+

DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MUSLIM

MINORITIES

IN NORTH AMERICA AND EUROPE.

Submitted by: Sunia Khan

Date: 6th April 2015

+Burqas and Bans: Freedom or

Oppression?

Farzana Hassan, a past president of the Canadian Muslim Congress presented her case at a multiculturalism lecture held in the University of British Columbia. She argues that facial vialing also known as ‘niqab’ or ‘burqa’ worn by some women in the Muslim community should be banned. I strongly disagree with a lot of her statements.

“wearing a burqa is a safety and security concern for Canada” (Hassan, 2011).

“wearing a burqa is crossing the reasonable limit” (Hassan, 2011).

“veiling was not said to be done by the prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H)” (Hassan, 2011) and also that “there is no religious reason for wearing a burqua” (Hassan, 2011).

(Assignment by Professor Mansour)

+

+Indian Horse by Richard

Wagamese

Wagamese’s novel Indian Horse expresses how Aboriginal

people in Canada experience racism in interpersonal, structural

and sometimes violent ways. Wagamese exposes the horrors

of residential schools which have scared aboriginal community

for life. (Carin, 2013)

Racism is an experience acutely felt by many Aboriginal people

in Canada. For example, according to a 2005 report of the First

Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey (RHS), 38% of

participating First Nations adults experienced at least one

instance of racism in the past 12 months; 63% of them felt that

it had at least some effect on their self-esteem (First Nations

Centre, 2005).’ (Reading, Leeuw, & Loopie, n.d)

+

The Truth and Reconciliation

Commission of Canada published

this history as a part of its mandate

to educate the Canadian public

about residential schools of

Aboriginal people and their place

in Canadian history.

+

+MUSLIM POPULATION TODAY

According to Canada's 2011 National Household Survey, there

were about 3.2% of the Muslim population in Canada, making

them the second largest religion after Christianity and the fastest

growing religion in Canada.

Islam is the largest or the second largest religion in 17 of 38

European (overall) countries. Around 60% of the Muslims living in

Europe are under 30 Years of age.

Today, the total Muslim population in Western Europe is estimated

to be between 12-14 million. There are 3 million Muslims in

Germany and 1.5 million in Britain; Italy, Belgium and the

Netherlands have about a half million each.

+

+DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THE

MUSLIM MINORITY In parts of western Europe complaints are wife of Muslim women are

being denied jobs because of their headscarves, Muslims served last in

stores, denied memberships of local clubs, and unfortunately jeered at in

the street, "to go back to Turkey”

Canadian Muslims and Arabs are feeling the effects of discrimination in

their daily lives. For example, they report: Harassment and name calling,

Distorted representation in media, Discrimination in employment and

housing, Vandalism against mosques, Being labeled as supporting

terrorism.

Many Muslim Canadians are committed to working for a Canada that is

free of discrimination and where every human being is valued and

respected.

Since many Muslims themselves look at the world through the paradigm

of their religion, they often consider these elements Islamophobic.

+

+

13 Western and Eastern European states do not recognize

Islam as a Religion. Muslims therefore become an

unrecognized minority without minority rights and protection in

these states

+ Islam is not officially recognized by Denmark as a religion.

Since September 11th 2001, Danish authorities have practiced

anti-immigration policies reinforced specific rhetoric, making it

hard for Muslims to immigrate to the country.

+ There are 120,000 - 150,000 Muslims in Norway, which makes

up 2% of the population. Islam yet again is not officially

recognized by the state

+ Germany in the year 2005 was estimated with 3.3 Million Muslims

living in the country, with 4% accounting for the total population.

However, because of restrictive immigration laws, only 400, 000 of

them or 12% of the Muslims have German citizenship. This has

reflected greatly on the Turkish Muslim population that are landed

immigrants in Germany.

+

+

+ISLAMOPHOBIA

Definition: Dislike of or prejudice against Islam or Muslims,

especially as a political force.

(oxford dictionaries)

+WHAT MAKES A NATION OR

PEOPLE ISLAMPHOBIC?

It is seen as a political Ideology, used for political or

military advantage.

Hostility towards Islam is used to justify

discriminatory practices towards Muslims and

exclusion of Muslims from mainstream society.

Anti-Muslim hostility is seen as natural and normal

+

+WHAT MAKES A NATION OR

PEOPLE ISLAMPHOBIC?

Islam is seen as a monolithic block, static and

unresponsive to change.

It is seen as separate and "other." It does not have

values in common with other cultures, is not

affected by them and does not influence them.

