Monday 12th July Hijab Statement by Ms Pazareh Heidari

This statement was due to be read in the conference by Ms Pazareh Heidari, but unfortunately Ms Pazareh was not able to attend.

Statement by Ms Pazareh Heidari from an initiative called KOPF
HOCH!  ( HOLD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH!)

Dear friends and fellow activists, AssalaamuAleykum,

The scarf, Islam has become a convenient campaign topic feeding on the lower human reflexes of fear and ignorance. There is a lot of talk ABOUT Muslims but not WITH Muslims. 

We have Mullahs with German names who know more about our religion than Imam Hanafi, Shafi, Hanbali, Malki, Jafari, etc. 

They are called Mullah Chancellor Schroeder, Mullah Annette Schavan, Mullah Angela Merkel, Mullah Wolfgang Thierse…politicians who forgot about the concept of separation of religion and politics and are defining the religious significance of the scarf… for the Muslims.

A situation has been reached in Germany in which the basic ethics of RESPECT have been disposed with. 

And thus practicing Muslims living in Germany are facing scary times.   

The minister of interior affairs Otto Schily can get away with saying the religion of Islam is a mistake. 

The work of established Muslim organizations and individuals has been crippled due to having been slandered islamist, extremist, fundamentalist.

Women wearing scarves of all professions find it virtually impossible to find employment, be it doctors, cashiers, teachers or secretaries… So much for woman empowerment!

Fear of Muslims is rampant and Muslims are starting to be afraid too. 

This statement to you today will focus on two points,  Pazareh Heidari will in a separate statement give an  overview of how the  debate came about in Germany

1. Our anti-scarf ban initiative called KOPF HOCH, and several other initiatives campaigning against the scarf ban. 

2. What can you do

2.  Initiatives against the scarf ban in Germany

KOPF HOCH!  This is the name of our initiative against the scarf ban.  It means in English: HOLD YOUR HEAD UP HIGH!

In spite of the disrespect, contempt and borderline hate towards the scarf and the religion of Islam more generally- we Muslim women wearing the scarf in Germany  insist on our right to work, be respected and heard.

We are a dynamic group of young and old, of different ethnic and religious backgrounds who are actively campaigning against the scarf bans in the various German states.  

Our goals are

• to stop the laws before being passed or campaign for them to be repealed once they have been passed.. 

• to explain the antidemocratic dimensions and social implications of these laws

• support women who are discriminated against

• Germany-wide networking with activists, organizations, institutions,

• initiatives who are against racism, islamophobia and  discrimination

• Support Muslims to become more active in society in general

• Constructive and harmonious working together

How do  we work:

1. We have periodic  meetings- (women only) in which we expand on our goals and  decide upon organizational questions.  The next meeting is on the 18^th of September.

2. Our working groups-  four

These working groups work  more or less independently from one another- in the time between our  national meetings.

(1)  Working group:  Public relations

Organizes events, demonstrations, meeting with politicians, petitions, collects islamophobic coverage in the media

This working group has so far organized

-a demonstration against the scarf ban on the 5.06. 04 in Frankfurt with over 3000 demonstrators.

-Had planned a demonstration on the 7.07.04 in front of the parliament of Hessen in Wiesbaden which was having a reading of the laws on the scarf on that day.  2 days before the demonstrators the police called and forbade the demonstration from taking place- nonetheless many showed up to show their mistaking.

-Two talks on the scarf

-Offered seminars at the Annual meeting of German speaking Muslims (TDM  Treffen deutschsprachiger Muslime )

Infobooth at the annual meeting of the Muslim Youth (Muslimische Jugend) and in various cities

                   (2)  Working group:  Infopool

                   Collects incidents of discrimination and documenting them.

                   (3)  Working group:  International contacts, human rights  

                        organizations and Feminists

This working group has  written a letter to Shirin Ebadi

 And is planning to take part in the European social forum and

is  presently formulating letters to write to human rights organizations

(4)  Working group:  Website: setting up and maintainance of a website (www.kopfhoch.com)

For our initiative it is very important to work together harmoniously and constructively. We are still a small initiative of mainly female, mainly Muslim activists but we are open to campaign together  with all those who are tolerant and likewise seeking to work in a constructive manner.

There are also other initiatives against the scarf ban that we are in contact with and support and should be mentioned:

Initiative “Mein Kopftuch”  (In English, my scarf).   This is a  initiative  of women from various professions  doctors, lawyers, housewives, psychologists.  This initiative is based in Duisburg, it has organized several demonstrations, a petition with over 10000 signatures,  letters to politicians

Address:  HDR, Am Flachsmarkt 12, 47051 Duisburg, www.meinkopftuch.org  email: info@meinkopftuch.org, Zehra Yilmaz is the initiator of the initiative

DMK Deutschsprachiger Muslim Kreis

This initiative has sent a  submission paper to  leading German politicians

Contact person:  Amal Klausing  

A statement signed by over 70 Muslim organizations about the scarf,  its religious significance

Berlin Aktion Forum:

Planning to organize a large conference on the scarf in Berlin, has started a Germany wide petition, has printed T-shirts, stickers and buttons against the scarf ban

Email:   kein-berufsverbot@gmx.de

3.  Your support:

It has been very difficult so far to shift the debate within Germany. There  has been no outcry from human rights organizations, peace activists, feminists, politicians, TV shows, newspapers. 

That is why we are hoping to transform the debate by international pressure from politicians, human rights organizations, feminists, writers, actors….

Please write about the issue of islamophobia in Germany, the anti-scarf laws and put these reports on your websites and mention the issue  at your conferences!

We can Inshallah provide many concrete examples of discrimination, islamophobia quotes from mainstream German politicians, church representatives, feminists, newspapers…

Germans should feel ashamed that their governments are passing laws  violating human rights- whereas now they feel justified in so doing. 

Peace, activism and commitment,

Majida Shehadeh from the Working group International contacts, human rights organizations and Feminists.