Jun 27, 2006

Hijab and Human Rights

The story for English speakers: two Muslim girls in the Bulgarian town of Smolian were denied permission to go to school wearing their headscarves. The argument used was that it was a secular school and if they want to show their religious affinity, they should go to a religious school. The girls wore the prescribed school uniform, so they were not in violation of school rules.

The news in detail.

This is a blatant infringement on human rights, especially the right to religious expression. Islam requires women to wear special clothing, and the headscarf is something they hold important. I may not agree with their religion, but I would die for their right to profess it. Rings a bell, MAS-members?

Another Wikipedia entry for the knowledge-hungry.

Edit: Nothing new under the sun.

In conclusion, something in character:

NATO - Be Umide
without hope (or agenda)

3 comments:

ikew said...

Всъщност, щом изобщо ходят на училище, значи така или иначе са в конфликт с исляма, така че whatever.

Hellen said...

I am fed up with provocations today... But these are the inevitable side effects of freedom. Anyway, I, surprising though it may seem, do agree with you in terms of concepts. I agree with you also on basis of a purely practical and a kind of assimilation-oriented consideration - making these people these people go to religious schools leads inevitably to capsulation inside their communities and reproduction of a (potentially) extremist model.

There is however a formal objection. If you are supposed to wear uniform at school are you free to add anything to it? Is it OK if I do wear a uniform but also a funny hat, a cross turned upside down, a nechlace of big yellow glittering stones, a badge with the picture of my favorite singer, a badge of the party I am going to vote for the first time or - a head cloth?

Thus we are going to bring out the visibility and not the religious affiliation itself as the leading principle in these cases, which would be contradiction in terms with the concept of basic freedoms.

At the same time we do have and have accepted certain restrictions on basic freedoms in institutions like the military, the police and other forces, but also schools, colleges, etc.

I have not a ready answer to this. The only light I see at the moment, though, is related to increasing the level of independence of schools from the state and making them more dependent on municipal institutions and community organizations directly interested and involved - such as the parental committess (whatever it is called in English, that is настоятелства).

alvin said...

Абсолютно съм съгласен с хората, които твърдят, че да носиш униформа под 5 квадрата черен чаршаф, не е никакво носене на униформа.
Всички деца са ДЛЪЖНИ да спазват правилата, а двете каки - не. Е, защо? А, да - защото местна религиозна организация подаде жалба.

Супер толерантен съм, защото живея в тоя край и знам, че религиозно противопоставяне между хората няма. Просто на никой не му пречи пред кой се кланя другия; родопчани са свикнали с историята си.
Обаче да дъниш звука на джамиите до дупка, да плащаш за носене на фереджета и да се оплакваш от училища, където хора се опитват да си вършат работата - е тва е наглост.
Министъра го каза добре - ако аз вярвам в някой индиански бог и нося пера на главата си, а пък дори и седейки на последния чин (за да не пречиш с перата на тоя зад теб да гледа), спазвам ли унформата? спазвам мъ асс.

Един джентълмен от ДПС пък заяви по случая, че в турските у-ща (и/или университети) подобни религиозни символи са забранени, защото там имало опасност за светския характер на държавата. У нас, видите ли, няма опасност, затова нека всички фенове се пуснат с фереджета.

Гнусна история, ако щете ми вервайте.