A measure reminiscent of a hated secret police

Published: 28 October, 2010

• CAMDEN’S xenophobic Channel Programme (Report those ‘at-risk’ of violent extremism… October 21) is a disgraceful policy reminiscent of the Stasi secret police in East Germany that seems to have been brought in through the back door. 

As a member of Camden Council’s Social Cohesion Forum, we were reassured after extensive discussion and debate by council officers during the previous Lib Dem/ Conservative administration that this programme would not be initiated.

It would now seem that in the fog of elections earlier this year, council officers in no less than the “social cohesion unit”, “com­munity partnerships and capacity building” took it upon them-selves to push this through. 

This is a well-funded programme that seeks to tarnish a whole community with the broad brush of terrorism and throw any civil liberties issues on the bonfire of ignominy. 

Using the government as a convenient cloak to wield the proverbial dagger against Camden’s Muslims is a sad indictment of the people who have been responsible for this. 

Asking teachers to spy on eight-year-old students and justifying the horrifying prospect of selected council employees looking at the private medical records of people who have done nothing wrong is a cowardly way of targeting people who happen to be Muslims.

We call on our elected representatives across the political divide to look into this shameful episode and to hold to account those responsible while working diligently and quickly to repeal this divisive programme. 

The worrying undemocratic initiation and execution of this dangerous policy has grave consequences for everyone in Camden.

SHARHABEEL LONE
Chairman Kentish Town Community Organisation 
Queens Crescent 
Community Centre
NW5