BY EMA CORRO
MELBOURNE - Young Arab women have hit out at the stereotypes of Islam and the racism they're subjected to.
"As an Arab I feel that my race is feared, not trusted and not liked and this is growing. But if the myths being promoted about Arab women were true, then I wouldn't be speaking here today, but at home being locked up by my male oppressor", Hala Abdelnour from the Melbourne Uni Arabic Culture Club told a meeting of 50 people on November 15.
Nasra Ibrahim from the Islamic Society and the Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women's Coalition told the meeting, on the topic "Women Against War and Racism", of the role of women in the Islamic community, debunking what she said were racist and sexist myths being promoted by the mainstream media and politicians.
The meeting was organised to help involve feminist and women activists in the anti-war movement and was sponsored by the Democratic Socialist Party, the Victorian Trades Hall Council, the Islamic Society, the Socialist Alliance and the International Women's Day collective.
The experience of Arab and Islamic women wasn't the only thing discussed, with Nesa Eliezer from the Tamil Women's Organisation speaking about the effects of the war in radicalising a generation of Tamil women.
"In all the misery undergone in Sri Lanka", she said, "the women have undergone a revolution in their minds and hearts and can now stand on their own".
Sherron Dunbar of the Refugee Council of Australia spoke of governments' attempts to set up competition between different categories and classes of refugees, while Vivian Messimeris of the IWD collective encouraged women to become involved in the anti-war movement.
From Green Left Weekly, November 21, 2001.
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