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Assembly
for the
Protection of
Hijab
124 Harrowdene Rd, London HA0 2JF
Tel: 0044 (0) 208 908 9109
Fax: 0044 (0) 208 908 9108
www.prohijab.net
E-mail: info@prohijab.net
Press Release (15th March 2005)
Protect Hijab vows to
continue campaigning against the ban on Hijab
March 15th 2005 marks the
first anniversary of the French Government's decision to ban
‘religious symbols’. Since last year we
have witnessed the oppression of an entire
segment of the French society, namely, hundreds of Hijab wearing young
Muslim women who have been forcibly excluded from schools by this
draconian law. This open discrimination by
France
and other European countries is an
unacceptable position for states that are party to
the European Convention on Human
Rights
(ECHR) and makes a mockery of the French declaration of "Liberte,
egalite, fraternite ...".
Assembly for the Protection
of Hijab (Protect Hijab) tireless campaign gained the support of many
individuals, groups, MPs and MEPs across the political spectrum.
Since its launch in the House of Commons last June, Protect Hijab
organised an international conference hosted by the Mayor of London Mr
Ken Livingstone, and
has undertaken
numerous campaigns and continues to go from strength to strength. This
is evidence of the legitimacy of this struggle.
In alliances with MEPs and
other faith groups, Protect-Hijab is currently campaigning to obtain
MEP signatures for a Written Declaration tabled before the European
Parliament on the issue of religious freedom. If the written
declaration is signed by half of the MEPs by the 21st of
May 05, it will be adopted by the European Parliament.
"Women and girls who have
freely chosen to wear Hijab as an essential part of their Islamic
beliefs and lifestyle should not be forced to endure a directive
likely to heighten religious and ethnic discrimination”.
Said Caroline
Lucas MEP who is one of 5 authors of the Written Declaration.
Abeer Pharaon chair of the
Assembly for the Protection of Hijab said: “We vow with the support
of freedom loving and justice seeking to continue campaigning against
such blatant religious intolerance. The Written Declaration is an
attempt to
revive the drive towards multiculturalism and tolerance that Europe
fought so hard to obtain, which is now being threatened by such
extreme measures”.
[END]
For further
information please contact media liaison officers: 07786257120 or
07947787222,
or visit
Action Alert (Freedom of Religious Expression in
Europe)
A Written Declaration was tabled before the European
Parliament on the 21st of February by 5 MEPs: Green MEP for
the South-East Caroline Lucas, London MEPs Sarah Ludford, (Liberal
Democrat), Claude Moraes (Labour), Conservative MEP for the West
Midlands Phillip Bushill-Matthews and French Green MEP Alain Lipietz.
The Declaration calls for the right to freedom of
religious expression including the Muslim Hijab, Sikh turban, Jewish
skullcap and Christian cross.
There will be a period of three months starting from 21st
February during which MEPs can sign in support of the declaration. In
order to be adopted by the European Parliament, half of the all MEPs
must sign before it lapses.
Assembly for the Protection of Hijab calls on all
freedom loving and justice seeking people to lobby their MEPs to sign
the written declaration.
A model letter and all MEPs e-mail addresses can be
found on
www.prohijab.net
We must act now and exert
pressure on MEPs to sign the written declaration.
What can you do?
Write now to your MEPs, send the model letter to the
listed MEPs e-mail addresses found on
www.prohijab.net
For Written Declaration text, please click here
http://www.prohijab.net/english/main.htm
You can read more on
http://www.islamonline.net/English/News/2005-02/21/article01.shtml
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