Slough Observer | News | Peace talks aim to stop village racism

Wednesday, 7th January, 2009

Published: Monday, 25th February, 2008 08:58

Peace talks aim to stop village racism

By Aamina Zafar

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A VITAL peace conference is hoping to stamp out a disturbing rise in racist attacks across the Ivers.

The ‘Love For All Hatred For None’ conference will be held on Sunday, March 16, following a string of racial problems in the villages.

It comes two weeks after National Front

slogans and racist slurs targeting the Pakistani community were daubed in Iver Heath Recreation Ground. The vile messages were later removed by teenagers on Monday.

Mohammed Qureshi, president of Hayes’ Ahmadiyya Muslim Association, which is organising the event, said: “I was really shocked and saddened when I heard the racist graffiti was in a children’s park – what message does that give out to children?

“I think the majority of people in the Ivers want peace and our event will hopefully make more people work together than work against each other.”

The meeting in Iver Village Hall, Iver High Street, will give a platform to Christian and Muslim leaders as well as people from the council and police.

It is hoped this will halt the rise in racist attacks cropping up over the last year in the Ivers which were previously peaceful villages.

In August last year an Asian family were in their home in Swallow Street, Iver, when youths threw objects at the house and shouted racial abuse.

The attack happened 10 days after the owner, Shiv Ram, his wife and two daughters aged 19 and 25 moved in.

Mr Ram added: “Something needs to be done because right now we’re still living in fear. I think someone has spread a rumour that our house was a mosque and people started attacking it. It’s really sad things like this are happening in 2008.”

Iver neighbourhood Sgt Dave Bryan said: “People who live here want peace. So I think this conference will be a good step forward in helping everyone understand each other.

“The problem is that when people don’t know something they fear it and misunderstandings grow. ”