A Border Islamic leader has dismissed a Farrer federal election candidate’s call for a 10-year ban on Muslim immigration as “absolute rubbish”.
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Australian Liberty Alliance candidate for Farrer Ron Pike told Griffith newspaper The Area News he supported a 10-year ban on Muslims from most Islamic nations moving to Australia.
“The growth of radical Islam is totally incompatible with a free, tolerant, peace-loving democracy and that is what we’re against,” Mr Pike said.
But Islamic Society of Albury-Wodonga president Yakub Mohammed rejected this, and said the word Islam translated to “peace”.
“How could peace be against peace? It’s just contradicting what he’s saying,” he said.
“(Ron Pike) is just trying to get votes for himself.
“Somebody has cut themselves, and he’s putting salt in it, to inflame the situation.
“He doesn’t care about Muslims, he doesn’t care about Christians - he’s just worried about his political future.
“He wants votes, so obviously he’s trying to cause hatred against Islamic people, because it’s a big issue at the moment.”
The Border’s Islamic community and neighbours of Lavington’s mosque gathered at Mirambeena Community Centre on Sunday to celebrate their coexistence.
Mr Mohammed said many in Lavington’s community did not share Mr Pike’s views, and that’s why he had invited them to the dinner.
“Sometimes a lot of the neighbours ask what I’m wearing around the mosque, so I thought it would be good for them to get to know us, and what our beliefs are,” he said.
Farrer MP and Health Minister Sussan Ley and former Labor candidate Christian Kunde were also present, but males and females were separated by a wall to eat, as per tradition.
The Border’s Muslim community was abstaining from food in the day during the holy month of Ramadan and broke the fast at sunset with traditional foods of dates, vegetable patties and juices.
James Fallon High School year 8 student Abdul Abbas, 13, said it was rewarding but hard fasting at school.
“I think of food,” Abdul said.
Abdul’s father, Ashar, said Ramadan was a time to think of the needy.
“Many Muslims and non-Muslims are gathering here and I’m very happy,” he said.