Switzerland votes on minaret ban

The people of Switzerland have been voting on whether to ban the building of
minarets in their country.
The proposal is backed by the Swiss People's Party (SVP), the largest party in parliament, which
claims minarets are a sign of Islamisation.
Opponents say a ban would discriminate, and that the campaign has stirred hatred. The
government opposes a ban.
Switzerland is home to some 400,000 Muslims and has just four minarets. Referendum results
are due at 1700GMT.
Islam is the most widespread religion after Christianity, but it remains relatively hidden.
There are unofficial Muslim prayer rooms, and planning applications for new minarets are
almost always refused.
Supporters of a ban claim that allowing minarets would represent the growth of an ideology
and a legal system - Sharia law - which are incompatible with Swiss democracy.
But others say the referendum campaign has incited hatred. On Thursday the Geneva mosque
was vandalised for the third time during the campaign, according to local media.

“ If you are telling me that we are going to ban all religious symbols from all
religious buildings, I would not have a problem with that ” Elham Manea
Forum for a Progressive Islam

Opinion polls ahead of the vote are close, with signs that a small majority will reject the ban.
The BBC's Imogen Foulkes reports from Bern that that would be a relief to the Swiss
government, which fears banning minarets would cause unrest among the Muslim community
and damage Switzerland's relations with Islamic countries.
Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz said: "Muslims should be able to practice their religion and
have access to minarets in Switzerland too. But the call of the muezzin [call to prayer] will not
sound here."
Amnesty International has warned that the ban would violate Switzerland's obligations to
freedom of religious expression.
'Discrimination'
Elham Manea, founder of the Forum for a Progressive Islam, pointed to the recent construction
of Sikh temples and Serbian Orthodox churches, saying a ban on minarets alone would be
discriminatory.
"If you are telling me that we are going to ban all religious symbols from all religious buildings, I
would not have a problem with that," she said.
"But if you are just telling me that we are going to target only the Muslims, not the Christians,
not the Jews, not the Sikhs, only the Muslims, then I have a problem with it because it is
discrimination."

“ It is nothing against Muslims ” Ulrich Schluer SVP member of parliament

Most of Switzerland's Muslims come from former Yugoslavia. There is no history of Islamic
extremism, but supporters of a ban say minarets are far more than religious architecture.
They claim allowing them would be a sign that Islamic law is accepted in Switzerland.
Sunday's referendum is being held after the SVP collected 100,000 signatures from eligible
voters within 18 months calling for a vote.
SVP member of parliament Ulrich Schluer said the referendum campaign had helped
integration by encouraging debate. He rejected the charge of discrimination.
"Every Muslim is allowed to come together with other Muslims to have the religion together,"
he told the BBC.
"But a minaret is a political symbol. It is a symbol for introducing, step-by-step, Sharia* rights
also in Switzerland, parallel to the Swiss law which is a result of Swiss democracy. And this is
the problem. It is nothing against Muslims."
In recent years many countries in Europe have been debating their relationship with Islam, and
how best to integrate their Muslim populations.
France focused on the headscarf, while in Germany there was controversy over plans to build
one of Europe's largest mosques in Cologne.
Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/8384835.stm
Published: 2009/11/29 11:10:25 GMT © BBC MMX
Type of TEXT?
News report
Gives factual information regarding an important event.
Formal, impersonal in style, presents the facts objectively an unemotionally, in a balanced way.
Allows us to know about different points of view.

How is it organized?
Headline – short and eye-catching
Introductory paragraph – (Lead) – summary of the event
Main body – relevant information, more detail, different points of view, explanation, cause
and/or result of event
Conclusion – significance of event, future action, reactions/comments of witness
Direct speech and Passive are common

FINDING EQUIVALENTS
is backed supported
which claims maintains, defends, states, declares, argues
has stirred brought up, caused, given rise to
has stirred brought up, stimulated, caused, encouraged
widespread common, (pervasive,
banning outlawing, prohibiting, vetoing,
unrest disturbance, disorder, instability, turmoil, riots, conflict, strife
damage harm, spoil
pointed to pointed out, gave the example, raised the issue, brought up as evidence
reject ed refused, rebuffed, discarded, declined
charge allegation, accusation

WRITING TASK
Write a news report the day after: European Press says Swiss ban sends wrong signal
1 Dec 2009

PREPARING DEBATE – to be held on MONDAY, 11 January

Following your suggestions the proposed topic is:
Should extremist parties be outlawed?
Should fundamentalist movements be outlawed?
To prepare your arguments and counter-arguments you should:
1 - Define concepts: Extremism / Fundamentalism
2 – Research different cultural and historical contexts
3 – Find actual present-day examples
4 – Reflect on personal, social and political impact of different situations/measures
Background to our debate:
Human Rights

* Sharia (Arabic: '‫ شريعة‬Šarīʿa; IPA: [ʃɑˈriːɑ]) is an Arabic word meaning ‘way’ or ‘path’. In Arabic, the
collocation ‘Šarīʿat Allāh’ (God’s Law) is traditionally used not only by Muslims, but also Christians[1] and
Jews, sometimes translating expressions such as Torat Elōhīm [‫ ]תורת אלוהים‬or ‘ho nómos toû theoû' (ὁ
νόμος τοῦ θεοῦ) '’. Sharia refers to the legal framework within which the public and private aspects of life
are regulated for those living in a legal system based on Islamic principles of jurisprudence and for
Muslims living outside the domain. Sharia deals with many aspects of day-to-day life, including politics,
economics, banking, business, contracts, family, sexuality, hygiene, and social issues.

Islamic law is now the most widely used religious law, and one of the three most common legal systems
of the world alongside common law and civil law.[2] During the Islamic Golden Age, classical Islamic law
may have influenced the development of common law,[3] and also influenced the development of several
civil law institutions.[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharia