Department of Civil Status leads discrimination against Baha’is
July 15th, 2008
Dr. Basma G. Moussa, a leading Egyptian Baha’i blogger, and Assistant Professor at the prestigious Cairo University, wrote an article for the left-leaning El Badeel Newspaper on the discrimination adherents of the faith are met with in Egypt. Entitled “The Department of Civil Status Leads the Discrimination Against Baha’is”, the article is a forceful and compelling reminder of the importance of protecting the individual rights of citizens, regardless of race, gender or beliefs. For, as Dr. Moussa eloquently states, not guaranteeing these rights can weaken feelings of citizenship, thus creating opportunities for sectarianism to surface, and a return to the ignorant tendencies of the past.
In 2004, an administrative decision by Egypt’s “Department of Civil Status” allowed for only three religions - Islam, Judaism and Christianity - to be listed under the religion field in identification papers, lamentedly denying thousands of Baha’is their right to the simplest of civil rights. Some of the hurdles faced by Egyptian Baha’is, as explained by Dr. Moussa, are explained below:
Birth certificates aren’t issued to Baha’i infants. A child’s denial of her/his right to a birth certificate has detrimental effects throughtout her/his lifetime, as it prevents access to health care and education. Further, working mothers aren’t entitled to maternity leave due to the absence of a birth certificate.
Apart from the risks entailed in not being able to produce a National ID card, should a brush with law enforcement officials ever occur, its lack automatically denies Baha’is from gaining employment, attaining higher education, deferring mandatory conscription, authenticating formal papers, dealing with financial institutions, etc.
Baha’i youth cannot determine their position when it comes to conscription, because they lack National ID cards. As a result, many have been suspended from universities.
Bahai’s in Egypts are not issued death certificates, thus denying widow(er)s and orphans from obtaining pension.
Obtaining passports is out of the question, as the process requires a National ID card.
Baha’i marriage certificates are not recognized by the state. This prevents spouses from travelling freely and prevents their future children from obtaining birth certificates.
Egyptian Baha’is cannot seek court protection or demand their rights in the upcoming period as they do not possess ID cards.
Despite the January 29 ruling, the Department of Civil Status has shown signs of willingness to alter its position, justifying it by resorting to fatwas (religious edicts) that claim there are only three divine religions.
We at the Muslim Network for Baha’i Rights share Dr. Moussa’s amazement and confusion at the Department’s rationale, and strongly condemn this injustice.
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encountering multitudes of devils
see me heart broken feeling ill
desiring the face of human being
how long will it take this peril?
(inspired by a poem from Molana)
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