It is seen as inferior to the West. It is seen as

barbaric, irrational, primitive, and sexist.

It is seen as violent, aggressive, threatening,

supportive of Terrorism, and engaged in a Clash of

civilization.

+ CASE STUDY: MUSLIM

MINORITIES IN FRANCE

“The hijab, ultimately, is a cloth. It oppresses, liberates, empowers,

according to society, tradition and the woman who places it over her

hair, giving society one of the most challenging symbols of rejection,

identity and pride it presently faces.”

+DEMOGRAPHICS

The current Muslim population is mostly due to a

wave of immigration after World War II. The number

of Muslims in North America surged because of an

increasing demand for foreign labour force from the

east to the western region

+ DISCRIMINATION OF MUSLIMS IN

CANADAWith the population of Muslims increasing, there has

been growing criticism regarding the treatment of

Muslims in Canadian society.

Community surveys, focus groups and polls indicate

that many Muslims feel there is discrimination

against them in Canada after 9/11 (Helly, 2004;

CAIR-CAN, 2002; Adams, 2007).

Within the larger population, a recent poll by Ipsos

Reid found that 60% of people surveyed felt there

was increased discrimination against Muslims, in

comparison to ten years ago (Chung, 2011).

+ GTA woman has Niqab pulled off

in assault

In 2011 a muslim woman named Inas Kadri, from Mississauga, Ont., had her niqab pulled from her face. The assault took place at Sheridan Centre in Mississauga which is a local mall. The assault was caught on a security camera as well.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/gta-woman-has-niqab-pulled-off-in-assault-1.1022672

+DISCRIMINATION OF MUSLIMS IN

FRANCE

Vandalism of Mosques

+THE BAN OF THE HIJAB

However, no issue has dominated the attention and

generated debate amongst the French as the 2004

ban on the hijab in public schools has produced.

+CHAIN OF EVENTS: THE BAN OF

THE HIJAB

The current debate over the veil can said to have

begun in October 1989, when three junior high

school girls refused to remove their hijabs in class,

and were expelled for doing so.

The second debate over the veil took place in

September 1994, when then education minister

François Bayrou issued a order concerning the

display of religious insignia in schools.

+PASSING OF THE LEGISLATION

The bill to outlaw conspicuous religious dress and

insignia in French schools officially became law on

March 15, 2004 with an overwhelming majority vote

of 276 to 20, and became applicable from the start of

the new school year in September.

+THE “OTHERING” OF THE VEILED MUSLIM

WOMAN

Such attitudes towards the veil demonstrate the “Othering” of

the Muslim woman.

+

+THE HIJAB AS A RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE

RATHER THAN A POLITICAL SYMBOL

There are, no doubt, a number of reasons why

Muslim women choose to wear the hijab.

Some often cited reasons are: personal religious

conviction, freedom of religion, acceptance as a

good Muslim female, compliance with family values,

neutralization of sexuality and protection from

harassment from males, and individual choice and

religious/cultural identity.

+FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND THE

BAN OF THE HIJAB

Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

(UDHR):

Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and

religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or

belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others

and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in

teaching, practice, worship and observance.

+FREEDOM OF EDUCATION AND THE

BAN OF THE HIJAB

It does not matter who or which state is abusing the

basic human right; ultimately it is the Muslim woman

who suffers either way.

Once again her body has become the site on which

various political battles are carried on and biased

agreements negotiated.

+

+

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees protection from discrimination: “Every individual is equal before and under the law and has the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination and, in particular, without discrimination based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, sex, age or mental or physical disability.” (Section 15(1))

Recognition of International and

regional Human Rights

+International and regional human rights instruments recognize at least four rights directly related to religion and belief:

a) the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion;

b)the right to equal protection of the law, including the prohibition of discrimination on the basis of religion;

c) the right of persons belonging to religious minorities to profess and practice their religion;

d) the right to protection from incitement to discrimination, hostility, or violence.

+Work Cited

http://ccrweb.ca/files/discrimination_against_arabs_and_musli

ms_in_canada.pdf

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/gta-woman-has-niqab-

pulled-off-in-assault-1.1022672

http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/creed-freedom-religion-and-human-

rights-special-issue-diversity-magazine-volume-93-summer-

2012/discrimination-experienced-muslims-ontario

http://www.libertymagazine.org/discussion/are-burqa-bans-

oppressive-to-religious-freedom-or-a-defense-of-the-rights-a