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April 28, 2007

Denmark: Muslim Hijab Woman To Run For Parliament

Associated Press via ADN.com, Seattle Pi and Newsday reports that a Danish woman who wears a hijab and refuses to shake hands with men has announced her intention to stand in the 2009 parliamentary elections in Denmark.

This 25-year old woman, Asmaa (Asama) Abdol-Hamid, came to Denmark with her family from Palestine when she was 6. She works as a social worker at Odense and is a member of Odense city council. The blog Agora traces her trajectory via entries in the Danish media.

In June 2001, she was photographed selling falafels in Vollsmore, an immigrant neighborhood in Odense. At this time she was head of the "Young Women's Activity Organization". Two months later, this group protested the impending appointment of Carmi Gillon (former head of intelligence agency Shin-Bet) to the post of Israeli ambassador to Denmark.

In the late summer of 2004, Abdol-Hamid wrote newspaper letters complaining about Denmark's "24-year" rule which was designed to dissuade arranged marriages. This law prevents migrants from bringing in spouses under the age of 24. Abdol-Hamid claimed the law was intended to reduce foreigners entering Denmark, and abused their "human rights".

In December 2004 she was rejected as a candidate for the Social Democrats, but in the following year joined the "Unity List" a socialist/communist coalition.

In May 2005, when Queen Margrethe II was quoted in a biography stating that "We are presently being challenged by Islam. Both globally and locally," Abdol-Hamid writes a letter, condemning Margrethe. In return, letters condemn Abdol-Hamid.

In May, 2005, supports radical cleric Abu Laban in his demands for the family of a disco bouncer to pay "blood money" to the family of a Muslim man shot b the bouncer. In July 2005, she attended an anti-George W. Bush demonstration.

The Jyllands-Posten newspaper's publication on September 30, 2005 of cartoons of the alleged prophet Mohammed brought Abdol-Hamid into the limelight. On October 29, 2005, a month after the cartoons were printed, Abdol-Hamid acted as coordinator for 11 Muslim bodies in a complaint made to the Danish police against the newspaper.

Two days later, she refused to shake hands with a politician from the anti-immigration Danish People's Party (DPP - Dansk Folkeparti), an action which was motivated by religious prejudice against touching men, more than a political statement. This gesture brought her a public denouncement from the leftists at the "Unity List" coalition. On November 11, 2005, Abdol-Hamid was condemned by Karsten Hønge of the Socialist People's Party (Socialistisk Folkeparti - SF), who said she was a "fundamentalist who shouldn't call herself a socialist." He said that she was trying to limit freedom of speech by trying to ban the cartoons, an action which made her "belong to the reactionaries".

The November 2005 election was a disaster for Abdol-Hamid, who was not elected. However, her railings against freedom of speech were rewarded when in the end of March, 2006, she was given her own eight-part show on Denmark's state-funded DR2 network. She was the first hijab-wearing presenter to host a Danish TV show. Her co-host was Adam Holm, an advocate of press freedom. DR2 aimed for the show to promote dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims, and justified her headscarf by stating: "headscarf-wearing women are part of Danish society and we need to accept this fact."

Asbol-Hamid's televised headscarf elicited contrary reactions from Denmark's feminists. Vibeke Manniche, head of the Women for Freedom association, said of the choice of Asbol-Hamid to host the show was "an insult to both Danish and Muslim women. She sends the signal that an honourable woman cannot go out unless her head is covered." Feminist Forum claimed her presence on DR2 TV "strengthens ethnic and gender equality in Denmark."

After the TV appearance, she received emails. She said of these: "Some emails were critical and offensive; but I was never provoked and dealt with them in accordance with our Islamic teachings, trying to explain my viewpoints to the senders."

At her press conference on Friday, April 27 to announce her intentions to stand in 2009 as a parliamentary candidate, Abdol-Hamid claimed "I want another Denmark where we talk about the difference between groups. When we talk about values, (we need) to be open to whatever people are, Muslim or non-Muslim. We have a constitution in Denmark and it will be upheld."

There has been a background of controversy behind this decision by Abdol-Hamid. There claims that she has changed her political position, and she has been condemned by members of the Danish People's Party (Dansk Folkeparti).

A week before her press conference, DPA and EUX.TV reported on the controversy. Three members of Dansk Folkeparti had made negative comments about Muslims in general and Abdol-Hamid in particular. One of these, thrologian Soren Krarup had compared the hijab to a "totalitarian symbol" like the swastika. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the premier and leader of the Venstre liberal party, had condemned Krarup's comments.

On his website, Krarup stated: "The Danish People's Party would like to underline that this is not a critique of the individual woman, who may wear a headscarf, but a general critique of Islam's veiling of women."

Mogens Camre, who is also a DPP representative in the European Parliament, had on April 18 said to the daily newspaper Politiken that Abdol-Hamid needed psychiatric care. On Friday, April 20, he issued a public apology, explaining that his comments had been to highlight the absurdities of Islam. In an internet press release, Camre said: "It wasn't my intention to comment on Abdol-Hamid's mental condition, but rather the absurdities of the Islamic view on the world, so therefore I'm sorry about those statements."

On April 20, Morten Messerschmidt had reiterated Krarup's comments about the hijab representing totalitarianism.

As a result, the three politicians were reported to the police on April 20. The complaint had been filed by the Documentation and Advisory Center on Racial Discrimination. Its spokeswoman, Line Boegsted, had said "We're reporting them to police for violating racism laws on behalf of two Danes who have asked us to do so."

Any attempt to punish the three DPP members would be stymied by their possessing diplomatic immunity - the EU parliament and Danish Parliament would have to officially lift immunity provisions against the accused men to proceed with a prosecution.

The Unity List, also known as the Red-Green Alliance, has claimed that the "anger generated against Asmaa is likely due to the fact that she is trying to combine being a practicing Muslim with supporting democracy, gender equality and socialism."

On Thursday, April 19, the daily Politiken had published an interview with Abdol-Hamid in which it claimed that she supported the death penalty (not legal under Danish law). On Friday 20, Abdol-Hamid denied the claim and demanded an apology from the paper. The newspaper however has stood by its claims, maintaining its interview was accurate.

At her press conference on Friday April 27, Abdol-Hamid reiterated her claim that she did not support the death penalty, and said that she was "unconcerned with whatever sexual or ethnic background people have."

Not all of Denmark's Muslims are happy with Abdol-Hamid. Karl Ritter of Associated Press quoted Hamid El Mousti, who sits on Copenhagen's City Council. He said: "If you don't shake hands with men, you can't be a part of the Danish Parliament. I'm from Morocco and we shake hands with women. If you do not salute people, communication between you and others will be very bad."

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at April 28, 2007 5:13 PM

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