The Platform We Are Also Sevilla has responded to criticism regarding the building permit for a mosque in Polígono Sur. They assert that the real issue in the neighbourhood is not religious, but poverty and exclusion.
The Platform We Are Also Sevilla has issued a statement defending the construction of a mosque in Polígono Sur, following the controversy surrounding the granting of the building permit. The entity, which brings together various associations from the neighbourhood, argues that the mosque is not the source of security problems, but rather poverty and social exclusion.
In the statement, residents recall that for years, people of different races, ideologies, and religious beliefs have coexisted in Polígono Sur without any conflicts arising for this reason. “There has never been any problem caused by this ideological and religious pluralism,” they assert.
The platform points out that the serious security issues affecting the neighbourhood are linked to the existence of groups that control drug cultivation and trafficking, which require an environment of exclusion to operate. “It is the persistence of poverty and exclusion that generates unpunished marginal behaviours,” they denounce.
Among the urgent issues residents highlight are the power outages affecting families with contracts and who are up to date with payments, the restoration of bus lines 30, 31, 32, and A5, and the dangerous circulation of motorcycles and cars through the neighbourhood streets. “These are the problems that require an urgent solution,” they emphasise.
Furthermore, the platform denounces that issues such as unemployment, precarious employment, absenteeism and school failure, family disintegration, and lack of commitment from administrations “remain entrenched.” Specifically, they criticise the Junta de Andalucía and the City Council of Seville for “cutting public services such as education, housing, health, social services, and employment,” warning that these cuts will worsen with the government pact between PP and VOX.
Regarding the mosque, the platform defends the right of every person or group to have the means to celebrate their worship, as long as laws and the Constitution are respected. They remind that there are already places of worship of different faiths in Polígono Sur. “The only requirements that can be imposed are those established by law,” they indicate.
Finally, they demand that the administrations involved in the Comprehensive Plan sit down with residents and entities to design comprehensive policies. “Only dialogue and collaboration among all people, entities, and institutions can help build a dignified life and peaceful coexistence,” they conclude.
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