Consultations Homepage || Meeting Notes: 28 May 2003
Consultation with members of the Indonesian Muslim Community of Victoria, Monash University, 28 May 2003.
The meeting was attended by eight members of the Indonesian Muslim community of Victoria and by Susanna Iuliano and Omeima Sukkarieh from HREOC.
Experiences of discrimination and vilification
In public places
“I have had many experiences of discrimination like many of our community, and probably because of our appearance. What they do is for e.g. I was standing beside the road and was given the finger. Or when I enter the store, some people look at me like a stranger and make me feel uncomfortable, and some even say ‘terrorist’.”
“One day, I went to the CBD with a friend. We were about to cross the road when two men started yelling ‘you are Taliban – go home!’ I keep thinking about it. I don’t feel safe when I go around places. One year after 11 September I crossed the street to go to campus and a young man gave me the finger. I told my supervisor who said ‘it’s silly the man did that – you can report it’. But how could I get that man’s ID? Where do I go to complain?”
On public transport
“My friend was coming back from work and she had to travel by train. An old man sitting in front of her intimidated her. She was wearing the hijab and he said ‘you’re from Indonesia, you’re Muslim right? Well you’re a terrorist right?’ She started crying. She got off at Frankston station and the passengers all watched this happen. Another young passenger said ‘old man shut up’. This happened about a month ago.”
At the University
Several participants described feeling safe on the campus and that they are treated equally by both lecturers and other students.
“There was support from the faculty after the Bali bombing. I felt I was safe that time. They are educated people, and they know what it’s like.”
At work
Women wearing the hijab continue to face difficulty obtaining work.
“I have a friend who applied for a job and got it and the company rang her and she had to wear a uniform and she is not allowed to take off the scarf, but the interviewer gave her the job and told her to start the following Monday. The company then rang her and told her that ‘[they’ve] got someone else’. Another friend had the same experience too whereby the following day the company rang and told her that ‘[they’ve] got someone else’. The problems are for women who wear the scarf.”
Indonesian qualifications are generally well-regarded in Australia.
“My husband is a medical scientist with undergraduate degrees from Indonesia and obtained a Masters and PhD in Australia. Indonesian people are hard working and his supervisor saw how hard working he was and got him a job.”
Some Australian employers have accommodated Muslim workers’ need for space and time to pray.
“I work in a casual position at the bakery which is large and there are many foreigners there so everyone knows we pray. We ask the employer to use the changing rooms, so it is good to work with foreigners because there is understanding.”
“Since 11 Sept. and the Bali bombings, people at work are starting to learn about what is Islam. I pray in a special room at work and I am the only Muslim. Because of this I have been asked a lot about Islam.
Who is targeted?
The meeting generally agreed that women are more likely to risk abuse.
“I’m lucky because I am a man. I haven’t had as much abuse or discrimination. Maybe it’s because no-one can tell that I’m a Muslim. But I have to take care of my activities / practices as a Muslim, so in public places where there are people, I have to pray. I have prayed many times in public places like parks, but people just look at us..”
“I don’t have any problems but when my wife is alone she sometimes has problems, but not when she is with me. People stare at her similar to the other stories, but when she is with a family she has no problems.”
Common stereotypes about Muslims generally and about Muslim women in particular are especially to blame.
“Many people, especially other women assume that much is forbidden for Muslim women. In Iran and Iraq for e.g. women are not allowed to work outside and they think that men suppress women but that’s nothing to do with Islam. It is about ethnic stereotypes.”
“Outside Uni mostly older and aged people stereotype and they look at us as if we came from another world. Who will tell old people the truth about Islam? Information needs to go to all people.”
Mixed experiences
“I have also had good experiences. Not long after Bali, a colleague came up to me and said ‘Salam alaykum. Happy Eid!’ I said ‘thanks’. He said ‘I know your Eid’. Some western person asked us about our culture and greeted us. That felt good. During Ramadan people often ask ‘why are you so happy, you’re fasting!’ I think that Australians are good. I am disabled so I don’t know if I get discriminated against because I am disabled or because I am a Muslim, but generally they are nice. Sometimes I just get pointed at and yelled at whilst waiting for a bus and I think ‘who cares’.”
