savethesheikh.com

This 3-minute documentary is a brief outline of how Father Dave and Sheikh Mansour became friends.

The documentary was put together by Dave Mitchell – a friend of Father Dave’s and a fellow parishioner at Holy Trinity Dulwich Hill.  Mitchell wanted to know how the friendship developed in the midst of so much nation-wide Islamophobia.

This is a low-budget doco, but I think Dave did a magnificent job in getting the message through. And the message is this: that Christians and Muslims can be friends.

Prejudice is always based on ignorance, and in the case of the Australian Islamic community the media has done a great job of reinforcing stereotypes and maintaining ignorance.

Father Dave says “change begins when we move beyond talking about our Muslim neighbours and start talking to them.” and that’s the story behind ‘Fists of Affection’

After more than a year of silence, the media have again taken up the case of Sheikh Mansour Legaei, though the motivation seems to be less one of human interest than the opportunity to score political points against Federal MP’s.  The following is a response to the recent article in ‘The Australian‘.

21st July 2009

Fair Go for the Sheikh

Sheikh Mansour Leghaei finds himself unwillingly dragged back into the spotlight with the publication of a recent article in The Australian newspaper

“I’m not sure what all this fuss is about”, said Sheikh Mansour, “as nothing has changed in my case. Hopefully this is an indication that I am soon to receive a fresh and more accurate security assessment”

Sheikh Mansour’s immigration status has been ‘in limbo’ for 12 years now. He received an adverse security assessment in 1997, which he has been questioning ever since. The Sheikh does not know the details of allegations made against him, and in 2007 he lost a High Court battle to find out what crime he had allegedly committed.

The recent article in The Australian did not contribute any new information to Sheikh Mansour’s case. Indeed, it appeared to be more concerned with targeting the Federal MP’s involved in his case than with Mr Leghaei’s welfare.

Much was made in the article of Federal Attorney General, Robert McLelland’s letter of support for the Sheikh. In truth, his was one of 86 such letters of support.  Sheikh Mansour has received broad support from across the community, from both Muslim and non-Muslim people, including representatives of the indigenous community.

The Sheikh received unanimous support from Marrickville Council, who wrote to the Minister for Immigration, pleading his case. Further, local church leaders showed their confidence in him when they unanimously elected him as chairperson of their local inter-faith forum.

The article also insinuated that Father Dave Smith – Parish Priest of Holy Trinity Dulwich Hill and founder of the ‘Christian Save the Sheikh Coalition’ - had acted improperly in trying to get advice from local MP’s regarding how best to proceed with the Sheikh’s case.

“I did try to get advice”, said Father Dave, “but no one would talk to me. I still don’t understand why politicians aren’t allowed to give political advice, unless that is how they defend themselves against unprincipled journalists.”

Father Dave went on to say, “I trust that this latest fuss won’t work against the Sheikh in his application to continue his work in this country. In my opinion our community will be much poorer without Sheikh Mansour. He is a bridge-builder between our different ethnic and religious communities and a true man of peace.”

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Below is a template for a letter to the Australian Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, appealing that he use his discretionary power to allow Sheikh to stay in the country.

Note that the letter does not suggest that we know all the factors that have led to the government’s negative assessment of the Sheikh. Rather, the focus is on his right to procedural fairness – the belief that everybody in this country is entitled to a ‘fair go’.

Please adapt this letter in a way that makes it your own, but maintain the attitude of respect, believing that the Minister is concerned to see justice done.

The Hon. Chris Evans
Minister for Immigration & Citizenship
Parliament House
Canberra
ACT 2600

Dear Minister,

RE: SHEIKH DR.MANSOUR LEGHAEI

I/We write this letter in regards to the immigration case of Sheik Mansour Leghaei, which had not been resolved over the last 11 years (his application having been lodged on the 1^st November 1996).

As an Australian resident/citizen/Australian residents/citizens I am/we are concerned about the manner in which Dr. Legghaei’s case had been dealt with and the process adopted. As a person/persons who knows/know him personally/know of him and have witnessed his service and contribution to Australian community we request you to look into the case again and give him a fair hearing and a reasonable consideration of his case.

Further more we place before you our trust in Dr. Leghaei as a person who has worked towards peace, inter-religious harmony and settlement of new migrants with Australian values into the community, and do not consider him as a person who would cause any threat or disadvantage to the Australian community. On the contrary the Leghaei family had been well loved and accepted by all al who have into contact with them.

Thanking you for a favorable response to gain permanent residence

Yours Faithfully/Sincerely,

Name
Organisation
Position

Council write to the Federal Government expressing Council’s support for Sheikh Mansour Leghaei as he has played an active role in our community and other communities over many years. As an important part of our community he makes great contributions and his loss to the community would be a great loss to the area.

** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ** 

Father Dave
Holy Trinity Church, Dulwich Hill
Tel: 02-9569-1255
Fax: 02-9569-1220
Email: dave@fatherdave.org
11 Herbert Street, Dulwich Hill, NSW 2203

Christians, Muslims, Sisters, Brothers!
A good time had by all at the ‘Save the Sheikh’ BBQ

God blessed us with clear skies for the inaugural ‘Save-the-Sheikh Friendship BBQ’, held at Hurlstone Park, in Sydney’s inner-west on Sunday, December 9^th.

Between five and six hundred supporters of Earlwood’s Sheikh Mansour Leghaei came together and enjoyed a warm atmosphere and a good Aussie grill, provided by members of the Sheikh’s Imam Hussein Islamic Centre.These supporters included local Christians, peace activists, and persons from across the community who wanted to show their support for the Sheikh, in addition to the many members of the Sheikh’s own congregation.

Well-known super-middleweight boxer, Nader Hamdan, was there, showing his support for the Sheikh. Indigenous Christian pastor, Rev. Ray Minniecon, was also there, and he took the opportunity to formally welcome the Sheikh and his congregation on behalf of the traditional owners of the land, and to acknowledge the contribution they had made to the larger community.

Father Dave, coordinator of the ‘Christian Save the Sheikh Coalition’ said, “If I remember, this BBQ started out as a spontaneous idea for some of us to get together and enjoy each other’s company. It wasn’t initially designed to make a political statement. But I guess whenever we cross these divides between races and religions we are making a statement, and our statement is this: ‘Christians, Muslims, Sisters, Brothers!’”

Supporters of the Sheikh reminded the gathering of the crazy situation Sheikh Mansour now finds himself in, where he has been asked to ‘deport himself’, having apparently been labelled a ‘national security risk’!

The tragic irony of the situation of course is that neither the Sheikh nor any of his supporters have any idea what risk it is that he is supposed to be posing to the country? Indeed, as a man with a long record of faithful community service, and as a renowned bridge-builder between races and religions, those who know the Sheikh are at a loss to try to understand why he has been targeted. And yet it seems that ASIO, who are responsible for the label, do not have to justify their reasoning either to the accused nor to his supporters, nor even to the courts!

When the Sheikh addressed the gathering he said, “I only ask for the opportunity to show that Sheikh Mansour is not a threat to national security, to show that Sheikh Mansour is here to serve the Australian community”.

The Sheikh’s supporters are appealing to the new Rudd government to give the Sheikh this opportunity, for the sake of the community and for all Australians.