A Muslim woman on Wednesday sued a Michigan judge for telling her to remove her headscarf in his courtroom, claiming he violated her constitutional right to practise her religion.
Raneen Albaghdady,32, says she felt humiliated when Wayne County Circuit Judge William Callahan ordered her to remove her hijab at a June 16 hearing in his Detroit courtroom. The headscarf,which does not cover the face, is worn by many Muslims in the US.
"This is the country and the land of freedom, and we're not supposed to be treated like this for the scarf," the Dearborn Heights woman said on Wednesday at the Southfield headquarters of the Council on American-Islamic Relations' Michigan chapter, which joined in the federal lawsuit against Judge Callahan and Wayne County.
Ms Albaghdady pushed back her head-scarf at the judge's request during a hearing on her request to change her name. Judge Callahan denied the request on technical grounds.
"Judge Callahan and the court have the greatest respect for spiritual practices and all religious preferences," Judge Callahan said in a statement released by the court."Had he been informed that the head covering had some religious significance, the judge would have permitted Ms Albaghdady to continue wearing it in court."
Ms Albaghdady, a native of Iraq, said she was intimidated by Judge Callahan and feared she would be arrested if she refused to remove her hijab.
"I come from a country where you can't say no to a judge in a courtroom,"she said.
The lawsuit asks a federal judge to order judges in Wayne County to allow the wearing of the headscarf in court.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Ministry drops plans to evict forest monks
The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has scrapped its plan to evict temples encroaching on protected forests.
Minister Suwit Khunkitti yesterday told about 100 monks at a seminar on conservation their monasteries would not be removed from protected areas if the monks provided authorities with help to protect forest lands.
Earlier this month, the Forestry Department, which comes under Mr Suwit's supervision, announced it would begin closing temples which encroach on protected forests.
The policy is in line with the 1995 cabinet resolution instructing the department to remove monks living illegally in national parks, watershed areas and wildlife sanctuaries.
The department said there were 5,529 forest temples occupying 190,000 rai of forest land, most of them in reserves.Sixty-eight temples were initially earmarked for closure.
The eviction plans drew fierce opposition from monks across the country.
"We won't push [the monks] out of the forest, even if the temples were built before or after the declaration of protected forests," Mr Suwit said.
"Monks are the key players in forest protection."
The minister said forestry officials would work with temples to develop a better understanding of how to live in harmony in ecologically fragile areas.
But the ministry would introduce measures to prevent the establishment of new temples in forested areas, Mr Suwit said.
Yongyuth Chamnanrop, chief of Phupayol national park in the northeastern province ofMukdahan,applauded the new position.
"At the ground level, strict law enforcement is sometimes not the right answer," he said."We need compromise."
Phupayol national park recently filed charges against Phu Mai How forest monastery for forest encroachment and destroying a cave in the park.
Minister Suwit Khunkitti yesterday told about 100 monks at a seminar on conservation their monasteries would not be removed from protected areas if the monks provided authorities with help to protect forest lands.
Earlier this month, the Forestry Department, which comes under Mr Suwit's supervision, announced it would begin closing temples which encroach on protected forests.
The policy is in line with the 1995 cabinet resolution instructing the department to remove monks living illegally in national parks, watershed areas and wildlife sanctuaries.
The department said there were 5,529 forest temples occupying 190,000 rai of forest land, most of them in reserves.Sixty-eight temples were initially earmarked for closure.
The eviction plans drew fierce opposition from monks across the country.
"We won't push [the monks] out of the forest, even if the temples were built before or after the declaration of protected forests," Mr Suwit said.
"Monks are the key players in forest protection."
The minister said forestry officials would work with temples to develop a better understanding of how to live in harmony in ecologically fragile areas.
But the ministry would introduce measures to prevent the establishment of new temples in forested areas, Mr Suwit said.
Yongyuth Chamnanrop, chief of Phupayol national park in the northeastern province ofMukdahan,applauded the new position.
"At the ground level, strict law enforcement is sometimes not the right answer," he said."We need compromise."
Phupayol national park recently filed charges against Phu Mai How forest monastery for forest encroachment and destroying a cave in the park.
FOREST MONKS, MONASTERIES NOT TO BE REMOVED
The Natural-Resources and Environment Ministry yesterday backed down from its tough stance against Buddhist monasteries located in forest reserves - saying it would not evict 68 of them built after a leniency deadline 14 years ago. In a meeting with the Supreme Sangha Council, the ministry suggested a new idea: to have each of the 5,529 monasteries in forest reserves carry out conservation projects and sell tree seedlings to temple visitors.
Blanket approval was also given to monks who perform meditation treks in forests across the country. They need only to inform forest rangers about their paths in case they get lost or require emergency help.
Minister Suwit Khunkitti said he had come to realise monks could encourage villagers not to encroach on forests and boost their awareness about deforestation hazards even better than forestry officials and forest rangers.
The meeting proposed a new project: to build a Buddhist mega-site in a 10,000-rai area for Buddhist pilgrims worldwide to come to Thailand. No other details about this ambitious project were provided.
A number of abandoned monasteries may be used as forest ranger stations, but the meeting did not decide whether new monasteries should be allowed in forest reserves.
The Royal Forest Department welcomed Suwit's decision, saying that allowing monks to live in the forest was no different from allowing villagers to do so under special permission granted 11 years ago.
The ministry will conduct an aerial survey of all monasteries in Thailand and make a reference map for long-term use.
Blanket approval was also given to monks who perform meditation treks in forests across the country. They need only to inform forest rangers about their paths in case they get lost or require emergency help.
Minister Suwit Khunkitti said he had come to realise monks could encourage villagers not to encroach on forests and boost their awareness about deforestation hazards even better than forestry officials and forest rangers.
The meeting proposed a new project: to build a Buddhist mega-site in a 10,000-rai area for Buddhist pilgrims worldwide to come to Thailand. No other details about this ambitious project were provided.
A number of abandoned monasteries may be used as forest ranger stations, but the meeting did not decide whether new monasteries should be allowed in forest reserves.
The Royal Forest Department welcomed Suwit's decision, saying that allowing monks to live in the forest was no different from allowing villagers to do so under special permission granted 11 years ago.
The ministry will conduct an aerial survey of all monasteries in Thailand and make a reference map for long-term use.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)