiture ceremonies to be held in stages for the recipients of Order of Australia medals this
year in compliance with COVID-19 regulations and health advice. The Order of Australia was bestowed upon Dr Ahmad in recognition of his services to the Muslim community and for promoting interfaith harmony. Watch the video at https://tinyurl.com/drahmadoam Continued on page 9
Unified call for halt to political persecution in India Zia Ahmad An online international press conference was held on Sunday 20 September (Monday 21 September, 2 am Sydney time) organised by Reclaiming India, a joint initiative of Indian diaspora that stand for Democratic, Plural, and Progressive India. The conferenced called for a judge led independent investigation into Delhi Riots and a halt to political persecution and state-sanctioned abuse and silencing of dissenting voices in India using draconian laws under UAPA and PSA. The coalition representing a large number of diverse organisations across the world united in their commitment to justice for all, democracy and secular India highlighted the persecution of students, academics, public intellectuals and activists who are exercising their fundamental rights to protest against the unconstitutional law, Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as well the current pro-corporate farm bills at the expense of Indian farmers and the National Education
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Indian farmers shout slogans as they burn effigies of Indian PM Narendra Modi and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar. Policy (NEP2020) that disadvantages minorities. The keynote speaker at the event was Sitaram Yechury , political leader and former
Rajya Sabha Member with special remarks by Harsh Mander, human rights advocate and peace activist. Continued on page 3
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