Muslim Community Lobby Ireland is an independent organization established 1st May 2007. Its motto is TO USE THE VOTE RIGHTLY AND TO RAISE THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY AWARNESS WITH THEIR RIGHTS AND TO PROMOTE TOLERANCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF OTHER EXISTING GROUPS. لترشيد استعمال الصوت الانتخابي ولتوعية وتعريف المسلمين بحقوقهم في ايرلندا وان يعيشوا بتفهم للواقع وللجماعات الاخرى الموجودة على الساحة

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Newspaper Watch: Media making up rubbish and misleading about Muslims


Wednesday, 31 May 2006
In March of this year, the results of a study into institutional racism in Ireland commissioned by Amnesty International were released at a press conference, at which leading British human rights lawyer, Imran Khan, described Ireland as being in the "dark ages" with respect to racism. The study documented hard statistical evidence of institutional racism, such as the fact that "only one per cent of non-EU doctors became consultants, even though almost half of junior doctors were from outside Europe". The Irish Times was the only newspaper to cover the launch and there was a grand total of one opinion piece written in reaction to the report, an article by Tom McGurk in the Sunday Business Post, which denounced the findings as "platitudinous and inaccurate moral indignation" by "politically correct thought police".
McGurk did not profer any evidence to challenge the report's findings, but relied primarily upon simple assertions "we are neither historically nor culturally racist", "the allegation that ? despite the extensive and comprehensive body of equality and anti-discrimination law it has enacted ? the state is still in the dark ages is simply nonsense". This article was the sum total of the newspapers' reaction to the worrying findings of the most professional, up to date and comprehensive study yet carried out on institutional racism in Ireland. The report's recommendations remain unimplemented and almost entirely unknown.
Wednesday 24 May saw a conference on Islamophobia in Dublin. The arguments and evidence presented at the conference were briefly described in both the Irish Times and Irish Independent. Niall Crowley, CEO of the Equality authority, described rising evidence of "physical and verbal abuse" and some "media reporting that does stereotype muslims". Once again, the evidence and arguments put forward by this conference only merited a single reaction in the newspapers.
Liam Fay, writing in the Sunday Times, simply dismissed the conference's validity, by attacking the straw-man argument that "critics of Islam are racists". Indeed, he got so carried away as to suggest that the very existence of such a conference amounted to a modern day "witch-hunt."
One of the trademarks of Islamophobia is the irrational assumption that Muslims are particularly likely to be both fundamentalists and terrorists. A very good example of such irrationality can be found in the media coverage of the Afghan hunger-strikers. Despite the fact that the hunger-strikers were clean shaven, seeking refuge in a Christian church and denied any sympathies for the Taliban, the possibility of them being connected to the Taliban was repeatedly raised in the media. The Irish Times was the first to raise the connection ? choosing to highlight the fact that the uncle of one of the men had been a Taliban minister and the man himself had been a civil servant under the Taliban, a tenuous connection which was repeatedly raised in subsequent reporting.
The Evening Herald, on Tuesday 23 May, went further still in claiming that the hunger strike had been directed by mobile phone by "senior Taliban figures".
Mick McCaffrey's article cited anonymous "sources" as the only evidence for these claims. He failed to explain how these sources were able to so easily trace senior Taliban figures whom the US army has been hunting for years. Maybe his sources could tell us where Osama is? In any case, why would the Taliban have any interest in our asylum process? If the Garda really believe that these men are taking direct orders from the Taliban, why are they now freely walking our streets?

Or is it just the case that Islamophobia is so strong that some journalists feel they can get away with making up any old rubbish about Muslims?


Source: Village Ireland Current Affairs

Monday, August 18, 2008

From Qasim: To Conor Lenihan, Thanks but No Thanks الى كونر لنهان شكرا ولكن ليس شكرا..

Salams All...
السلام عليكم
This is what we could do...

1). Write to Conor Lenihan saying something like Thanks but No Thanks... We should mention that there was no need for the hysteria about Hijab in the media since guidelines for the matter existed way back in 2005... The Muslim community was troubled over the whole affair (I personally know a few parents whose daughters go to school and they were really upset)... This was because there was a lot of uncertainity about the issue during this time as to what the Government would actually do... People were talking about what happened in France and Turkey etc.... The Government has a responsibility towards its minority citizens and had the government intervened properly in the matter none of this would have been a problem...
يقول الاخ قاسم: بان المسلمين في ايرلندا ما كانوا ليكونوا في الاخبار لو ان الحكومة رجعت الى قوانينها ولوائحها الصادرة في الفين وخمسة. ولما اصبح المسلمون في خوف مما ستعمله الحكومة استتب هذا الخوف الى ان خرج علينا كونر لنهان بقوله: ان الحجاب ليس قضية للنقاش . وان كان هذا في صالح المسلمين, الا ان الكثير من الاباء والامهات كادوا يؤثر فيهم الخوف من التضييق على فتياتهم.

