PARIS, December 31 (IslamOnline.net) - Several French human rights organizations called for protecting Muslims in Corsica from repeated attacks, as some Muslim families began quitting the southern French island for fear of more violence.

Several families of Moroccan origin have left the French Island in the last few days to settle in other nearby Mediterranean cities such as Marseille on the heels of rising racial incidents, IslamOnline.net has learnt.

Other families said they are seriously considering the same move and heading for a safe life in another place of the country.

On Monday, December 27, a mosque of Sanacotra factory in Hauts de Bodiccione city in Corsica came under attack with a petrol bomb.

The attack came a few weeks after an attempt on the life of Mohamed El-Atrash, a mosque imam in Sartene, southern Corsica.

El-Atrash came under fire upon opening up after hearing knocks on his front door by some unidentified person.

The SOS Rasisme (help against racism) and the international association against racism and Anti-Semitism, called on the French authorities to intervene to protect Muslims and their property in Corsica.

Other groups, such as the society of Moroccan workers in France and the movement against racism and for friendship among peoples, joined hands calling for a swift action by the government.

Some 20,000 Muslims, or ten per cent of the population, live in Corsica. The island has 15 prayer houses.

The society of Moroccan workers in France pointed a finger at Corsican extremists for standing behind the attacks against the Moroccan community in the island.

The “Secret Corsica” organization has claimed responsibility for most of the attacks against Muslims. Its slogans include “Get out, Arabs,” and “Enough Muslims”.

The measures taken by the government against the racial wave are insufficient, the society said in a statement.

The Corsican authorities held a week against racism earlier in December, in which an awareness campaign was launched to draw attention to the danger of racism on co-existence on the island -- the largest in Mediterranean (8700 sq. km) and an integral part of France.

The campaign included holding seminars and teaching classes on racism.

The international association against racism and anti-Semitism also said 2004 witnessed a record number of racial attacks in Corsica.

The group called on the public to act swiftly against such incidents.

The SOS Rasisme urged French authorities to give priority to combating racism, including the imposition of deterrent penalties on those accused of launching racial attacks.

The movement against racism and friendship among peoples called, for its part, on the French Prime Minister to set down an emergency plan to halt the rising acts of racism on the island.