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November 10, 2009

Mosques seek dialogue ahead of minaret vote

by Benjamin Graham

Mosques across Switzerland have opened their doors to the public ahead of a controversial vote on whether to ban the construction of minarets.

Organisers of the mosque open days said they aim to encourage dialogue and build understanding.

“We hope these meetings will build a dialogue and better understanding,” said Hisham Maizar, a senior Muslim representative from eastern Switzerland.

On 29 November Switzerland will vote on whether to ban minarets – which are only present on four of Switzerland’s 200 mosques.

The vote was called by the right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP), who argue that the minaret is a symbol of Islam’s political power.

Opinion polls suggest voters will reject SVP’s proposals.

Tamir Hadjipolu, a Muslim community leader in Zurich, said the proposed ban is “open discrimination”.

The government has denounced the proposed ban as unconstitutional and discriminatory.

Roman Catholic bishops in Switzerland have urged voters to reject the proposals.

There are 400,000 Muslims living in Switzerland, and Islam is the second largest religion in the country after Christianity.

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