English Forums

Use our English forums to learn English. The message boards are great for English questions and English answers. The more you contribute, the more all members can practice English!

First veiled in the Belgian Parliament

02:08 AM Jun 24 2009 \| Reply
arabhamid Algeria	Mahinur Ozdemir First veiled MP swears in in Brussels amidst controversy The first veiled woman to take her seat in the Brussels parliament was sworn in amidst a growing controversy over the wearing of the Islamic dress. But she says the debate diverts attention from the real issues. BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (JUNE 23, 2009) REUTERS - Brussels swore in its first veiled Member of Parliament on Tuesday (June 23), the same day the French next door were setting up a parliamentary mission in the Parliamentary Assembly, to decide whether or not to outlaw the full veil, burqa or niqab. The 26-year-old Mahinur Ozdemir, a Christian Democrat (CdH) of Turkish origin, is the first veiled woman to take a seat in the regional parliament of Belgian capital Brussels. Ozdemir says the debate that raged in the Belgian media and parliament over her veil overshadowed the main political issue: her political programme for Brussels. Several members from the right and the liberal parties want all "religious or philosophically distinctive signs" to be banned from the realm's Assemblies. Some schools in Flanders have already banned the veil but the decision remains in the hands of directors as it is not enshrined in the law. The swearing in comes a day after French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the burqa was "not welcome" in France. The National Assembly in Paris has six months to write a report which could lead to the banning of the full veil. Sarkozy also said he believed it was a symbol of subservience, not faith. The debate has cut France through the middle. One French deputy, Corinne Lepage, describes the full veil as a "mobile prison'. Human Rights Watch in Paris says a burqa ban would violate human rights because it is a religious choice. In Brussels, socialist deputy Caroline Desir says Ozdemir is far from being submissive. Her wearing of the head scarf was a personal choice she made when she was 14. "It is a personal choice and so, can we talk of submission or something that is imposed on women or an aggression for us, in this context here it is very hard to think of such a thing," Desir said. After the swearing in, Ozdemir said she was sad of the attention the media gave to the veil and invited the press to meet her in six months time to look at her achievements instead. "Unfortunately I was reduced to nothing more than this veil and frankly it is hard to remove yourself from it and in the end it has got to be very heavy because underneath this veil there is a personality, there is someone who is engaged, who wants things to change, who wants to move forward, who wants to carry out loads of projects for the people of Brussels and who was rather keen to talk about those projects. Now it is not the case and I hope that after this I will be judged on my work. And I give you rendez vous in six months, not even one year," Ozdemir said. Her mother, Malak Guler, also said the veil pressure had been hard to bear sometimes. "It is impossible to explain this moment" (Q: And is the pressure beginning to lift?) (she giggles) "yes now it's ok." (Q: Hamdulillah?) "Hamdulillah. We are breathing a little, we are breathing, because it has been two months that we are in front of the media, and the pressure about her scarf, that I won't forget it, but now, we are going to forget this case and now we need to talk about her projects and nothing else." (Q: Are you going to breathe now?) "I am going to breathe. Inshallah," Guler says. But with the French having brought the issue to the heart of politics and government the debate is unlikely to abate and Ozdemir is most likely to be back at the front line of the Western nations' veil-and-burqa debate for at least the next six months. The election of a veiled woman member of the Parliament of Brussels The way open to it in spite of threats by some Maheanor Ozdemir Brussels: Abdullah Mustafa Could become a Muslim parliamentary Maheanor Ozdemir, of Turkish origin, that the oath at the Parliament of the Belgian capital Brussels, which is wearing the hijab, the first Muslim to be veiled in the parliaments of Belgium. Sabak said Antoinette, of the Liberal Party, the Reform Movement Walloon, a candidate for the presidency of the parliament during the next session, «there is nothing in the regulations of Parliament, would prevent Muslim MP was sworn in wearing a veil», and endorsed the view of the Parliamentary Eric Thomas, of the Walloon Socialist Party , which is headed by the Parliament of Brussels at its previous session, before the recent regional elections in the seventh of June (June), is to select the members of the parliaments of Belgium. It is assumed that the Sabak, took the first meeting of the Parliament of Brussels as the senior member, and then be elected to the presidency of the parliament, then presiding over the meeting, which will be the performance of the Legal Section of the new members, and Sabak said, «I have my own in this matter, but if necessary Sotdechl as President of Parliament, MP for the protection of Amahgbp ». This came after a short time, told the parliamentary party itself, which belongs to Sabak, the Attorney Denis Ducarme, which said, that he wants a ban on all parliamentarians who wear religious signs. Following the announcement of the winning Maheanor, which received 2851 votes, was enough to have won a seat in the Parliament of the Brussels of the Democratic Party, known by local media and international Maheanor, and had interviews with them. , And in any place to go find the media attention both domestically and internationally, and has newspapers and television stations from various countries such as Britain, Turkey, Australia and others to conduct interviews with Maheanor. The Maheanor, always demanding that the focus on the veil worn by, but must be attentive and focus on the important issues of concern to a Belgian citizen, in particular unemployment and housing, says, «I will work against unemployment and the return to work and veiled schools». It adds a Turkish parliamentary origin «I want to point out here that, without a hijab, or veil, there would be no impact on the views of the problems in this country, nor how to find solutions and to help others, whether with or without hijab veil» and add «Withhold Withhold my hair is not an intellectual, will be the Islamic headscarf and an obstacle to its political activity, and should not be a matter of a point of controversy, I would advise those who criticize the veil to go to an ophthalmologist to remove injustice ». Maheanor and trying, through their statements to emphasize that it reserves the Belgian roots of Turkish Islam. Says, «I was born here on Belgian soil, and grown and learned in this country, and I am third-generation immigrant, and I belong to the family is keen to work and play hard work and dedication, and my parents helped me and been very happy Benjahi elections». Belgium has been where a large Muslim community of more than half a million, mostly Moroccans and Turks, and the first generation of whom the late fifties to the country to work in the reconstruction of what was destroyed by World War II.

