Full-face covering disguises the fear of Muslim women in Australia
Nick Efstathiadis

Tim Vollmer From: The Daily Telegraph

July 06, 2011 12:00AM

Burqa

Covered ... a Muslim woman wearing the full face niqab in Lakemba / Pic: Craig Greenhill Source: The Daily Telegraph

MUSLIM women have a simple message for the NSW Government: "We'll show our faces but don't ask us to give up our burqas."

In Lakemba, where the face-covering veil is commonplace, most were willing to cautiously accept the law - as long as it wasn't misused - but many had concerns the decision was part of a renewed push to ban the Islamic garb.

"Absolutely I'm worried, I'm worried I won't be able to wear my niqab," said one woman, who declined to give her name.

She said she was willing to abide by the tough, new law that threatens fines of $5500 or a year in jail for women who refuse to lift their veil for police officers during routine traffic stops, if suspected of committing a crime or if they are considered a potential security risk.

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"I have no problem showing the police my face. If that is the law, no problem, that's OK," she said.

Rebecca Kay, a prominent Muslim woman who ran as an independent in the seat of Bankstown in the state election this year, said many women in the community were upset over the fallout of the Carnita Matthews case.

"The majority of the women who wear the niqab are happy that she escaped jail but they are very angry that it has brought all this on ladies who wear niqabs," she said.

"Why should one action by one person be a domino effect for the rest? Why should everyone else suffer for one lady's action? It's not fair."

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She said it was unfair to target women because of religious belief.

"These women are all mothers, sisters, daughters and human beings. What statistics are there available that show that women who wear the niqab are dangerous or criminals?" Ms Kay said

Islamic Friendship Association of Australia chairman Keysar Trad said that, while the burqa was not worn by many women in Australia, those who chose to wear it had real concerns about showing their face to any male.

"We understand that if police stop someone and they need to identify them then they should be able to, provided there is a legitimate reason to stop them, but the preference is for a woman to be present," he said.

Ms Matthews' lawyer Stephen Hopper also hit back at claims the case had been to the detriment of other Muslim women.

"My job in a criminal case is to defend my client, if that ruffles the feathers in a community base it is no concern for me," he said.

"At the end of the day on the side of the road at the request of a police officer she did lift her niqab."

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Full-face covering disguises the fear of Muslim women in Australia | thetelegraph.com.au

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