HREOC Website: Isma - Listen: National
consultations on eliminating prejudice against Arab and Muslim Australias
Consultations
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|| Meeting Notes: 23 April 2003
Al Zahra Muslim Women's Association
members
Arncliffe Coronation Hall,
Wednesday 23 April 2003
The meeting was chaired
by Ms Fatme Hamdan, Chairperson, Al Zahra Islamic Council and facilitated
by Omeima Sukkarieh, Community Liaison Officer, HREOC (notes). Also attending
were Susanna Iuliano, Policy Research Officer, HREOC and 200 of the invited
participants (present for a separate religious event). The consultation
was conducted in Arabic.
1. What are your experiences
of discrimination and vilification?
Has the community experienced
discrimination and vilification?
There was a general
feeling that after 11 September 2001, the experience of discrimination
and vilification in the community was phenomenal. Moreover, these experiences
have not reduced substantially. Rather they now manifest differently:
the discrimination has been less direct and physically abusive, but just
as hurtful and humiliating, making them very upset. Many of the women
stayed at home for lengthy periods of time after September 11 from fear
of going outside especially after hearing what was happening to people
they knew. They believed that fear is still keeping women at home for
long times.
Most of the group,
particularly the women who do not speak English fluently and/or the elderly,
feel most powerless and vulnerable.
Many of the women
believe that their relationship with their neighbours soured after September
11 and has not improved, with many of their neighbours "not talking
to them anymore. They fear us because they think we are terrorists."
Where is it happening?
The group has been
far worse affected and vulnerable to experiences of discrimination and
vilification in public places, such as parks, public transport and shopping
centres, and on the streets as pedestrians and drivers, in the media,
and at schools, TAFE and universities.
At school, university, etc.
A couple of the women
have experienced TAFE teachers speak disparagingly about people by reference
to their race. One case involved a teacher describing a car accident in
which she had been involved, abusing and swearing about the other driver
and, in response to a student question about his nationality, saying he
was "Arab Lebanese".
In shopping centres, banks,
government offices etc
One participant reported
an incident at a shopping centre car park in which she was abused by to
Anglo girls for taking 'their' car space. She said she had not seen their
car in the time she was waiting for the space to be vacated. Other people
in the area at the time were staring at her as if she was the one who
had done something wrong. This lady believes that such experiences are
not uncommon: Muslims and Arabs are being wrongly blamed and accused of
committing traffic offences, however minor.
At another shopping
centre, another lady told how an Australian couple had told her "to
go back to her country" and "to have some brains". She
ignored them but was soon followed by the woman and told that "if
[she] were Australian then [she] would take that off" (referring
to her scarf). The lady once again ignored her but did not continue her
shopping and went straight to pay at the counter so she could leave. She
felt humiliated and powerless.
In the street or public transport
Many women have been
verbally abused on public transport, particularly on buses and trains.
A few of the women had waited for buses on a few occasions and the bus
did not stop for them.
"I don't
know why the bus didn't stop, but I think it was because I am Muslim.
Maybe he was afraid? I don't know."
One participant boarded
a bus with her daughter carrying a large load of shopping and having difficulty
doing so. Not only was the driver unhelpful, he made a derogatory remark
about Islam. The lady had complained to the private bus company, however
there was never any follow up, and she believes that no action was taken.
In the media
The group was very
angry at the reporting and media coverage and portrayal of the community
of the "Gang Rape" crimes. They believe that reporting should
have stressed that there is no religion that allows or supports crimes.
It was not appropriate for the media to focus on the ethnicity or religion
of the offenders. They did not believe there was any relevance in doing
so.
The group was particularly
angry and deeply upset about the viciousness and irresponsibility of the
talk back radio announcers.
Other places
Many of the women
have been physically and verbally abused while on a picnic with their
family in public parks. Others treat them as if they don't belong in the
park and they are privileged to be using that space.
2. What more could be done
to fight anti-Arab and anti-Muslim prejudice and discrimination?
Media
There is an overwhelming
outcry about the biased and negative media reporting. Many women urged
the media to be responsible in their reporting and, if not prepared to
report positive things about Islam and Arabs, then at least to report
negative things about others as well, including what Anglos do. They should
especially not use ethnic descriptors as this is more damaging.
Talk back radio announcers
and other journalists should attend cross cultural awareness training
and this should be mandatory.
Television and radio,
both ethnic and mainstream, should also take some responsibility for educating
the broader community about Islam. The group believes one approach could
be entering Muslim people's homes and showing their real side and everyday
lives, and show people that the Islamic community is part of the broader
community and not separate, because people always say " you people
(referring to Muslims) don't involve yourselves in our (referring to Australians)
programs and our way of life."
It would be effective
if Arabs and Muslims who are already prominent in the media and who have
a positive image would not hide their ethnicity or religion.
Schools / Educational institutions
"All educational
institutions should be used appropriately as a tool for all education."
Many of the women
believe that teachers who discriminate against students should be punished
with more than a "slap on their wrist".
Isma Objectives
The meeting proposed
the following strategies for achieving the objectives identified by Isma.
Promoting positive public
awareness
Commercials and advertising,
especially on television, and popular television programs should be more
positive about Islam and Arabs, by putting the community in the public
face, without the stereotyping.
Challenging stereotypes
One misconception
that some of the group believed was necessary to break down was that of
marriage and Islam. For example, the role of the woman as being submissive,
and the role of the man as being aggressive and dominating. People start
to believe that this is how all women should and want to be treated, therefore
treat them as such. The other is to educate the broader community that
for Muslims to marry at a young age is no different to young girls in
Australia who fall pregnant at a young age out of wedlock.
All stereotypes should
be challenged, including those about what an Australian is and looks like.
"I have been here for 36 years, and my children's mentality is Australian.
They are Australian."
Providing community support
Many women believe
that the community must deal with the internal divisions and learn to
accept each other's differences as much as with the non-Arab or non-Muslim
community.
Strengthening relationships
between communities
Education and campaigns,
no matter how small or large, should focus on similarities not differences
between community groups. One message should be that Islam, like all religions,
is about tolerance, acceptance and freedom of speech and expression of
that religion.
Community Leaders
of different sects should not represent the other, and a few women in
the group believed that the Shiite community is not only being misrepresented
by Sunni Leaders but they are not being easily differentiated by the broader
community.
Improving public safety
There is a general
lack of trust in security guards and their role as protectors of people
in public and other spaces. Security guards patrolling public spaces should
be more responsive to racially motivated incidents of abuse and physical
and verbal attacks.
Informing communities about
their rights
Pamphlets and educational
materials which focus on human rights as being the basic principle and
the freedom of everyone to express themselves and their religion, particularly
by their dress. And not just focused on Muslims but others also.
Changes in state
and federal legislation and in media and departmental policies need to
be implemented to protect the community.
More advertising
and articles in the ethnic and mainstream media about complaints processes
and discrimination laws, including stories with positive outcomes.
"If the
people who are there to protect us aren't, then we feel powerless."
Other issues and suggestions
"We want
to be judged as a person not as a Muslim or Arab!""It's important
for women to learn how to speak back and not run away or ignore people
when they get abused. Women need to feel empowered to speak back."