02:08 AM Jun 24 2009 | Reply

arabhamid

Algeria

Mahinur Ozdemir

First veiled MP swears in in Brussels amidst controversy
The first veiled woman to take her seat in the Brussels parliament was sworn in amidst a growing controversy over the wearing of the Islamic dress. But she says the debate diverts attention from the real issues.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (JUNE 23, 2009) REUTERS -
Brussels swore in its first veiled Member of Parliament on Tuesday (June 23), the same day the French next door were setting up a parliamentary mission in the Parliamentary Assembly, to decide whether or not to outlaw the full veil, burqa or niqab.
The 26-year-old Mahinur Ozdemir, a Christian Democrat (CdH) of Turkish origin, is the first veiled woman to take a seat in the regional parliament of Belgian capital Brussels.

Ozdemir says the debate that raged in the Belgian media and parliament over her veil overshadowed the main political issue: her political programme for Brussels.

Several members from the right and the liberal parties want all "religious or philosophically distinctive signs" to be banned from the realm's Assemblies.

Some schools in Flanders have already banned the veil but the decision remains in the hands of directors as it is not enshrined in the law.

The swearing in comes a day after French President Nicolas Sarkozy said the burqa was "not welcome" in France.

The National Assembly in Paris has six months to write a report which could lead to the banning of the full veil.

Sarkozy also said he believed it was a symbol of subservience, not faith.

The debate has cut France through the middle. One French deputy, Corinne Lepage, describes the full veil as a "mobile prison'. Human Rights Watch in Paris says a burqa ban would violate human rights because it is a religious choice.

In Brussels, socialist deputy Caroline Desir says Ozdemir is far from being submissive. Her wearing of the head scarf was a personal choice she made when she was 14.

"It is a personal choice and so, can we talk of submission or something that is imposed on women or an aggression for us, in this context here it is very hard to think of such a thing," Desir said.

After the swearing in, Ozdemir said she was sad of the attention the media gave to the veil and invited the press to meet her in six months time to look at her achievements instead.

