Descrimination For Lebanese People in Employment...

Hi everyone, today my topic is about Lebanese people who had descrimination in employment. Based on the information i was read, most of Lebanese people who lived in Australia had a descrimination in their work especially those who were unemployed, and they also felt the Lebanese had a bad image. This is also the opinion of a wide range of professionals people in services industrie.

Lebanese seeking work are unlikely to be told their application for employment is rejected because they are Lebanese. The most clear examples of descrimination given were by Sunni women. Her employer did not want to employ them because of their dress, i.e. headscarves and longdresses. The employers in their said it would cause trouble with other workers because they would think them strange. Not only the employers had descrimination like that, the teenagers from Lebnese had the same experience too in their schools. They indicated they wanted to wear a scarf but that they feared being rejected by their non-Lebanese peers.

The Lebanese have acquired a negative stereotype of being aggressive, reluctant to work and prone to industrial accidents. The negative stereotypes about Lebanese are the product of complex processes and images. These include political violance in lebanon, rivalry between Lebanese communities in Sydney, high unemployment amongst Lebanese born workers, and descrimination onthe grounds of age and sex in the labour market.

Posted by Karina Ekasari S

Complain about racial discrimination ...

When people believe they have been discriminated against because of race, skin colour or national or ethicbackground, they can make a complaint to t he Human Rights and Equal Oppurtunity Commission, which receives the complaint for the race Descrimination Commisioner. They may speak to Enquiry Officers at Commission offices in various capital cities or at one of the State Anti-Discrimination or Equal Oppurtinity Commision offices which act as agents for the Commission. The Equiry Officers will assist with information about race discrimonation under Federal and State or Territory legalisation and can help with making the complaint. Comlpaints must be put in writing, but not necessarily in English. The Statement should say that the writers believe they have been descriminated against because of race, colour or national or ethnic background. It should describe what happenedm when and where it took place, who was involved, and give the names of anyone else who saw or heard what happened.

A group of  people who have all suffered the same behaviour from the same person or organisation can make a complainf together, just like an individual comlaint. This is  called a representative complaint. When a complaint is received by commission, and if it is start to gather evidance from both side of the complaint: from the person who made the complaint and the person or organisation about whom the complaint has been made the respondent.

In some sircumantances the commission might decided that a complaint should go straight to a public hearing rather than through the concilitation process. The complaint-handling  process is flexible, with the commission reserving the right not to continue with certain cases. The president of the Commission has the power to review decision at some stages of process.

posted by Karina Ekasari Syafruddin

what do you know about muslim?

HEY...., Im back again

Is it everyone know about Salam cafe??? Janice does.....

Basically, Salam cafe format is hardly ground breaking, and the aims to deliver laughs via sketches, vox pops and discussion of the day's issues. The twist is that the panellists and interviewers are Muslim, giving Salam Cafe an endearingly subversive edge.

I will expose one of the episode of Salam Cafe

The interviewer ask one of the audience, What do you know about Mulim?" Not a lot, but i know their beliefs are pretty dangerous," and again the interviewer ask " What do you think of Muslims? " I hate them"...

From these conversation we can see, the reflection of Australian for Muslim people and this is not far away of Racism for Middle Eastern

This show is very good for us who is non Muslim, we can see that Muslim people who usually from middle eastern country, not as bad as we are thinking.

Posted by: Kathy Stevko

Ethnicity

"Ethnicity refers generally to the perception of group difference, meaning not objective differences but the sense of differences which can occur where members of a particular cultural group interact with non members." (Wallman 1979:ix).

Ethnic identity is a way of making judgements about a particular group which makes self identification an important element. Ethnicity is a way people can identify themselves through their culture, language or heritage. 

Australia is a mutlticultural country and therefore plays an important in integration and cultural diversity. It accepts all the ethnics groups and recognises them as Australian citizens instead of distinguishing them according to their race and ethnicity.

We as the citizens of a multicultural society should these things into consideration and accept other cultures and their practices and live in peace. This in particular to the Middle Easterns in Australia, we shouldn't consider them as a bad element in our society but make friends with them and a part of our world.

Posted by Shreshta Belani

Why????

Since the tragedy on September 11 that make the descrimination of Middle Eastern has greatly increased in Australia and US. There are many difference way of descrimination: religion, language, and the difference in theire appearance. The descrimination  seems to be seen most commontly through visual appearance. The religion that account for the majority of Middle Eastern is Islam. Religioua descrimination is the acting ones of the prejudiceagaint a person beliefs, ritual, costums, and values their particular religion hold. The Example of religious descrimination asociated with Middle Eastern people include descrimination towards woman who wear a hijab. 

