Yesterday 12 April 2016 was the day that I ended my working visit to Paris. Much had been learned about PT, improvement of technology and training facilities available. With the weather quite cold I was happy to leave Paris to go to Istanbul to attend the OIC Summit and present my report on the current status of the Muslim minorities especially on the Rohingya of Arakan State. But my story is not about the OIC, but my experience at the Charles De Gaulle Airport as I checked in for my onward journey to Istanbul.
As I approached the Security check as expected I took off my belt, coat, any metal items in all my pockets and placed my haversack under the security screen. Everything was clear and not a sound or bleep for further security check. However, I had a problem because I am fully bearded. The security considered I might be a threat or carrying something dangerous. By virtue of this the whole inside of the haversack was searched using all kinds of security tool. My specks, my purse and my books. Ultimately of course they could not find anything even after putting the items many times in the x'ray machine. I am all for security check and always cooperated even at KLIA but this was just ethnic and religious profiling. I was irritated but nothing could be done. The lesson is you must be clean shaven or be considered a possible terrorist or Muslim extremist.
This is the fate of all Muslims, with Islamophobia. Maybe one day we could gain back our honor and dignity.
FBSHApost@13 April 2016
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