Together against radicalisation and terrorism

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We received with deep sadness news of the horrible attack on the innocent NSW police force employee; Mr Curtis Cheng, by teenager; Farad Jabar Khalil Mohammad, who died during the shootout with police.
We extend to Mr. Curtis Cheng’s family and his colleagues in the police force, our sincere sympathy and condolences. We share with the Australian community holistically, the enormity of what happened and we think that this tragic event thumped another alarm about radicalisation and inclination to extremism in all its ramifications and impacts on Australian society with all its components and wonderful values of multiculturalism and integration of the broader spectrum of ethnic and religious components.

Our community has welcomed the balanced and fair official response represented by the remarks of Mr. Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister of Australia, and Mr. Mike Baird, Prime Minister of New South Wales, which called for a move away from stereotyping as a result of this heinous crime.

We stress the fact that confronting terrorism and extremism should be the job of all organs of Australian society, from State institutions to civil society organizations in all their diversity. We call for more effective collaboration and coordination between faith-based organisations from different belief systems , community-based and social organisations and institutions in addition to government organisations .

Furthermore, we emphasise, in consideration of the perpetrator of this atrocious crime, being of only 15 years of age, the importance of the role of family in immunizing their children against any inclination to extremism and sectarianism, and in embodying within them the spirit of tolerance and acceptance. We further reinforce the need for cooperation with the multiple institutions provided the State and the society to raise awareness and protect the children and youth of our community against radicalisation and terrorism.

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights at the University Graduates Forum takes this tragedy to appeal to all effective organisations and institutions in our Iraqi and Arabic community to hold a general Forum to tackle the issue of radicalisation and inclination to extremism among young people.

The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights
Iraqi Australian University Graduates Forum

Copy to
– Senator the Hon George Brandis QC – the Commonwealth Attorney-General
– The Hon Malcolm Turnbull, Prime Minister
– Mr Mike Baird, NSW Premier
– NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione
– Newspapers