2). The same platform should continue really... I am sure that all of you would agree that there are further issues about Islam and Muslims that could emerge in the future and since the Irish Muslim Population is pretty much apolitical there should be a platform to address local issues related with Muslims... A meeting is a good idea in that regard...
وانه لمن الطبيعي ان تظهر امور وقضايا اخرى نحن لم نعرفها بعد. ولهذا نطالب بعدم الخوض فيها في الاخبار والاعلام. الا بعد البث فيها مع ممثل سياسي اسلامي يفتح مشاكل المسلمين بدون اللوجوء الى الاعلام.
3) Finally there was a lack of consultation on the issue and that is very important... Had there been any consultation it would have been much better... and I am not talking about consulting unknown Imaams here...
ومن هنا نجد ان هناك فقر في الاستشارة مع الجالية الاسلامية ويجب ان لا نتكلم عن استشارة الائمة وانما مع الممثل السياسي للمسلمين
4) We could also write politely to the two parties Fine Gael and Labour and invite them to review their narrowminded views about the Hijab...
ويجب علينا ان نكتب الى احزاب المعارضة فينا قيل ولايبر بان يغيروا من سياستهم بالنسبة للحجاب.

Masalama
مع السلامة
Qasim
قاسم

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Faheem Bukhatwa Says with regard to No directive for schools on use of Islamic scarf

Assalam,

May be the next step is start an active media campaign. But, I suggest this will require the getting the OK from the founding memebers. As this is a major shift in the guidlines decided on the forming of the campaign. I suggest calling for a meeting soon to keep the momentom going.


Faheem Bukhatwa

Friday, August 15, 2008

Brother Mujahid (Liam Egan) of the Hijab Committee says:

Dear All,The Gorey Muslim Community posted this article from the Irish Times this morning. It would now appear that Minister Lenihan is not going to make any changes to the existing guidelines. We would like the Irish Hijab Campaign to consider an official press release in response to this news and I would like people to consider the following:1. This move simply places us in the same situation that occurred when the issue first broke.2. The right to education for Muslim girls will still be subject to the whims of Principals and boards of management who can and have banned the hijab in the past. One such school in Dublin cited a Catholic ethos as its excuse for the hijab ban, the young Muslim girl was forced to find a school that would accommodate her.3. The question of the hijab has also raised concerns about the lack of consultation and inclusion in such decisions. As you are well aware over 4000 principals were opined but only a handful of Muslims were consulted about an issue that directly affects them. How does this lack of consultation contribute to the integration that we hear of?
Thoughts please

Mujaahid

Dr. Ahmed El-Habbash View of the Hijab regulation


Assalaam AlaikumMy understanding of the article in the Irish time is that Hijab is not an issue in schools, and that the Minister for Integration is not keen to over-regulate something that is self regulated. This statement should work in favour of IHC. It indicates that Hijab is naturally accepted in Ireland (under normal circumstances).However, there are a few odd situations that happened recently and may happen in the future in the absence of a clear guideline. So the guideline does not have to be (or be seen) as an over-regulation. It can be simply an informative statement to state that hijab is not (and should not be seen as) an issue, as it is within the frame of the freedom and human rights that are protected by the constitution and state laws. This perhaps can provide a quick answer to the principal of Gorey school or other schools without having to create controversies involving schools, TDs and Ministers for something that should be seen and understood as a non-issue.About Consulting 4000 school principals and consulting only a handful of Muslims, that would be OK if it was directed by the Department of Education. Perhaps It my not be the same if it was directed by the Department of Integration.My suggestion is that we work further to institute a guideline, which does not seem to be difficult (based on the above). So if there has to be a press release than it should build on the current conclusion that Hijab is not an issue, however, a guideline is needed to inform those who do not know. I also suggest direct communication with C. Lenihan to thank him for his effort and explain our concerns.Best Regards

