In Lakemba yesterday, around 2000 Muslims participated in a peaceful protest, expressing their anger towards increasing local and international pressures to limit the wearing of face-covering veils in public.
The rally was in reaction to recent bans enacted in Europe and two unsuccessful attempts by Christian Democratic Party MP Fred Nile to introduce a Bill prohibiting burqas and other face veils in the NSW Legislative Council.
Umjamal Eldin, a seventh-generation Australian, shared that she chose to wear the burqa because it gave her the ability to decide who she “exposes her beauty” to.
The Muslim women’s group denounced the ban on face coverings as “ridiculous.”
Prior to Sunday’s rally at Parry Park, the United Muslim Women’s Association released a statement clarifying its lack of involvement.
Maha Abdo, the Association’s executive officer, stated: “While it is clear that Muslim minority communities globally are encountering significant opposition to freely practicing their faith, we do not believe a community rally in Lakemba will effectively address any real issues.”
The United for Islam (UFI) group organized the rally to express opposition to the proposed Bill in the NSW Parliament aimed at banning the burqa.
However, earlier this month, Premier Kristina Keneally remarked that Fred Nile’s proposal was incompatible with multicultural Australia. Opposition Leader Barry O’Farrell also communicated that the Liberals and Nationals would not back the Bill.
These comments led Ms. Abdo to label the weekend rally as “too late” and foolish.
“We have exerted every effort to communicate our concerns, and in this instance, we have achieved some success,” she said.
“We recognize that this will not conclude the debate in Australia, as our recent history has shown us that this issue will resurface repeatedly.”
Before the rally, Ms. Abdo expressed concerns that it was likely “to fuel feelings of fear and victimhood among the Muslim community, which is something we should not endorse.”
In an email urging attendance at the rally, the UFI indicated that Western media, politicians, and academics had misrepresented the niqab and burqa as symbols of oppression.
Just last week, the French Senate approved legislation banning French Muslim women and tourists from wearing face-covering veils in public spaces.
“The Muslim community must not, and will not, remain silent while our issues are discussed by the rest of society,” the UFI asserted.
To many, any limitations on religious attire represent a direct assault on Muslims.
“This constitutes a personal affront to Islam, and individuals become upset when denied the right to practice their religion,” asserted event spokesman Ahmed Dabboussi yesterday.
Some may interpret this as an attack on Australian culture.
