Jabou
There are so many unreported cases. The Office is swamped with similar cases that
will amaze anyone .The American Muslim council just celebrated the release of a
north African student who was held for months without any charge!!!
We have to look out for each other and help any human being who goes through such
traumas.
Thanks for your support
Jabou Joh wrote:
> Bobby Sillah,
> Thank you for this update. Brother Habib, l see that CAIR is on the case. May
> Allah (SWT) bless them, and may he help them in their work to spread
> understanding of the deen by educating folks. It is indeed wonderful to
> have a system where the laws to enable the voices of the people to be
> heard and their rights protected can be relied on.
>
> Jabou Joh
>
> In a message dated 12/1/99 9:06:25 AM Central Standard Time,
> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
> << An interesting piece from today's Atlanta Journal.
>
> <<A group of Somali Muslims who quit their jobs at a Suwanee electronics
> plant because their boss wouldn't let them pray may go back to work today.
>
> In an agreement announced by a Solectron official Tuesday in Atlanta, each
> worker will receive a letter from the company expressing regret over
> "misunderstandings." The Somali workers, many of whom have been unemployed
> since they quit Oct. 29, also will receive an undisclosed amount of back
> pay. In addition, Solectron officials agreed to schedule work breaks to
> accommodate the Somalis, who need a five-minute break to pray at sunset.
> Solectron also set aside special rooms where the Somalis can pray and
> restrooms where they can wash their hands, face and feet before they pray,
> as required before worship.
>
> "They are so happy," said Halima Kerlew, president of the Atlanta-based
> Somali Refugee Family Foundation, which tried to help 33 Somalis after they
> quit their jobs over the prayer dispute. "Most of them will start back to
> work tomorrow."
>
> As part of the settlement, Kerlew's agency received an undisclosed
> contribution from Solectron. She said the money will be used to help Somalis
> find jobs, arrange after-school programs for Somali children and offer
> translation services for Somalis who don't speak English.
>
> Bob Hawkins, general manager of the Suwanee Solectron plant, met Sunday with
> two representatives of the Somalis. "We very much welcome them back," he
> said, adding that the company has more than 100 Muslim employees. Solectron
> is "very much better educated on the religious needs of the Muslim
> community," he said, adding that Solectron will arrange diversity training
> for its 1,500 employees in Suwanee.
>
> The Somali workers quit their jobs because their boss would not let them
> leave the assembly line to offer obligatory Islamic prayers during work
> breaks. Muslims are required to pray five times each day. One time coincides
> with sunset, when the Somalis were at work. The Somalis, who made cellular
> phones at Solectron, said they used to be able to pray whenever they needed
> to, but a new boss stopped the practice and suggested that they pray in the
> bathroom.
>
> Hawkins said an internal investigation found "no evidence that anyone was
> told to pray in the bathroom." He attributed the dispute to
> "misunderstandings and miscommunications."
>
> The settlement was brokered by the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a
> Washington-based Islamic advocacy group. Martin McMahon, a lawyer for CAIR,
> commended Solectron officials for their "swift response" to the prayer
> issue.
>
> After an article about the dispute appeared Nov. 13 in The Atlanta
> Journal-Constitution, the California-based company sent several officials to
> Washington for six hours of negotiations with CAIR officials. Eric Shakir,
> civil rights coordinator for CAIR, toured the Suwanee plant Sunday and said
> Tuesday that he believes Solectron is now dealing fairly with the Somalis.
>
> CAIR will continue to advise Solectron on how to accommodate Muslim
> employees. Solectron also restated its commitment to workplace diversity
> with an addendum on specific workplace needs of Muslims and other religious
> groups.>>
>
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