Consultations Homepage || 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."
