"I am disgusted with the way Americans have been treating their Muslim neighbors. We are better than that. Let us show our strength as Americans as well as our love and compassion. Ps. My loves goes out to all the victims and their families you are all in my prayers."
-comment on ABCNews.com message board, September 13, 2001

"muslims killed the unborn!!! their blood is on your hands. Only by fire can you be made clean!!!"
-ABCNews.com message board, September 13, 2001

"All Pakis and Arabs should go back home! Stop terrorizing our country!" - comment sent to a Muslim website

While there are positive stories of non-Muslims protecting Muslims in the last few days since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center towers and the Pentagon, the stories of harassment also exist.

A gunman showed up at a mosque in Dallas; a Muslim woman in Hijab on a university campus in Cleveland, Ohio was beaten up by two men; mosques and Islamic associations across North America have received all kinds of threats. In Canada, a mosque in Montreal was set on fire. In Australia, a school bus with Muslim children was pelted with stones. These are just some examples of the kind of hate-filled atmosphere we are living at the moment.

Interestingly, even Hindus, Sikhs, immigrants, and all those who fall into 'non-white' category, are being targeted by the intolerrant extremist groups, such as White Supremists, and others. For instance, on Spetember 15, 2001, a Hindu temple has been reported burnt down in Hamilton, Ontrio, Canada.. In Chicago, two Pakistanis have been recently beaten up.

Given this scenario, it is necessary that all Pakistanis and Muslims take security measures for themselves, their families and their communities. Here are a list of tips and suggestions we advise all Pakistanis and Muslims to take.

Muslim individuals and families

1. Fortify security systems in your home. If you have an alarm system, double check that it is working properly. Make sure all main doors have secure locks on them.
2. Keep doors locked at all times.
3. For the next few days, avoid sending your children outside to play, especially if they "look" Muslim (i.e. wear Hijab or Topi and are darker-skinned and thus "Middle Eastern" or "Asian" looking).
4. Everyone in the home should avoid sitting or sleeping close to windows. This is because if someone wants to throw something through the window, family members will be hurt by the weapon and the shattered glass.
5. Practice the fire drill in your home.
6. If you are being attacked or witness someone being attacked, contact 911 immediately. Help the victim if he or she is injured, provide comfort, and file a police report of the incident as soon as possible.
7. If you are verbally harassed, remain calm and patient. Ignore the comments.
8. At work or school, if somebody tries to engage you in provocative arguments and a confrontation, say "Peace" and walk away.
9. During the weekend, remain extra careful. Since people often relax and let loose by drinking, they are more likely to engage in stupid and dangerous behavior. Watch your back and avoid being outside alone, whether you are male or female. Travel in groups and in cars as much as possible.
10. Establish a phone tree system with your neighbors and friends.
11. If a violent incident occurs in your home, make sure to first call 911, then contact the person in your phone tree. Make sure that they call the your relatives, the police and the media.
12. This is a special note for sisters: if you are single or living alone and you feel threatened, call your local Masjid, the Muslim Students' Association (MSA), or Pakistan Students' Association (PSA) of your college campus,or relatives and stay with a group of people for the next few days. Even commuting should be done in groups.

Muslim institutions (i.e. mosques, Muslim schools, community centres)

1 Form a security committee whose members will patrol the premises for the next week, especially during the evenings.
2. Contact local police and arrange for more security patrols of the areas surrounding the institutions. Remind them that you and your community are more likely to be targets of hatred and violence in the wake of the bombing on Tuesday.
3. If the police are not responding to your need for extra security, contact the police chief and the mayor and demand the same.
4. Report all incidents of harassment that take place on the premises to the police in person or by fax (you can sign up for a free fax number on the internet at www.efax.com).
5. Record in a specific notebook or file any threatening phone calls or messages on voice mail. For calls, use your telephone's trace features to try to get the telephone number of the caller.
6. Record all incidents of harassment that occur in your Masjid, local Pakistani organization, or school. Write it all down in detail, providing the who, what, when, where and why of the incident. Send the completed copy to the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) at www.cair-net.com, or Pakistan Alert Network (PAN) at www.pan.net. You can also fill out their incident report at www.cair-net.org/ireport.
7. Make sure that no member of your Masjid, center, school, PSA, or MSA is left to go home alone. Arrange for escorts and whenever possible, arrange for Muslims, male or female, to travel in groups.
8. For Juma prayers at Masjids and Islamic centers, have extra security ready. Have police at the door, checking who is coming and going. Also, make sure that the building's parking lot is closely guarded too, keeping watch for any suspicious vehicles.

Date/Time Last Modified: 6/18/2002 8:07:28 AM

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