"Unfortunately I was reduced to nothing more than this veil and frankly it is hard to remove yourself from it and in the end it has got to be very heavy because underneath this veil there is a personality, there is someone who is engaged, who wants things to change, who wants to move forward, who wants to carry out loads of projects for the people of Brussels and who was rather keen to talk about those projects. Now it is not the case and I hope that after this I will be judged on my work. And I give you rendez vous in six months, not even one year," Ozdemir said.

Her mother, Malak Guler, also said the veil pressure had been hard to bear sometimes.

"It is impossible to explain this moment" (Q: And is the pressure beginning to lift?) (she giggles) "yes now it's ok." (Q: Hamdulillah?) "Hamdulillah. We are breathing a little, we are breathing, because it has been two months that we are in front of the media, and the pressure about her scarf, that I won't forget it, but now, we are going to forget this case and now we need to talk about her projects and nothing else." (Q: Are you going to breathe now?) "I am going to breathe. Inshallah," Guler says.

But with the French having brought the issue to the heart of politics and government the debate is unlikely to abate and Ozdemir is most likely to be back at the front line of the Western nations' veil-and-burqa debate for at least the next six months.

The election of a veiled woman member of the Parliament of Brussels

The way open to it in spite of threats by some
Maheanor Ozdemir

Brussels: Abdullah Mustafa
Could become a Muslim parliamentary Maheanor Ozdemir, of Turkish origin, that the oath at the Parliament of the Belgian capital Brussels, which is wearing the hijab, the first Muslim to be veiled in the parliaments of Belgium. Sabak said Antoinette, of the Liberal Party, the Reform Movement Walloon, a candidate for the presidency of the parliament during the next session, «there is nothing in the regulations of Parliament, would prevent Muslim MP was sworn in wearing a veil», and endorsed the view of the Parliamentary Eric Thomas, of the Walloon Socialist Party , which is headed by the Parliament of Brussels at its previous session, before the recent regional elections in the seventh of June (June), is to select the members of the parliaments of Belgium. It is assumed that the Sabak, took the first meeting of the Parliament of Brussels as the senior member, and then be elected to the presidency of the parliament, then presiding over the meeting, which will be the performance of the Legal Section of the new members, and Sabak said, «I have my own in this matter, but if necessary Sotdechl as President of Parliament, MP for the protection of Amahgbp ». This came after a short time, told the parliamentary party itself, which belongs to Sabak, the Attorney Denis Ducarme, which said, that he wants a ban on all parliamentarians who wear religious signs. Following the announcement of the winning Maheanor, which received 2851 votes, was enough to have won a seat in the Parliament of the Brussels of the Democratic Party, known by local media and international Maheanor, and had interviews with them.

, And in any place to go find the media attention both domestically and internationally, and has newspapers and television stations from various countries such as Britain, Turkey, Australia and others to conduct interviews with Maheanor. The Maheanor, always demanding that the focus on the veil worn by, but must be attentive and focus on the important issues of concern to a Belgian citizen, in particular unemployment and housing, says, «I will work against unemployment and the return to work and veiled schools». It adds a Turkish parliamentary origin «I want to point out here that, without a hijab, or veil, there would be no impact on the views of the problems in this country, nor how to find solutions and to help others, whether with or without hijab veil» and add «Withhold Withhold my hair is not an intellectual, will be the Islamic headscarf and an obstacle to its political activity, and should not be a matter of a point of controversy, I would advise those who criticize the veil to go to an ophthalmologist to remove injustice ». Maheanor and trying, through their statements to emphasize that it reserves the Belgian roots of Turkish Islam. Says, «I was born here on Belgian soil, and grown and learned in this country, and I am third-generation immigrant, and I belong to the family is keen to work and play hard work and dedication, and my parents helped me and been very happy Benjahi elections». Belgium has been where a large Muslim community of more than half a million, mostly Moroccans and Turks, and the first generation of whom the late fifties to the country to work in the reconstruction of what was destroyed by World War II.