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| Muslims end Holocaust Day boycott | Muslims end Holocaust Day boycott |
| (11 minutes later) | |
| The Muslim Council of Britain has decided to end its boycott of Holocaust Memorial Day. | |
| The council has not attended the UK's commemorations of the mass murder of Jews since 2001 claiming it did not reflect non-Jewish victims of genocide. | The council has not attended the UK's commemorations of the mass murder of Jews since 2001 claiming it did not reflect non-Jewish victims of genocide. |
| But it has now said it will attend the event in Liverpool in January for "the sake of the common good". | |
| The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust welcomed the turnaround and said it sought to include all communities. | |
| The Muslim Council of Britain, an umbrella group which represents more than 500 Muslim organisations in the UK, votes on whether to attend each year. | |
| On Saturday, its central working committee decided during a meeting in London that a representative should attend the 2008 event. | |
| 'Positive signal' | 'Positive signal' |
| Inayat Bunglawala, assistant general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, told BBC News it had become a "divisive" matter among Muslims. | Inayat Bunglawala, assistant general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, told BBC News it had become a "divisive" matter among Muslims. |
| "But it was causing hurt to some in the Jewish community and there was a growing realisation the decision was doing more harm than good," he said. | "But it was causing hurt to some in the Jewish community and there was a growing realisation the decision was doing more harm than good," he said. |
| "I'm pleased with the decision which sends a positive and welcome signal and looks ahead to a shared future in a multicultural Europe." | "I'm pleased with the decision which sends a positive and welcome signal and looks ahead to a shared future in a multicultural Europe." |
| The council added it would continue to work towards a separate Genocide Memorial Day to remember the victims of all genocides, including Bosnia. | The council added it would continue to work towards a separate Genocide Memorial Day to remember the victims of all genocides, including Bosnia. |
| Right to boycott | Right to boycott |
| However, Chris Shaw, chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, insisted the commemorations were intended to be for non-Jewish victims too. | However, Chris Shaw, chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, insisted the commemorations were intended to be for non-Jewish victims too. |
| "Holocaust Memorial Day has always sought to be inclusive of all communities in its work to raise awareness and convey the lessons of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides, such as those in Rwanda and Bosnia, in order to build a more tolerant society." | "Holocaust Memorial Day has always sought to be inclusive of all communities in its work to raise awareness and convey the lessons of the Holocaust and subsequent genocides, such as those in Rwanda and Bosnia, in order to build a more tolerant society." |
| Holocaust Memorial Day takes place on 27 January every year, to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The theme for 2008 is "Imagine... remember, reflect, react". | Holocaust Memorial Day takes place on 27 January every year, to commemorate the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. The theme for 2008 is "Imagine... remember, reflect, react". |
| Organisers said they would call on people to remember the lives and experiences of victims and survivors of the Holocaust, of Nazi persecution and of other genocides. | Organisers said they would call on people to remember the lives and experiences of victims and survivors of the Holocaust, of Nazi persecution and of other genocides. |
| Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly previously criticised the MCB's decision to boycott the event, although she acknowledged it was its right to do so. | Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly previously criticised the MCB's decision to boycott the event, although she acknowledged it was its right to do so. |