Visual descrimination is the easiest for some one to descrimonation. Because appearance is readily available, a person can make their prejudice feelt quikly without needed knowledge of anythingelse. and the another example of the visual descrimination is taking action upon clothing and dress. The way one dresses says something abouth them whether they are aware of it or not.

Finally descrimination can also based on the language, the way we speak can carries a nation of place or area where we from. It can also carry with it an idea or procenceived notion, such as the Southern drawl of South East US people is associated with slowness or natives. A problem also ocurs with the language descrimination is misinterpretation. there are thousands of languages with  thousands af dialects throught the worlrd. So, when an individual hears a language, accent, or dialect theat they interpret as Middle Eastern,  they may be very mistaken. Because of these misinterpretations people may be decriminated against who are completely to the area, faith, and culture of those from the Middle Eastern 

Posted by Karina Ekasari Syafruddin

Just listen and you will learn

Im just read an article about Just listen and you will learn.

Walled Ali argues  that arrogance blights relations between Muslim and non- Muslims.

In this article which is talking about how his wife and himself- Susan Carland- Walled Ally. She was treated by people who non-muslim. People just judge her from outside, that's just because she used hijab, " we are swimming in a world of ignorance where we still assert ourselves with unimpeachable" he said.

People use to be have negative thinking, when they see people use hijab, have beard or how middle eastern looks like, even this people are not a terrorist, Ali says that when people in the West call for a reformation in Islam they do not realise the reformation is here; it is called al-Qaeda.

Ali publishes a book called People Like Us, How Arrogance id dividing Islam and the West, and the purpose from this book he wants to start a conversation on Islam, which he believes is lacking in Australia, one that goes beyond the "this is face of terror" headlines and radio shock jocks.

Two thumbs for Ali, i really like what he said about gender reform in islamic society, what i think it is really a good point. People should understand too, that muslim people were all human, but with different religion, so why we need to treated them differently, do you reckon?

Publish by: Kathy

Multiculturalism

Multiculturalism describes the cultural and ethnic diversity in Australia. It helps highlighting the fact Australia is a culturally diverse country. The policy of multiculturalism was endorsed for three main reasons: cultural identity, social justice and economic efficiency. All the Australians citizens are meant to obey these principles equally no matter what background they belong to. Multiculturalism shapes the way we live and the kind of people we are.

We as a community should realise that we belong to the same continent therefore share the same land and soul and have to share its destiny and the social and economic hardships which confront us. To avoid racism in our world we have to accept that we are one in character, race, language, religion and culture.

posted by Shreshta Belani 

Refer Back to Cronulla Riots

Back to the topic of Cronulla riots, the battle that has successfully reflected conflicts between ethnic groups and showed us how a pluralist country like Australia has failed to tackle the challenge of multiculturalism. The attack worth nothing but injuries and death.

Taking the perspective of how the attack was actually a revenge, it is still worth saying that what the Middle Eastern done has put them more into a discriminated and stereotyped group. The attack encouraged Australian people to see them as dangerous and threathening even more.

It is hard to take any perspective of this issue, but for certain, the riot told us that racism is not a piece of cake. It is something that can lead to a huge contradiction. Should Australian take the lesson for being more concern on ethnicity and the issue of identity? Or should the Middle Eastern learn to be more "silent" and assimilate to this nation's culture?

What has caused such a conflict anyway?
A fear of population increasing as the effect of immigration?
Or is it purely because of cultural and identity differences?

The way in which Australian government tried to reduce the number of Middle Eastern migrants coming (see preceding post) does not only reflect the form of discrimination, but might have something else to do with a greater and more complex issue such as economy and politic. More on this topic next.

Posted by : Stella Chandra

Immigration, A Platform for Discrimination

Discrimination toward the Middle Eastern seems to turn into religious discrimination with Muslims as the object, according to an article of immigration issue in Australia. With the increase demand of Christian-Middle Eastern migrants, Australia has successfully announced that its racist behaviour towards the Middle Eastern is now narrowed down into Muslim.

Thanks to former immigration minister Kevin Andrews, with his statement on how corruption assumption on the Muslim Middle Eastern immigration posts affects chances for the migrants. Does being Muslim and Middle East mean that you are more corrupt? There might be a chance that it is saver to accept non Muslim migrants and replace the staffs at the posts with Australians, but such points of view still sound so stereotypical for me.

