Press Release
In the Name of Democracy Muslims are Forbidden from Active Contributions in Residential Areas

Once again, the debate is raging about the active participation of Muslims in housing boards, but this time the hysteria and despair has reached new highs. The pathetic frustration over the successful community engagement of Muslims has not only struck housing corporations or local politicians, who repealed majority elected boards, but has reached the City- and Housing Ministry.

After having summoned different housing corporations to "crisis meeting", the Housing Minister, Carsten Hansen (Social Democrats) stated, "Hizb ut Tahrir is an anti-democratic organization, which former has threatened parliamentary candidates with an immigrant background. Therefore it worries me when they use democracy to get power in housing areas".

Not only has the Housing Minister summoned housing corporations to warn them of Muslims, who want to participate actively in their housing areas - No, he even specifically warns that Hizb ut Tahrir "uses democracy" and claims, that the party has threatened parliamentary candidates.

In this way, the Minister has enrolled in the quire of lying, shabby populists, who freely toss around with baseless accusations against Islam and Muslims in this country. Not surprisingly, that the moral compass is crookedly set with a Minister known for a case of sexual harassment.

The claim, that we in Hizb ut Tahrir should use "democracy" to get power in housing areas, is obviously among one of the more embarrassing claims from the politicians of this country. Islam does not forbid active participation in safeguarding of administrative matters or that people appoint their representatives, on the contrary. Even though it is being presented as such, representation is not unique for democracy, and is therefore neither what defines it. Democracy is, however defined by humans being lawgivers.

Muslims selected their representatives, including in politics, while Denmark still consisted of small despotic chieftainships. Democracy is basically, about politicians allegedly making laws on behalf of the people, but in reality make laws to the taste of the corporate community.
The Islamic view of life encourages societal engagement and active contribution, which drives our members, and many other Muslims, on their own initiative, to spend their spare time on this type of community lifting work. The reason behind the big fuss and the large frustration is to be found elsewhere. It is actually proven that Muslims can engage in society and achieve influence on the premises of Islam - outside and around the secular parliamentarian ground rules.

It is obviously not enough that politicians try to force-democratize Muslims. Should the Muslims act outside and around the parliamentary system, they should be punished. Bent Frederiksen, CEO of 3B (housing corporation), stated regarding the annulment of a majority elected board in Egedalsvænge (housing area), "If we make an election of department board today, I am afraid that the board we annulled will be re-elected". An initiative, which received direct praise and recognition from the government, when the Housing Minister called it an "emergency measure".

These fascistic measures just exposes that democracy and the so-called liberal freedoms have failed. You annul majority elected boards because some of the board members have political views that are Islamic and thereby different from the current in society.
We in Hizb ut Tahrir encourage all Muslims, including our members, to take part actively in society on the premises of Islam. The party activities and initiatives the last many years put a thick line under the fact, that as Muslim you will have far larger influence and real possibility to make a difference, exactly when you adhere to the Islamic guidelines and work outside and around the parliamentary secular system.

Junes Kock
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in Scandinavia