Somatic
03-03-07, 20:00
CAIRO — The expulsion of a Quebec Muslim girl from a national soccer tournament for wearing hijab has continued to draw fire in Canada with lawmakers defending the girl's right to wear the Islamic headscarf in playground.
"This is an issue of individual rights and freedom of expression," said liberal MP Omar Alghabra, reported the Montreal Gazette on Saturday, March 3.
Asmahan Mansour, 11, was ousted from a soccer tournament on Sunday, February 25, for refusing to take off her hijab on the grounds of posting a threat to the players' safety.
Mansour's teammates and coach stood by her right to wear the hijab, walking off the tournament in protest.
But the Canadian MPs slammed the referee's decision.
"I don't think wearing a hijab, or any religious attire, can be viewed as dangerous. It is like wearing a t-shirt and there was no need for this," said Alghabra.
Conservative MP Wajid Khan also defended the Muslim girl's right to wear hijab.
"You can't hide a bomb under a hijab," said a laughing Khan. :D
"…I think an 11-year-old girl, all she wants to do is play soccer. Let her play the game."
The Quebec Soccer Federation has insisted that the expulsion of the hijab-clad girl was in line with international guidelines.
Rules of the Zurich-based FIFA, which governs international soccer play, do not specify a ban on hijab.
The FIFA will discuss the issue at its annual meeting in Manchester, England, on Saturday.
Misunderstanding
"I would hate to see what is happening in Europe come here," said Khan
Khan said the controversy over the wearing of hijab was clearly based on a misunderstanding.
"People are talking about burkas. A hijab is not a burka, for God sake. I think there is a misunderstanding. But no one is telling anyone how to dress," he said.
I would hate to see what is happening in Europe come here, to be honest with you. I am very conscious of the security of Canada and Canadians."
The issue of the Muslim code of dress was thrown into the international limelight after France adopted in 2004 a law banning hijab in state schools.
Shortly afterwards, other European countries followed the French lead.
The issue has taken further urgency after Britain's House of Commons leader Jack Straw asked Muslim women wearing niqab to take off their veil when visiting to his office.
Liberal Senator Mobina Jaffer also slammed the expulsion of the hijab-clad girl from the tournament.
"I was shocked ...," said Jaffer, the upper chamber's first Muslim member.
"How does a hijab get in the way at all playing soccer?"
"My sadness is it will stop girls from playing sports. We need to look at what is in the best interest of the children, especially the girls - it is real sad," she said.
Earlier, Quebec Premier Jean Charest expressed support for the referee's decision, indicating that as a child playing soccer he was once asked to "tuck in his shirt."
But his remarks drew fire from Canadian MPs as "nonsense".
Jaffer said Charest was insensitive.
"To compare this to always being asked to tuck in his jersey. It was such an insulting comment - what is he thinking about.
"He represents a large Muslim community as premier, probably has the largest community in Quebec and for him to compare the hijab to putting his jersey into his pants. Where is the sensitivity?"
Muslims make up nearly two percent of Canada's some 32.8 million people and Islam has become the number one non-Christian faith in the country.
A recent poll showed that the overwhelming majority of Muslims are proud to be Canadian and are more integrated and better educated than the general population.
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1172571511864&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout
"This is an issue of individual rights and freedom of expression," said liberal MP Omar Alghabra, reported the Montreal Gazette on Saturday, March 3.
Asmahan Mansour, 11, was ousted from a soccer tournament on Sunday, February 25, for refusing to take off her hijab on the grounds of posting a threat to the players' safety.
Mansour's teammates and coach stood by her right to wear the hijab, walking off the tournament in protest.
But the Canadian MPs slammed the referee's decision.
"I don't think wearing a hijab, or any religious attire, can be viewed as dangerous. It is like wearing a t-shirt and there was no need for this," said Alghabra.
Conservative MP Wajid Khan also defended the Muslim girl's right to wear hijab.
"You can't hide a bomb under a hijab," said a laughing Khan. :D
"…I think an 11-year-old girl, all she wants to do is play soccer. Let her play the game."
The Quebec Soccer Federation has insisted that the expulsion of the hijab-clad girl was in line with international guidelines.
Rules of the Zurich-based FIFA, which governs international soccer play, do not specify a ban on hijab.
The FIFA will discuss the issue at its annual meeting in Manchester, England, on Saturday.
Misunderstanding
"I would hate to see what is happening in Europe come here," said Khan
Khan said the controversy over the wearing of hijab was clearly based on a misunderstanding.
"People are talking about burkas. A hijab is not a burka, for God sake. I think there is a misunderstanding. But no one is telling anyone how to dress," he said.
I would hate to see what is happening in Europe come here, to be honest with you. I am very conscious of the security of Canada and Canadians."
The issue of the Muslim code of dress was thrown into the international limelight after France adopted in 2004 a law banning hijab in state schools.
Shortly afterwards, other European countries followed the French lead.
The issue has taken further urgency after Britain's House of Commons leader Jack Straw asked Muslim women wearing niqab to take off their veil when visiting to his office.
Liberal Senator Mobina Jaffer also slammed the expulsion of the hijab-clad girl from the tournament.
"I was shocked ...," said Jaffer, the upper chamber's first Muslim member.
"How does a hijab get in the way at all playing soccer?"
"My sadness is it will stop girls from playing sports. We need to look at what is in the best interest of the children, especially the girls - it is real sad," she said.
Earlier, Quebec Premier Jean Charest expressed support for the referee's decision, indicating that as a child playing soccer he was once asked to "tuck in his shirt."
But his remarks drew fire from Canadian MPs as "nonsense".
Jaffer said Charest was insensitive.
"To compare this to always being asked to tuck in his jersey. It was such an insulting comment - what is he thinking about.
"He represents a large Muslim community as premier, probably has the largest community in Quebec and for him to compare the hijab to putting his jersey into his pants. Where is the sensitivity?"
Muslims make up nearly two percent of Canada's some 32.8 million people and Islam has become the number one non-Christian faith in the country.
A recent poll showed that the overwhelming majority of Muslims are proud to be Canadian and are more integrated and better educated than the general population.
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1172571511864&pagename=Zone-English-News/NWELayout