US & UK Governments
Reach out to Pakistani & Muslim Americans
Daniel
W. Sutherland
|
Washington,
DC: Within several hours of the London terror arrests, Daniel
W. Sutherland, the US Department of Homeland Security’s
Officer for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, convened an
emergency telephone conference in Washington , DC with approximately
twenty-five representatives of the Arab, Muslim, Sikh, and
South Asian American communities.
The meeting was part of an on-going effort by several key
United States government agencies to work closely with leading
members of these communities. The purpose of the call was
to provide these national leaders with the latest information
on the arrests, to provide background information on the
new security measures that are now in effect, and to reinforce
the close bonds that are developing between the governments
and these communities.
Representatives from the US Department of Homeland Security
(DHS), the FBI, the US Treasury Department, and the Department
of Justice participated on the call. In addition, an official
from the UK Home Office briefed participants on the latest
public information available from London. Of the twenty-five
community leaders were a number of high-profile Pakistani
Americans, including: Houston City Councilmember Masroor
“M.J.” Khan; Farhana Khera, Executive Director
of the National Association of Muslim Lawyers; and Hanif
Akhtar, a prominent Pakistani American business leader.
Also participating was Ambassador Akbar Ahmad, renowned
academic and expert on Islam, who is the Ibn Khaldun Chair
and Professor of Islamic Studies at the American University
in Washington, D.C.
In response to the conference, Ambassador Ahmed commented,
“This is precisely the kind of effort that I have
been encouraging from the United States government since
9-11, and demonstrates that Muslims who live in American
are increasingly engaged with their government and supporting
their government’s efforts to secure the country.”
Following the attacks of September 11, there have been constant
calls for greater interaction between the Federal government
and all communities, including the American Muslim and American
Arab communities. A June 2006 study published by the Vera
Institute of Justice and sponsored by the US Department
of Justice (DOJ) concluded that both community members and
Federal law enforcement officials want improved relations.
The events following the terrorism arrests in London suggest
that both the government and the communities have made some
progress in establishing strategic partnerships.
During the conference call, ethnic and religious leaders
made clear their continuing commitment to working with government
officials to protect the nation’s security. In turn,
government officials also pledged to continue their work
to protect all communities and uphold civil rights and civil
liberties.
The Office for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties of the
Department of Homeland Security led the call under the auspices
of its Incident Management Team, a public-private partnership
of government officials and community leaders who have committed
to working together in aftermath of a homeland security
incident. DHS Officer for Civil Rights & Civil Liberties
Daniel Sutherland stated, “This call reflects our
commitment to building strategic partnerships with the American
Arab, Muslim, Sikh and South Asian communities.”
Brett Hovington, the Unit Chief of Community Relations at
FBI Headquarters, made it clear that his agency supports
such collaboration. “The FBI appreciates the cooperation
of the American Arab, Muslim, Sikh and South Asian communities
and the efforts of local community leaders as well as other
members of the community to maintain an ongoing dialogue
with us. They are essential partners in our efforts to protect
all our neighborhoods from terrorism, crime, and the violation
of our rights and civil liberties.”
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