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Video: Children speak up over Gaza at Muslim march
MUSLIM children publicly appealed for peace in Gaza in a poem they read out in Peterborough on Thursday.
MUSLIM children publicly appealed for peace in Gaza in a poem they read out in Peterborough on Thursday.The 20 girls and boys huddled round a microphone in Cathedral Square to speak to hundreds of the city's Shia Muslims at the climax of their annual human rights march during which worshippers walked through Peterborough's streets.
The youngsters' poignant stand came at the rally – now in its 20th year – which marks the day of Ashura, the completion of 10 days of mourning for Husain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad.
Ashura marks the martyrdom of Husain, who was killed, together with his companions and family members in Karbala, (present day Iraq) almost 1,400 years ago by Yazeed, an oppressive dictator who tried to force the Prophet's grandson to accept his brutal rule.
And the children used their poem to draw parallels between the events of 1,400 years ago and the current events blighting Gaza and Israel, paying particular attention to the bloodshed affecting their fellow children.
The children also made a silent protest holding signs up which said "Stop the massacre in Gaza" and "The killing must stop".
They followed a speech by lecturer Sheikh Usama Al Attar, who was visiting Peterborough from Canada, who also used the event to highlight the atrocities in Gaza.
He said: "Every cry for justice, every call for liberty, every movement for civil rights, every revolution for social equality, is but a resonance of Husain's revolution."
He also praised the children for making a stand.
He added: "They are the future, and it is important for them to understand the history, as they will take it forward."
The procession had begun at Burton Street mosque, in Eastgate, and despite the freezing temperatures, organisers were delighted with the turnout of well wrapped up worshippers.
Zulfikar Manji, speaking for the Peterborough Husaini Islamic Centre, said, "This march gives us the opportunity to share Husain's message with our fellow citizens.
"We see history repeating itself over and over again.
"Today we see innocent men, women and children in Gaza facing hunger, thirst, terror and massacre."
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Friday 10 February 2012
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