Austrian Imams Outline Ambitious Goals at

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 VIENNA 001376 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR EUR/AGS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL SOCI AU SUBJECT: Austrian Imams Outline Ambitious Goals at Conference THIS MESSAGE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED Summary -------------- ¶1. (U) Austrian Imams held a conference April 24 in Vienna. The Islamic community's spiritual representatives adopted a declaration stressing the commitment of Muslims to be an integral part of Austrian society, condemning extremism and terrorism, and emphasizing the rights of women in Islam. End Summary. The Conference -------------- ¶2. (U) The conference gathered about 160 imams, religious teachers and theologians for one day to discuss the situation of Muslims in Austria. The Austrian Islamic Community, the official representative of the Islamic faith to the Austrian government, organized the conference. The Islamic Community said the attendees included various ethnicities and different Islamic schools of thought. Austrian government officials, including Member of Parliament Werner Fasslabend, Vienna City Councillor for Integration Issues Sonja Wehsely, and Florian Haug from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' (MFA) Cultural Section, spoke at the opening of the conference, which was otherwise not open to the public. For 2006, the Islamic Community and the MFA are planning an international conference as a follow-up to the June 2003 conference of European imams in Graz. The Islamic Community in Austria -------------- ¶3. (U) There are about 339,000 Muslims in Austria, representing some 4.2 percent of the population. The highest percentages are in Vienna and in Austria's westernmost state, Vorarlberg. Turkish Muslims form the largest single group, with 123,000. Islam has been one of Austria's 13 recognized religions since 1912. This entitles Muslims to religious instruction in schools. The Austrian Islamic Community operates a Pedagogic Academy to train religion teachers. The right of Muslim women to wear headscarves is uncontested. Ritual slaughtering is legal if performed by trained personnel. Topics at the Conference - Final Declaration -------------- ¶4. (U) The purpose of the conference was, according to the President of the Austrian Islamic Community, Anas Schakfeh, to highlight the fact that Muslims in Austria are "part of Austrian society and want to live together in peace." The conference's final declaration notes that the status of Islam as a recognized religion "promotes a dialogue based on equality and a climate of social and religious peace". The document stresses that Muslims increasingly suffer from the fact that Islam is associated in the public mind with terrorism. It notes that, in reaction, Muslims must focus on mutual respect, tolerance and rejection of terrorism. The declaration, which all mosques in Austria are to post, emphasizes the necessity to provide equal opportunities for women, in particular in view of phenomena such as forced marriage and insufficient access of women to education. Twenty- five female religous leaders participated at the conference. Comment -------------- ¶5. (SBU) The conference was an important signal by Muslim spiritual leaders for the orientation of Islam in Austria: that Muslims are not "a minority in the diaspora in Austria," but are a "resident religious community that feels at home here." It is key to note, however, that it was the official Islamic organization in the country that sponsored the event. Conference organizers announced at the outset that attendees would adopt a statement of principles that included a rejection of any form of extremism. Although there are some known proponents of radical Islam in Austria, it was clear that they would not have a voice at this conference. The implementation of the declaration's ambitious demands will be key. Problem areas include political extremism and issues relating to women's rights, such as forced marriage. It will also be important, as the conference organizers have stressed, that Imams increasingly preach in German, which is crucial for the integration of the Muslim community into Austrian society. BROWN