A survey by Monash University also shockingly showed that Middle Easterns are not really wanted to be in this country. Seems like the main cause is the shifting governmental period followed by the shifting focus on multiculturalism and pluralism to the need of having skilled migrants. Yet, to my discipline, the fact has something to do with the issue of terrorism attack and stereotype towards Muslims and the Middle Easterns.

However, immigration has added a new way of discriminating the Middle Easterns. And even if they do pass this platform, living in Australia does not mean they are free from racism and stereotype. Australian society has gone contradictive and sceptic towards the Middle Easterns, especially with the Cronulla riots as an evidence of cultural clash. More issues in the next posts.

Posted by : Stella Chandra

Islamophobia

Particulary this is still the effect from the September 11 attacks, and give the effects for Muslim and Arab Australians into racism. Such prejudice has manifested spectrum of violent attacks, mosque and other property damage and slurs. It also has discrimination in access for employment and has the stereotype from mainstream media.

Moslem people appearance become very bad in front of Non Moslem people. Many mainstream Moslem have been stereotyped as terrorist or terrorist sympathisers. 

John howard, Australia ex prime minister, warned all Australian, to be careful and call the police as soon possible if seen something suspicious. Also, he is send the documents for all Australian resident about terrorist from middle eastern.

Please, i know you really worried about your people, but just react in the normal way, how about if that people not the terrorist, and he just send to the jail even he is innocent person???

How can you get rid of this Islamophobia???

Who responsible???

Posted by: Kathy

What is Racism????????????

Rcism is generally taken to mean a belief in the superiority of one particular racial or ethnic group and flowing from this, the exclusion of the other groups from some or many aspect of society. This exclusion is seen as legirtimate simply because of the difference o suppose inferiority of the other group's racee, ethnicity or nationality. Many forms of racism and these ay vary in intensity. At the extreme end of the racist scale, there is genoside, the intentional wiping out of an entrie group of people.

Australia in famous with the racism country, but most of member of Australia not agree that Australia is a racist country. For many etchnic minority communities in Australia their over representation in the ranks of the unemployed remains the matter of concern and racism cannot be discounted as a factor in the situation.

Racism can often only be a perceived by those who are its victims, not its perpetrators. Therefore it is reasonable to contradict the majority view and afirm that there is racism in Australia.

posted by Karina Ekasari.S

The effect of racism for lebanese youth

Since the mid 1990, the increase number of concern have been voiced by public figures and the media in New South Wales regarding an alleged in increasing lawlessness in Sydney's western and southwestern suburbs.

This is because of a murder and gang rape have been cited as part of this lawlessness, which has evoked a zero tolerance foray by police in west suburban Sydney against youth Middle Eastern background.

Why it could be happen?

This is kind of effects from September 11 US terrorist attack, and  Australia's controversy over unauthorised Middle Eastern asylum seeker arrivals. This issues are frequently lumped together.

More  of this  gives an effect and establish the origins of the racism for the employment levels and educational achievements of lebanese youth in Australia today, and makes the relationship become wider community.

Research from the lebanese youth are significantly over represented on the wrong side of the New South Wales justice system and pone to academic underachievement. This unfolding situation has placed additional demands on public resources, and reduced the life chances of Lebanese - Australian Youth ( Rennee. J, 2004, P.1)

The research aims is to promote the self eastern of Lebanese youth and also to contribute the towards  breaking  of cycles leading to deviant behaviour, by identifying pathways to the just resolution of problems. 

So what do you think about this, do you think being a racist for this lebanese still exist?

Posted by: Kathy

  

  

Policies and Racism

The NSW Government rejects all forms of racism. It is committed to elimination of racial discrimination and racial harassment in its organisation, structure, culture, and in the learning and working environments for which it is responsible. No student, employee, or community member should experience racism, it is the shared responsibility of the Department of education and training to ensure that the community members are safe from racism. Despite of having such policies people today experience racism in terms of education and employment.

"As defined by the United Nations, the Culture of peace is a set of values, attitudes,modes of behaviour and ways of life that reject violence and prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation among individuals, groups and nation."

Adaptation of the culture of peace will help us reduce racism in our society as it :

-promotes social and economic development

-ensures equality

-provides international security and peace

-fosters democratic participation

posted by Shreshta Belani

Equality and Inconsistency of Laws

This week, I read an article on inconsistency of South Australia's discrimination laws. Based on the article, no wonder that discrimination and racism toward the Muslim and the Middle Easterns are still going on, even in such pluralist and democratic country like Australia.
Often, the government works in tandem with most Australians in creating a society of inequality and injustice.