The role of the media
The potential of ethnic media was felt to be somewhat limited.
“Our ethnic media isn’t very effective. One day a week for half an hour there is Indonesian Radio (Southern FM 93.5) and on channel 31 there is half an hour a week. SBS has I hour for twice a week but it is all Indonesian relay and the radio announcers are usually Muslim.”
“Radio Kita 3222 broadcasts news from Indonesia and the programs have never addressed the issue of discrimination.”
“Once they talked for about an hour on discrimination after 11 September, but the problem is that Indonesian radio is in Indonesian language and Australians won’t understand. And not all Indonesian people know about the radio programs.”
Stereotyping by mainstream media was felt to be critical to public reaction.
“Media are responsible for the worst stereotypes, like Muslims are terrorists, when Islam means peace. If someone has an agenda to make Muslims appear bad then they have an agenda. People want to see Muslims as bad. Like women in Islam wearing the hijab is portrayed as a sign of backwardness. And people eliminate the fact that other religious or ethnic groups can be terrorists. People think that only Muslims can be terrorists. They single out ‘terrorist’ as equaling to ‘Islam’. There is a big political agenda behind all of these who really wants to have an image that a Muslim and Islam is bad.”
“The only education about Islam people are getting is from the news such as CNN, BBC, CBC, Channel 10, 9 and 7 and SBS all have a very effective language and special language of reporting. For example, in relation to Aceh they use the word ‘invasion’, especially 9 and 10. On SBS and BBC they use words like ‘crack down’.
“People in the media have to be responsible for bringing good sources of news to the Australian people. For example, the way ‘A Current Affair’ in NSW portrayed the Baulkham Hills prayer room issue was unfair. We need more responsible media!”
What existing government strategies to reduce prejudice are you aware of?
“Once, the Australian Federal Police came to the University and the Muslim students were gathered by the AFP and were told that if they face any discrimination to call the AFP. This was right after the Bali bombing and they were afraid of any arson retaliation attacks. [I don’t think we would complain though. Probably because we don’t have good experiences with the police. We don’t feel welcome.”
What community strategies were implemented?
“Perwira is a mixed organization representing many different religions. We gave out information about human rights and put the information in our Bulletin, in addition to putting out information about the AFP, with the message that if “you don’t feel safe, call us”. The Bulletin is sent out only to members.
“The IMCV only started in 2002 so it is fairly new. We have a newsletter and are in the process of developing a website. Interaction with Australians is limited and we don’t have any special programs to educate Australians about Indonesian Muslims.
“The Consulate General of Indonesia in Melbourne has a weekly gathering in Melbourne. And has a weekly Javanese / Balinese dance or Indonesian cultural events and the invitation is open to anyone and everyone, and I think it works.”
What new strategies or approaches are needed in future?
The meeting identified the need for public education about Islam and about the value of cultural diversity.
“People who are knowledgeable about Islam are not like others who think Muslims are bad because of what’s in the news. It is not just our duty to tell people. It’s the duty of the government to tell people about Islam too. It is imbalanced in the news. If the government spent enough efforts to educate the Australian people and balance information with what’s good about the Muslim community, then there would be some change. Only a small part of the people have extreme attitudes, but the whole Muslim community gets the blame.”
“If you educate people in primary school, e.g. if government gives out information about all religions in primary school that will be good. In my children’s school they have ‘harmony days’, and that’s good for the kids. It teaches them that Australia is composed of different people. This needs to be done at primary and secondary schools. It’s hard to convince someone especially when there is no discrimination in schools.”
“We need to talk about personalities not just religion. Muslims are not taught to do any harm. Terrorism is not Islam. Some other religions have good and bad also. We need to change people’s opinions.”
There was support for extending federal anti-discrimination law to the ground of religion.
“I think naturally people are afraid of being punished so the law does have an impact. It does give some security. But it has to be launched properly and also reinforced because there is no point to it if it is not reinforced.”
On the other hand:
“In regards to the law, I don’t think that having religion in the law is going to really have an effect, because people will go against the law regardless.”
