AROUND 25 MUSLIMS protested outside the Belgian embassy in Dublin last weekend, opposing the country’s proposed penalties against Muslim women who wear face veils.
“This is a unity or solidarity protest with our brothers and sisters in Belgium, France, Italy and elsewhere who have been subjected, or will be subjected, to an oppressive, discriminatory ban that will impinge on their right to dress in a religious manner,” commented Liam Egan of the Muslim Public Affairs Council Ireland (MPACIE) – described as “an online presence” that lobbies for Muslims’ rights and which was the main organiser of the protest.
Ali Selim of the Islamic Cultural Centre of Ireland was also attending in a personal capacity.
Asked of situations where an Islamic face veil may limit a person’s ability to drive safely, for example, Egan responded: “Well then we should ban motorcycle helmets as well.”
Eight Muslim women attended, but just one was a wearer of an Islamic veil or niqab (also called a burqa when it covers the whole body), which is worn by only a minority of Muslim women and is not obligatory in Islam.
Mother-of-three Najat Sanussi from Libya, wearing a veil that obscured her entire face except the eyes, said it was “completely” her choice to don the garment, which she said was worn by the companions of the Prophet Muhammad.
Sanussi, who has lived in Ireland for three years with her husband and their three boys, said she hasn’t encountered problems here and is “surprised” at moves across Europe to ban the face veil.
“We thought in European lands everyone has the right to do what they believe,” said Sanussi, who is a stay-at-home mum.
Interior design college student Esraa Hassan, who lives in Dublin, said her mother wears a niqab but couldn’t attend the protest due to prior commitments.
Hassan, who was wearing the hijab (headscarf), which is obligatory in Islam, said she “respects” women who don the face veil, though she prefers not to.
“No-one is forced to wear something if they don’t want to wear it... they dress that way as a form of modesty, no oppression of that sort,” she said.
“My mother is [an Arabic language] teacher, she communicates well with her neighbours, goes to the gym, she does a lot of stuff.”
She explained that her mother removes the garment at the gym, where she attends women-only slots, and during the private classes she tutors as the males are prepubescent.
“To be honest the only problem she ever faced was when she was going for her driving test,” said Hassan. “She went in, and the man was a bit racist... He said: ‘I’m not sitting with someone like you beside me driving.’
“I asked him if there is anything against the law that says she can’t wear a burqa while she’s driving, and he said no. He got a bit embarrassed.”
According to Hassan, her mother immediately left the test centre and took her driving test at another location, passing first time.
