Author:
Publication: The Local
Date: April 28, 2006
URL: http://www.thelocal.se/article.php?ID=3674&date=20060428&PHPSESSID=151a20b729860e9bd580996d94743dff
Sweden's largest Muslim organisation has demanded
that the country introduce separate laws for Muslims, according to Swedish
television. Sweden's equality minister Jens Orback called the proposals "completely
unacceptable".
The Swedish Muslim Association, which represents
around 70,000 Muslims in Sweden, has sent a letter to all Sweden's main political
parties suggesting a number of reforms, SVT's Rapport programme reported.
The proposals include allowing imams into
state (public) schools to give Muslim children separate lessons in Islam and
their parents' native languages. The letter also said that boys and girls
should have separate swimming lessons and that divorces between Muslims should
be approved by an imam.
The letter provoked an instant, and damning,
response from integration and equality minister Jens Orback.
"We will not have separate laws in Sweden.
In Sweden, we are all equal before the law. In Sweden, we have fought for
a long time to achieve gender-neutral laws, and to propose that certain groups
should not be treated like others is completely unacceptable."
Orback said he had spoken to representatives
of the Swedish Muslim Council, and they did not support the association's
position.
"We have freedom of speech, we have the
right to opinions and we have the right to make proposals - but if a law is
going to be changed, it must be the same for everyone."
Asked whether the proposal plays into the
hands of racists, Orback said that it did.
"I think it is very problematic and unfortunate
that people who have been in Sweden for so long make proposals such as this
that are so opposed to our intentions, when we are fighting for women's rights
and the right to divorce," Orback replied.
Liberal Party leader Lars Leijonborg also
slammed the idea of separate laws.
"Sweden has equality between men and
women. To introduce exceptions for Muslims so that women can be oppressed
with the support of the law is completely unacceptable to me," Liberal
leader Lars Leijonborg wrote in a statement.
