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Feds build 'bridges' to Arab-Americans Saturday, November 22, 2003 BY ED FINNERTYKALAMAZOO GAZETTE
The top federal law enforcer for western Michigan announced plans Friday to start regular dialogue between law enforcement officials and representatives of the Arab-American and Muslim communities in the Kalamazoo area. Margaret Chiara, U.S. attorney for the western district of Michigan, said she will replicate an initiative on the east side of the state that brings local, state and federal law enforcement officials and leaders in the Muslim and Arab-American communities together for monthly meetings to discuss mutual concerns. The BRIDGES -- short for Building Respect in Diverse Groups to Enhance Sensitivity -- program was begun in May by Chiara's counterpart in the state's eastern district, U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Collins, and officials from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee there. It was spurred in large part by concerns about treatment of Arab-Americans following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. "The mission of the (American-Arab) Anti-Discrimination Committee must be the mission of law enforcement as well to protect safety as well as to protect civil rights," Chiara said at a dinner of the ADC's Greater Kalamazoo Chapter. Chiara said she intends within a month to form a BRIDGES program that will initially focus on the Kalamazoo, Grand Rapids and Lansing areas. The western district extends from Lansing west and covers all of the Upper Peninsula. In addition to her office, the FBI, Secret Service, Marshal Service, federal immigration, and drug-enforcement agencies will be asked to participate. The Michigan State Police and Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety also will be invited, Chiara said. Arab-American and Muslim participants will be recruited from business, university, medical, legal and other communities, she said. Numerous area law enforcement officials and government leaders were among a racially-diverse audience of about 150 people that listened to Chiara speak Friday at Western Michigan University. ADC officials and other speakers stressed the importance of building bridges between the Arab-American community and wider community. Chiara, a political appointee, said she has at least one more year to serve as U.S. attorney and she believes significant progress can be made toward building relationships with the Arab-American and Muslim communities. "I think we can make a good start toward building those bridges," she said. Ed Finnerty can be reached at 388-8551 or efinnerty@ kalamazoogazette.com. . |
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