British Army tries to recruit Muslims

www.dw-world.de - 9/4/2004 9:10:00 AM GMT

The British army is trying to convince British Muslims to sign up. But with wars raging in primarily Muslim Iraq and Afghanistan, that's not an easy task.


The British military has an image problem; and that is potential new recruits think that the army is primarily interested in signing-on more white soldiers.

Now, the military leadership is hoping to change this image. In the past year, the Ethnic Minorities Recruiting Team, the division in charge of bringing diversity to the ranks, has focused on attracting new soldiers from the Muslim community.

But with higher security measures since Sept. 11 -often targeting the Muslim community- and the ongoing debate over British involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, getting Muslims to sign up for the British Army is not an easy task.

Diversifying the ranks

There are only 120 Muslims currently serving in the British Armed Forces.

The Warrant Officer, Ashok Kumar Chauhan, the second in command of the Ethnic Minorities Recruiting Team and a Hindu of Indian origin, is one of the people responsible for changing that. To prove that the British military is open to all -- he began to bring his show on the road.

"We want people to know there are blacks and Asians in the Army, as well as Hindus Muslims and Sheiks, and they're all working together," Chauhan said.

"When many look at the army, they see that it's predominately white…but the only way to change that is for people to come and join, to reflect society."

Challenges of convincing Muslims

Will they succeed in this mission, despite the ongoing tensions in primarily Muslim Afghanistan and Iraq?

Ali Mogul, a Muslim soldier of Pakistani origin who normally serves in the Dental core but has recently been attached to Chauhan's recruiting team, has noticed a difference.

"We do get questions from Muslims," Mogul said. "They think there wasn't a good reason to go to war in Iraq and that Britain -- and the British Army -- is against Muslims."

Potential recruits have mixed feelings

Mogul's experience reflects a growing reality. Even for young Muslims, for whom the idea of signing up is not unthinkable, they admittedly worry they'll be called upon to fight against other Muslims.

Abdullah, a 17-year-old Somali Muslim, said that he did not have a problem with the idea of being a Muslim soldier in the British military. But the thought of fighting against other Muslims made him more than a little uneasy.

"I would feel uncomfortable, like I was fighting my own people," he said. "If fighting means killing other Muslims, I don't think I could do it."

Given that Britain will likely be involved in Afghanistan and Iraq for a long time to come, the unease Muslims like Abdullah feel could remain an obstacle to the British army's efforts to bring Muslims into the army.