A love of cricket may be something shared by millions of south Asians from different backgrounds, but it can divide as well as unite. The arrival of the T20 World Cup tournament in India and Sri Lanka could have been a sporting homecoming for a region bonded by a shared obsession for the game. So is a shame then that the tournament has already been marred by political controversy and division. Bangladesh being ousted by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Pakistan’s refusal to play India in apparent solidarity has marked this tournament as among the most politically weaponised, coming only months after Indian players refused to receive their Asia Cup trophy from the Pakistan Cricket Board’s chairman.
Sadly, this trend of division in south Asia can too often be echoed within communities here in Britain. The violent conflict that lasted for days between Hindus and Muslims on the streets of Leicester only four years ago, itself sparked by an India-Pakistan cricket game, shocked Britain with the ease with which south Asian politics was able to play out on British streets. The worst elements from both sides succeeded in turning a city once famous for coexistence and mutual respect into a place of riot and rupture.
Conflicts that rage in south Asia, whether political, military or even religious, can find reflection amongst British south Asians. The pressures of 9/11 and 7/7 shifted identities and relationships within and between groups in Britain, risking new fissures and fault lines. These have been exploited not only by geopolitics but all too readily by the far-right in Britain too, turning one community against another to foment the division and disharmony they need to feed off, and which ultimately impacts us all.
Yet it is also important to remember that despite current trends, British south Asians have a much longer heritage of harmony and togetherness than they do of distrust and division. Hailing from amongst the most diverse regions on earth, the ability to bridge across beliefs and communities to occupy a shared identity is also an integral part of south Asian culture, demonstrable in the arts, culture, community activism and, notably, popular expressions of Sufi, Bhakti and Sikh spiritualities. Such bridging activities have traditionally played a key role in maintaining harmony between communities – and so, in a time of division and polarisation, they are more important than ever today.
Outside of south Asian communities, bridging initiatives like integrated schools have been used to address division between Catholic and Protestant children in Northern Ireland; whilst Citizens’ Assemblies have provided safe spaces for Irish adults with differing views to discuss issues like abortion through informed and respectful dialogue. In the United States, the Braver Angels organisation builds bridges between liberals and conservatives, seeking better understanding of each other through constructive dialogue.
The British South Asian Bridger’s Project brings a similar approach over here, focused upon bridging divides and fostering greater togetherness amongst the UK’s most populous minority community. Central to this project is identifying south Asians already committed to bridging practices within their own sectors: the arts, academia, community activism, or faith and professional spaces. Individually these natural bridgers will serve as confident, informed and potent voices of unity should we ever witness another crisis like the Leicester disturbances.
More important still are efforts to ensure such crises can be avoided in the first place by developing the necessary relationships and bridging proactively across communities. By bringing people together in a UK-wide network the project aims to empower and support these bridgers, whose work can sometimes be challenging and isolating. British Future will also conduct new research to understand the community’s current attitudes and opinions, as well as fostering new relationships with media and policymakers, maximising the reach and effectiveness of this important network.
Central to the success of this new forum, convened by thinktank British Future and comprising members reflective of the community’s various faiths and cultures, will be the ability to work constructively with the very same diversity that is often exploited to create division. Of course, bridging also needs to take place between south Asians and the UK majority community too and this often works best when the parties involved already enjoy a degree of confidence and stability.
Keir Starmer’s speech last week on social cohesion made clear the risks of a politics of grievance and division. In it, he spoke of how Britain overcame past sectarian divides by supporting those able to bridge between communities and make change. Division in our communities, and on our streets and social media feeds, compel us to rise to this challenge again. We can overcome it by coming together, recognising that no-one is safe and included unless we all are safe and included, and building bridges strong enough for us all to stand on in an equal, fair and confident Britain.
(The author works with the thinktank British Future)
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