Mon, 9 Feb 2015The British Army has admitted its recruitment of ethnic minorities is not as good as it should be and is to put greater emphasis on doing so, particularly the recruitment of Muslims.

The Guardian and Sky News are among outlets reporting that just 0.54% of the army is Muslim, compared to 4.4% of the UK population.

According to the Guardian, resistance from Muslims to join the force is partly due to the UK’s involvement in conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

About 10% of the army is made up of black, Asian and ethnic minority people but many have joined from Commonwealth countries rather than the UK.

According to the media reports, the army has been trying to engage with communities with high Muslim populations.

General Sir Nicholas Carter, chief of the general staff, said in a statement provided to Recruiter: “Our recruitment from the black, Asian and minority ethnic communities has been improving over the years, but it is nowhere near where it needs to be. We have to do more.”

The Ministry of Defence last year [July 2014] launched the Armed Forces Muslim Forum to help facilitate more dialogue with Muslim communities and encourage more people to join the forces.

Imam Asim Hafiz OBE MA, Islamic religious adviser to the chief of defence staff and service chiefs, said in another statement provided to Recruiter: “Diversity is one of our nation’s greatest strengths and it is only right that our armed forces benefit from that capital. This not only brings them closer to the people that they serve, but also enhances the military’s cultural understanding when deployed.

“In my view, the values of the armed forces are fully compatible with the values of Islam as well as other faiths. Anybody wishing to pursue a career in the services, regular or reserve and is prepared to work hard can be assured of a very rewarding experience.”

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