Less than two weeks before Ramadan commences, Australian Muslim bodies have rejected Iftar invitations from the New South Wales and Victoria governments as community groups become increasingly frustrated with the government’s response to the genocide and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
The Australian National Imams Councils (ANIC), the Islamic Council of New South Wales (ICNSW), the Islamic Council of Victoria (ICV), and the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils are among the groups boycotting the state government’s events.
Iftar — the fast-breaking meal at sunset — is an international Islamic calendar event, observed by Muslims during the holy month of Ramadan, a time of community connection, fasting, prayer, and reflection. The Premier’s Iftar dinner has been held by the NSW government since 2015.
The ICNSW declared this decision as emanating from the “deep sense of abandonment” felt amongst the Muslim community and that they cannot “break bread” with those who claim “friendship” with their words but betray the community with their actions.
NSW Premier Chris Minns and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese were called out for their divisive statements, cuts to humanitarian funding, and the failure to call for an immediate ceasefire.
The ICNSW ended their statement by calling upon all Muslim communities to cancel Iftar and instead use those budgeted funds towards humanitarian aid in Gaza, as it is a time of “deep mourning”, and not appropriate to hold festive events.
The ANIC will “not be attending the premier’s Iftar dinner this year,” a Facebook statement from the council read.
“The ANIC is also deeply disappointed with the Minns’ Government’s lack of response to the distress of the Muslim and Arab communities in NSW,” the post said.
Yesterday, a representative from the Islamic Council of Victoria told ABC National Radio that representatives from their council will also not attend government organised events.
The event is attended by community members, both Muslim and non-Muslim, and has been an ongoing initiative by state governments to build cultural and literacy bridges between communities.
In an open letter led by Mohammed Helmy and penned by 8 members of the Victorian Muslim community, various voices are calling for the boycotting of the Victorian Iftar event.
“We feel as a community it’s not right while Gazans are literally starving because of a lack of food and water and kids are eating grass from the ground,” the letter reads.
Upon Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan’s announcement that the Iftar had been cancelled, the ICV released a statement, deeming this an “appropriate decision in response to the overwhelming sentiment from the Muslim community”, and signalled that this is one step closer to their demands being heard by the government.
The NSW government followed suit with a spokesperson for Chris Minns saying that, “the annual Iftar will not be going ahead this year.”
The beginning of the holy month of Ramadan is determined by the sighting of the moon, but in Australia, it will begin after sunset on Monday, March 11 or Tuesday, March 12.
