Letters | Hong Kong should uphold Muslim women’s right to wear the hijab
- Readers discuss the importance of the freedom of religion in a cosmopolitan city, the need for sensible rules to reduce plastic waste, and the ICC’s demand for accountability in Gaza war
Employers might incorrectly view the hijab as incompatible with professional norms, leading them to discriminate against qualified candidates. This denies opportunities to talented individuals and robs Hong Kong of the diverse perspectives and skills minority communities can contribute.
Article 32 of the Basic Law states that Hong Kong residents have freedom of conscience, freedom of religious belief and freedom to preach, conduct and participate in religious activities in public. The Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance incorporates the religious freedom protections of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Wearing the hijab should be considered an essential religious practice for Muslim women. Banning it would be an unconstitutional violation of their right to freely profess and practise their faith. The freedom of religion guaranteed by the Basic Law should extend to Muslim women’s choice to wear the hijab.
The government must take the lead in addressing this issue. Existing anti-discrimination ordinances have been criticised for significant loopholes, thus failing to adequately protect religious minorities. Strengthening anti-discrimination laws and providing clear guidelines for employers would send a strong message that intolerance has no place in Hong Kong.
Ultimately, ensuring hijab-wearing Muslim women in Hong Kong can freely access opportunities and feel welcome in their communities is about not just protecting individual rights but upholding the values of diversity, equality and social harmony that should define a global city. Hong Kong must have the courage to confront the biases and structural barriers that keep some residents from thriving.
It’s time to open the door wider for people from all backgrounds to contribute their talents and enrich the city’s vibrant tapestry. The future of Hong Kong depends on it.
Ilnur Minakhmetov, Yau Ma Tei
Plastic waste rules must be logical
On a recent visit to the post office, I found out that it had stopped providing plastic adhesive tape for customers to seal up their boxes to be posted, as a result of new waste management regulations. I was told to buy my own. I don’t mind the cost, but the wasteful roll of plastic tape I bought now sits unused on my desk.
How can many rolls of barely used tape sitting in homes across Hong Kong be greener than people sharing one roll? The post office should switch to paper tape and start sharing it again.
The government should legislate to allow only biodegradable single-use products and wrappings. It should also promote the use of personal containers for takeaway food, and encourage people to carry their own cutlery and water bottles.
Shevaun Gallwey, Tai Wai
Prosecution of war crimes in Gaza deserves our support
At a time when the West and China are confronting each other in the South China Sea – with both claiming to act according to the rules-based order – there is an urgent need for us to clarify what is meant by “rules-based order”.
Defining what “aggression” and “self-defence” mean in international conflict has never been easy. Immediately following the Pacific War, the Tokyo Trial tried to do so, but while the defendants were convicted and severe sentences handed down, the trial also uncovered areas of moral and legal uncertainty in the reasoning leading up to the verdict. We are still living with that confusion.
It is primarily the United Nations – operating within the global status quo imposed by military force in World War II – that is charged with the responsibility of identifying and dealing with unlawful international aggression. The reality, however, is that the UN is struggling to do this.
Terry Hewton, Adelaide, Australia