Dr. Ahmed El-Habbash

No directive for schools on use of Islamic scarf

THE GOVERNMENT has decided not to issue a directive to schools on the wearing of the Islamic hijab headscarf by pupils, Minister of State for Integration Conor Lenihan has indicated.
However, it will provide general guidelines on how such matters might be handled. A statement on the matter is to be made by Mr Lenihan next week.
Speaking at the Parnell summer school in Avondale, Co Wicklow, yesterday, he said over 4,000 school principals had been consulted on the issue "and we received lots and lots of e-mails". "The overwhelming evidence is that it [the hijab] is not an issue in schools," he said. This also applied to "other forms of clothing".
Mr Lenihan wrote to the school principals in June to seek their views on the issue, after being asked by Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe to examine whether national guidelines were required on the wearing of "certain types of clothing for religious reasons at school".
The previous month a school principal in Gorey, Co Wexford, had called on the Minister for Education to issue guidelines on the wearing of the hijab in State schools.
This followed the department's refusal to offer advice to the school when a Muslim couple asked last September that their daughter be allowed to wear the hijab in class. Mr Lenihan said yesterday that many principals had "expressed surprise it had become an issue at all".
"There are no examples of schools where it has been an issue. But there are plenty examples of where it has been accommodated," he said.
His statement next week would "reflect that ethos", he said.
Mr Lenihan said he would not see why, "if things are going well locally, there was a need for regulatory zeal or over-regulation in an area which appears regulated at the moment. I am not keen on over-regulation."
The principal who raised the issue in May, Nicholas Sweetman of Gorey Community School, said official direction would bring an end to the practice of schools imposing divergent policies and would clarify the issue for schools and Muslim parents.
Correspondence released under the Freedom of Information Act showed that the school wrote to then minister for education Mary Hanafin last October, when a Muslim couple asked that their child be allowed wear the hijab in class. Though this contravened rules on uniforms, the principal agreed, pending approval by the board of management. The school, where 85 out of some 1,500 students come from a foreign background, later decided to continue to allow the pupil to wear her hijab.


PATSY McGARRY
© 2008 The Irish Times

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Beijing 2008 Olympics oppening day takes the breath away

Friday 8th Aug 2008.

Despite all the effort of politicizing the Olympics in Beijing. The Chinese bit their tongue and got on with it.


Dazzling Fireworks

Friendship welcome

Saturday, August 9, 2008

D.C .C trying to involve ethnic minority in the coming Council elections المجلس البلدي يشرك الاجانب في انتخابات البلدية



The meeting took place in the Dublin City Council fancy Building. It is a good idea that the council will involve people from different ethnic backgrounds in the coming council elections. The meeting was discussing the way to make people aware of the election and participate in it.
لقد اجتمع ممثلو الجاليات في مبني بلدية دبلن الجميل. انها فكرة رائعة ان يسعى المجلس البلدي بان يشرك الاجانب في انتخابات البلدية. وكانت المقابلة تناقش كيفية رفع وعي المواطن الغير ايرلندي بان يشارك في الانتخابات والتصويت .





You don't need to be an Irish passport holder to vote. You can be a foreigner who came to the country for any reason but you should have 6 month stay before you are eligible to do so.
لا تحتاج الى ان تكون حائزا على جواز السفر الايرلندي حتى يكون حق التصويت. ممكن ان تكون اجنبيا ولكن يجب ان يكون لك ستة اشهر اقامة في البلد قبل ان يكون حق التصويت.





There will be posters posted every where inviting every one to vote and have a say in the elections.
سوف تكون هناك ملصقات تعلق في الا ماكن العامة للتعريف بهذه الانتخابات وتدعوكم للمشاركة انشاء الله

Report by Dr. Bashir

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

The regulation does not prohibit wearing of the head scarf (Hijab) ان الحجاب ليس محرما في المدارس


Minister Batt O Keeff
Minister of Education and science



We the Muslim Community Lobby of Ireland would like to express thanks to all those who helped to diffuse and depoliticise the Hijab issue.
لوبي الجالية الاسلامية في ايرلندا يشكر جميع من حاول اخراج مشكلة الحجاب من الداشرة السياسية الى الدائرة المدرسية.
Muslim parents are a bit nervous about the situation that their daughters have been put in. Therefore we approached the Ministry of Education and science to have the final say and the sent the following peace of regulation. The regulation does not prohibit wearing of the head scarf (Hijab), which is good, but it leaves it to the decision of the board of governors of the school. These regulations are the same as those given to the Wexford school. so far ministry of Education still use these regulations.
آباء وامهات المسملين في ايرلندا قلقين على ما آلت اليه مسألة ولهذا طلبنا من وزارة التعليم بان توضح الامر وقد ردت بهذا القانون الذي هو يبين ان الحجاب ليس محرما في المدارس وان امناء المدرسة لهم الحق في التدخل في اللبس المدرسي وهو ليس من شان وزارة التعليم في شئ. وان هذه هي اللائحة التي اعطيت لمدير المدرسة في وكسفورد حيث ان وزارة التعليم الايرلندية ليس لديها لائحة اخرى.

In relation to the matter of wearing the hijab in class, the position is as follows:

Section 15(2)(b) of the Education Act 1998 charges Boards of Management with a duty to "uphold, and be accountable to the patron for so upholding, the characteristic spirit of the school as determined by the cultural, educational, moral, religious, social, linguistic and spiritual values and traditions which inform and are characteristic of the objectives and conduct of the school…".

