Georgetown University Qatar hosts conference addressing global impact of Islamophobia
Qatar: Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) commenced its conference titled “Global Histories and Practices of Islamophobia” with a powerful call to unite against Islamophobia, discrimination, bigotry, and racism on a global scale. This initiative comes in response to the alarming rise in anti-Muslim bias and hate-related incidents worldwide. The conference aims to critically examine Islamophobia’s pervasive presence in political, social, educational, and other spheres.
During his opening keynote speech, H.E. Ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, Founder of the World for All Foundation, shed light on the deep-rooted issues surrounding Islamophobia. He emphasized, “We create isms and phobias for every difference, dressing it up as an anxiety of the unknown, leading to surveillance, harsh punishments, and stringent immigration policies, as if these are normal laws to implement. These elements have evolved into what can only be described as mainstream extremism.” H.E. Ambassador Rasool highlighted the burden placed on victims of Islamophobia, stating, “When you label it a fear, a phobia, you shift the burden onto the victim. They endure discrimination and must also prove they are not the source of fear.”
Addressing the current situation, H.E. Ambassador Rasool noted the unique challenges faced by the “Muslim other” globally, especially in Western countries where nearly 10% of the population constitutes the Muslim minority. He emphasized that Islamophobia has transcended Western borders and has found a foothold in countries like India, China, Myanmar, and others with Muslim minorities. He stressed the importance of solidarity in combating all forms of bigotry, transcending religious, racial, and ethnic boundaries.
In response to inquiries about the role of diplomacy and sports in combating Islamophobia, H.E. Ambassador Rasool highlighted the effectiveness of public diplomacy, as demonstrated by Qatar’s hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2022TM, in countering anti-Islamic sentiment.
Dr. Abdullah Al-Arian, Associate Professor of History at GU-Q and a conference co-organizer, delivered the welcoming remarks, emphasizing the dual nature of Islamophobia as a globalized yet locally rooted phenomenon. He expressed the conference’s objective to unravel the complexities of Islamophobia, explore its impact on populations worldwide, and devise strategies to address this challenge across various spheres.
The conference, scheduled until Sunday, October 1, features leading scholars and academics analyzing the contemporary drivers of Islamophobic practices and their global interconnections. In addition to informative sessions, public workshops and a student-led forum will focus on combating Islamophobia within university campuses.
For comprehensive details about the conference and its sessions, please visit [https://hiwaraat.qatar.georgetown.edu/islamophobia/]
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'Low-quality' catheters supplied to West Bengal govt hospitals at high price, probe ordered
Kolkata (PTI): The West Bengal health department has launched a probe into the supplies of allegedly low-quality and locally made catheters at a high price to several government hospitals, posing a risk to the lives of patients undergoing treatment in these facilities, officials said.
Such central venous catheters (CVCs) were allegedly supplied to at least five medical colleges and hospitals in the state, defying allocation of international standard-compliant CVCs, they said.
The distribution company, which has been accused of supplying these catheters to government hospitals, admitted to the fault but placed the blame on its employees.
"We started checking stocks some time back and found these locally made CVCs in my hospital store. These catheters are of low quality as compared to those allocated by the state. We have informed the state health department," a senior official of the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital told PTI.
Low-quality catheters were also found in the stores of other hospitals, which indicates "possible involvement of insiders in the scam", a health department official said.
The low-quality CVCs were supplied by a distributor in the Hatibagan area in the northern part of Kolkata for the last three to four months, he said.
"Such kinds of local CVCs are priced around Rs 1,500 but the distributor took Rs 4,177 for each device," the official said.
A CVC is a thin and flexible tube that is inserted into a vein to allow for the administration of fluids, blood, and other treatment. It's also clinically called a central line catheter.
"An initial probe revealed that the distribution company Prakash Surgical had supplied the low-quality and locally manufactured catheters to several government hospitals instead of the CVCs of the government-designated international company.
"All the units will be tested and a proper investigation is on to find out who benefited from these supplies," the health department official said.
The distribution company blamed its employees for the supply of inferior quality catheters.
"I was sick for a few months. Some employees of the organisation made this mistake. We are taking back all those units that have gone to the hospitals. It's all about misunderstanding," an official of the distribution company told PTI.
According to another state health department official, a complaint was lodged with the police in this connection.
Asked about how many patients were affected by the usage of such low-quality CVCs, the official said, "The probe would also try to find that out".
According to sources in the health department, some of the staff of the hospitals' equipment receiving departments and some local officials of international organisations might be involved in the alleged irregularities.
