Cross-posted at: The European Tribune
This is an interesting development out of Canada:
Protests over Canada Sharia move
Protests have been held in cities across Canada aimed at stopping Ontario province from adopting sharia-based law to settle Muslim family disputes.
Ontario is considering a report which recommends that it allow sharia religious arbitration for issues such as divorce and child custody.
Opponents say the proposed arbitration process will violate women’s rights.(…)
Homa Ar-Jomand, campaign protest co-ordinator, believes that the system should be completely secular.
“We strongly believe that Islam has never been moderated,” she said, adding that faith-based arbitration of family disputes is not relevant in the modern world.
But many Muslims believe that because Canada is a secular country, its legal system makes it difficult for them to govern themselves by the laws of their religion.
It can be important, for instance, for a Muslim to be granted a divorce under Islamic law if he or she intends to move to a Islamic country and re-marry.
I’d be interested to hear our Canadian community member’s views on this
Also from the story:
It’s an arbitration process.
Arbitration being non-binding legally unless both parties agree to it without coercion?
My gut reaction is “NO!” because from all I hear about sharia it seems to be about punishing women for men’s misdeeds.
It makes me very uneasy to think that it might go through in Ontario. Very uneasy.
I’ll admit to not being well versed in the laws but I feel that women’s lives cannot be ruled by ancient laws.
This debate has been going on for quite a while now and there have been many voices protesting this move. I doubt very much that Ontario will allow it because its’ so regressive.