The issue above might be related to Cronulla riots and the stereotype towards the Middle Eastern. The attack was actually a result of a clash between the culture of the Lebanese and the surfers. Yet, the media tended to portray the event as an ethnic violence, objected and generalized all the Middle Easterns as hostile or even "ethnic decent" without considering that not all of them involved in the attack. Just because such basic stereotype as skin colors and religions, all Middle Easterns suffer from the worsening discrimination and prejudice even more.

The story behind the attack from the Lebanese was that it was actually a following attack as a revenge toward the first attack the night before from the locals toward the Middle Easterns. Both attacks have resulted in deaths, pains, and injuries. To what extend are they become worthwhile? Never. Racism has not only led to injustice and inequality in the society but worse, violation and hostility with human beings as the victims. The case also shows that the attack from the Lebanese is caused by the first attack from the locals. The riots happen because a particular group was being stereotyped and discriminated, invited conflict and contradiction, and shows that Australia has failed to tackle pluralism in ethnicity and culture.

Posted by : Stella Chandra

Racism and plan for interviewees

The oxford dictionary defines racism as discrimination or prejudice based on a race. Racism is the inability or refusal to recognize the rights, needs, dignity or values of  particular races or geographical origins. Its expressions are dependent on the socio-economic, cultural and religious situation of any given society. Racism is commonly seen with the Middle Easterns in Australia because most people hold the Middle Easterns responsible for terrorism in the world. 

Middle Easterns become a victim of racism commonly in the fields of education and employment,therefore, these are going to be our focus for the podcasts.

Plan for podcast interviewees: Divided into 6 episodes as follows:

1. Introduction- Stella, Kathy, Shreshta, Karina

2. Interview with a Middle Eastern employee/employer to know what kind of racism they have experienced in their career, whether or not they have lost a job or got low pays because of their ethnicity.

3. Interview with a teacher about Middle Easterns in terms of education, how Middle Eastern students get discriminated and what can be done in the school/university environment to change this racist behaviour

4. Interview with women/girls who wear the hijab and  get stereotyped/discriminated in relation to attending Catholic schools and being different from the locals. 

5. Interview with Non Muslim Middle Easterns: Sonia and/or Mary sharing their experience of being a victim of racism because of their ethnicity in university through teachers and other students

6. Interview with Australians: Ellen-against Middle Easterns because most of the Australians fear of terrorism and blame Middle Easterns for spreading terror and Tim-in favor because not all the Australians are against them therefore Tim's going to talk positive things about them. 

posted by: Shreshta Belani

Racism Toward The Middle Easterns, A Background Issue

Australia is one of the countries with pluralism and cultural diversities. One of the ethnic population with a growing number is the Middle Eastern. With a mix up of Asian and Islamic culture, the Middle Easterns have built a community with unique characteristics and yet, related to the issue of racism, prejudice, and violation in the society.

In view of the fact that most of the Middle Easterns are Muslims, it seems like they are the target of war on racism in Australia. Racism might not related directly to the issue of cultural and religion differences, but more as the effect of war in Iraq and war on terrorism. As generally known that war on terrorism is often, and mostly, related to Muslims.

Particularly after September 11, there is a growing concern on terrorism issues and Muslims. Muslims in Australia as well as the Middle Easterns, have experienced a significant rise of Islamophobia and racism. The practice of discrimantion reaches the region of education, immigration, and employment. Middle Eastern women who wear hijabs (to cover their heads) in accordance with their religious beliefs were also objected in several debates.

The issue of racism and discrimination toward Middle Eastern people are complicated. There are a huge range of events, news stories, and topics that can be explored. The upcoming posts will deal with more indepth analysis and detailed discussion of the issue.

posted by : Stella Chandra

Starting Point

Hi everyone, this is Stella, Kathy, Shreshta, and Karina.

Here we come with the racism issue in Australia, particularly with the Middle Easterns.

Nowadays racism has turned into a hot issue, and it's an interesting fact that our societies values and cultures are often based on prejudice and stereotype.

 

Racism is a huge topic to explore,therefore, we have limited the coverage in the regions of education, employment, and immigration. High school students and teachers, workers, and social activists are the names that will come up as our blog's guests.

Please feel free to share your ideas and thoughts.

Cheers