IT was a debate over one of the most vexed issues of our times - one that pitted not only ideas and opinions against each other, but entire civilisations.

In front of a packed audience of 1200 passionate souls, a panel of experts on politics and Islam opened the Intelligence2 debate series by ripping into the proposition that Islam is incompatible with democracy.

The security guards and flyer-wielding campaigners at the doors gave some indication of the fraught nature of the subject matter from the outset. And those on stage did not disappoint, taking the discussion from the soaring heights of Islam's philosophical antecedents to the cold, hard reality of suppression under Sharia law.

Having told another Sydney audience earlier this week that Islam would dominate Europe, the director of the Middle East Forum, Daniel Pipes, immediately provided a cutting criticism of the world's second largest religion.

"Islam is undemocratic in spirit," he said. "It takes a lot of learning to have freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of association. These are things that are learnt over a period of time and it is that which the West has achieved and which Islam is a long way from learning.

"Yes, there are Muslim states which are democratic in form, but true democracy is yet to take root. The great obstacle to this change is the fact that in the Middle East the social system is fundamentally tribal and that obstructs the development of the key requisites of democracy."

The rebuttal from the Pakistan-born director of the University of Western Australia's Centre for Muslim States and Societies, Samina Yasmeen, was a cool cloth to Pipes's fire.

"You will see what you want to see and if you want to identify Islam as incompatible I have no doubt that you will continue seeing that," she said.

"How is it, though, that Muslims in non-Muslim societies are able to get on so well when Islam is incompatible? I would argue that Muslim majority states do show a lot of tolerance, not only of the Muslim community, but also of the non-Muslim community."

Amina Rasul, a human rights activist and director of the Philippine Council on Islam and Democracy, followed the theme. "What the West should not do is criticise states which are not democratic while supporting despots who suppress human rights because it is in their economic benefit," Rasul said.

"There are 800 million Muslims living happily and successfully in democratic nations - why is it that the extremes are always focused on?"

The Herald columnist Paul Sheehan brought the question into stark relief by comparing a trip to Mecca with a trip to Rome.

"When you visit the Vatican, one thing that is for certain is that you will be allowed in," Sheehan said. "When you visit Saudi Arabia the checks at the airport and for those travelling into Mecca are not just for security reasons, they are to prevent non-Muslims from coming in."

Finally the statements were brought back to first principles by Waleed Aly, the young lawyer, writer and spokesman for the Islamic Council of Victoria.

"My opponents have defined terms such as Islam and Sharia law to suit their arguments and in so doing have ignored the myriad interpretations of these terms."

In the end, the audience had the final call and it delivered a victory to hope - but only just. A poll conducted as the audience entered found 38 per cent for the affirmative, 42 per cent for the negative and the remaining 20 per cent undecided. In the tradition of many a democratic poll, the numbers had tightened by the end of the night - with the proposition going down by a narrow margin of 52 to 48 per cent.

"The response to this debate has been phenomenal and I've been trying to find an explanation for this overwhelming response," said Simon Longstaff from the St James Ethics Centre. "For the past decade people have not really engaged with these issues. People have formed hasty judgments and not engaged with the details. They've been more focused on their own concerns in their community and in their backyard. But there has been a change in mood in Australia."

Indeed, it could have been a hostile affair, but there were no howls from the audience. Sheehan referred to threats against Pipes before the event and the need for security to protect him. As it turned out, the guards had little to do.

Not even Michael Darby could get a reaction in the foyer afterwards as he handed out pamphlets on "how you can ensure Australia remains a Christian nation". Darby said: "I may have handed out some to Muslim people but I can't tell who is Muslim. I can say ladies with scarves did not rush me."

The IQ2 debate series is a partnership between the St James Ethics Centre, The Sydney Morning Herald, the ABC and the City of Sydney.

This story was found at: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2008/04/15/1208025189868.html

Source: Gold Coast Sun Wednesday 16/4/2008

A dearth of servants to perform domestic chores is making it difficult for some South African immigrants to adjust to New Zealand life, a Massey University study has found.

The research - by doctoral student Carina Meares - claims South Africans coming to this country struggle to make the transition; from organising their professional lives without access to cheap domestic labour, to being forced into unskilled labour because their academic or professional status was not recognised.

Dr Meares interviewed a number of South Africans who settled in New Zealand between 1994 and 2001 for her thesis, entitled From Rainbow Nation to the Land of the Long White Cloud: Migration, Gender and Biography.

She focused on the impact migrating to New Zealand had on gender roles in marriage, parenting, domestic life and paid employment.

More than 41,000 South Africans live in New Zealand, according to the last Census, with about half of them on the North Shore.

One interviewee - who ran a business from home in her native country - said South African women had a different role as an abundance of servants meant they did not have to do "menial tasks".

That left them free to take up paid or unpaid work, or simply to socialise.

In New Zealand, where domestic labour was more expensive, many immigrant couples "not only have to cope with the practical and emotional challenges of settling themselves and their families ... they must also negotiate a new way of sharing the multiple responsibilities of paid and unpaid work".

Yet despite the economic and cultural problems - which could include long periods out of work - many couples, and families, became closer following the move, Dr Meares' research found. "Migration can cause enormous disruption to a migrant's life story. The kind of disruption it causes can differ for women and men, but that for all migrants it takes a great deal of courage and hard work to make a life for yourself somewhere new."

South African Michael Blythe, who has lived in New Zealand for about a month, said his family had had a full-time maid, two gardeners and a part-time cleaner.

"Doing my own laundry is a bit of a mission, you didn't really have to do it in South Africa. The maid would iron everything. Over here you just fold it neatly and hope it doesn't crease."

He said South Africa's high unemployment rate meant home-help was cheaper than in New Zealand.

But Milford resident Shari Hearne, who came to New Zealand from South Africa six years ago, said she had no difficulty adjusting.


"I don't think I agree. I've been working full time and I haven't needed a servant and I worked in South Africa and didn't have one. There might be a fallacy that all South African women or all South African families have a maid but that's not the case."

Ms Hearne, a librarian, said she knew many South African families that had settled well here.


This story was found at: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=324&objectid=10503956&ref=emailfriend

Taufan is delighted to take on this dynamic role and is committed to assisting marginalised young Muslims reach their highest potentials.

Born and bred in Brisbane, Taufan has plenty of experience working with Muslim youth, as a volunteer. He has worked to unite Muslim youth of diverse backgrounds, and promote mutual understanding between the Muslim and mainstream communities. Taufan holds an International Studies and Political Science degree from Griffith University.

MYServices wishes to thank Anas Abdalla, the previous Officer, for his commitment in addressing the needs of Muslim youth, for his passionate advocacy, and of course, for his humorous entertainment. MYServices wishes Anas success in all his future endeavours.
 

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