لائحة 15 (2)ب القانون يتحدث عن ان ادارة المدرسة يجب ان تعنى بالمحافظة على الروح التربوية, الثقافية, الاخلاقيه, الدينية, الاجتماعية واللغوية والوحانية والعادات والتقاليد التي تتميز بها المدرسة.

Section 15(2)(e) of the Act balances this with the requirement for a Board of Management to "have regard to the principles and requirements of a democratic society and have respect and promote respect for the diversity of values, beliefs, traditions languages and ways of life in society".
15(2)(e)
وانه يجب على الادارة بان توازن بين " مبادئ ومطالب المجتمع الديمقراطي يجب ان يبعث على الاحترام ويحترم اختلاف القيم والمعتقد والعادات واللغات وتعدد طرق الحياة في المجتمع."

Individual school authorities are responsible for the drawing up of school rules including requirements in relation to the wearing of school uniforms. In addition, some schools may have a dress code which usually deals with such matters as hair styles and the wearing of jewellery and rings.
وبهذا لادارت المدارس الحق في اختيار ما يتناسب من لبس والمحافظة على اللبس المدرسي وتحديد بعض الاشياء مثل تسريحة الشعر ولبس الخواتم والجواهر في المدرسة.

It is a matter for the Board of Management to decide on a schools policy in relation to the above issue, and it would not be appropriate for the Department to direct or advise a school in relation to any aspect of its policy on dress code.
I hope this information is of assistance.

Yours sincerely

Carol Slevin
on behlf of the Education and Science Ministry

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Policy U-turn on hijab in Irish schools تراجع وزارة التعليم الايرلندية بالنسبة للحجاب

The Department of Education outlined its policy on students wearing hijab in a letter to a Dublin school as long ago as 2005. It told a Dublin teacher that she should allow a student to wear the hijab, a Muslim headscarf covering the head but not the face, during PE.
وزارة التعليم الايرلندية تظهر
قرارها الصادر في سنة الفين وخمسة بالسماح للحجاب غطاء الراس في المدارس الايرلندية بدون نقاب او غطاء الوجه
The clearly defined policy contrasts with the lack of guidance given to a principal in Gorey Community School last year when the same issue arose. He was told that it was up to the school’s board of management to decide whether pupils could wear Muslim headdress.
المشكلة ان وزارة التعليم لم تعلم مدير المدرسة بوكسفورد بهذا القرار الذي اتخذ سابقا في الالفين وخمسة
The advice issued in 2005 is contained in a letter released under the Freedom of Information Act. Brian Hayes, Fine Gael’s education spokesman, said it showed that the department had shifted opinion on the wearing of the hijab since first issuing advice three years ago. “It shows that instead of drawing up clear guidelines and sticking to them, the department has just confused its position in the intervening period,” he said. Responding last week the education department said it has asked Conor Lenihan, the integration minister, to address the wearing of religious clothing in a new policy document, the Intercultural Education Strategy. In 2005, Matthew Ryan, the principal officer in the department’s post-primary administration section, issued a clear directive to Our Lady’s Grove in Goatstown. In a letter he stated: “Where a school admits a person of a religious denomination but then seeks to impose a dress code requirement which runs contrary to that student’s religious beliefs, it may constitute unlawful discrimination against that student.” The letter states that the
Equal Status Act 2000 prohibits a school from discriminating against a student on religious grounds. “It follows that this department would expect schools to allow students of that denomination \ to wear the hijab and indeed it is our understanding that this approach is being followed by schools,” the department wrote at the time. Liam Egan, the father of the girl from Gorey Community School whose wearing of the hijab prompted her principal to seek advice from the department, said that equality legislation had not changed since 2005. “The law has not changed, so why has the department changed its position? Since 7/7, this has become more of a political issue. My daughter wore the hijab all through her first year in school and it was not contentious. Then, at the end of the year, it suddenly became an issue,” he said. Egan has helped set up the Irish Hijab Campaign to lobby for the right of female Muslim students to wear the hijab. The group says that pupils have worn the hijab “for years” without any problem and that the argument that the next step is the wearing of the niqab — a headdress revealing only the eyes — or burqa — a garment covering the whole body — is alarmist. “Not one single child in Ireland wears a niqab or burqa,” he said. “The people who raise that issue want to provoke fear and suspicion.” Egan said that more than one-third of all Muslims in Ireland were now native Irish. “This is not an immigrant issue. It’s about freedom to practice religious beliefs. People say we should assimilate, but I was born in Wexford — I am Irish and Muslim. We should not follow the lead of France, where there is no tolerance.” Source: Sunday Times