ENORB complains to Le Vif about Islamophobic article
Le Vif take a strong stance against “making the wearing of the Islamic veil visible in parliament, in public administration and in education” arguing this discriminates against other Belgian citizens.
Le Vif “are of the opinion that the phenomenon of the visibility of rigorous Islam in the workplace is much more widespread in Brussels than it seems.” Islam in this context is seen as a danger to society as a whole.
In their complaint, ENORB wrote: “Your article contributes to a biased view of the ways Muslim women participate in Belgian society, by assuming that minorities represent private interests in opposition to those of the general public.“
While these topics are important to discuss, it should be done in a fair and ethical manner. As language can affect how Muslims are viewed by others.
This article reinforces the idea of a "hard" Islam that oppresses "good Muslims" - those who don’t like wearing a headscarf and adapt more easily to "European values."
According to ENORB, Tokenisation allows people to use language and labels to delegitimise their critics.
Tokenisation of the Muslim population is a process in which Muslim groups are politicised and categorised.
This stifles legitimate voices within minority groups and sends the inaccurate message that those who defend their fundamental rights are subversive elements within minority groups.
The line between legitimate participation in democratic life and colluding in acts of violence has also become more and more blurred. The only way of not being accused is to remain silent.
As an organisation we are fighting such actions by attempting to create a dialogue of trust between the media and minority groups.
ENORB complained to L'Echo for an article on the same topic, read it here.
