Muslim Students Accuse RMIT Of 'Bad Faith' Over Prayer Centre

March 13, 2009

Author: Barney Zwartz

Source: WA Today

http://www.watoday.com.au/national/muslim-students-accuse-rmit-of-bad-faith-over-prayer-centre-20090313-8xy8.html?page=1

RMIT faces an international Muslim backlash over a 16-month dispute about dedicated prayer rooms at the Swanston Street campus, a student Muslim leader said yesterday.

Some Muslims had already left RMIT for Victoria University, and others had complained to their embassies they were not getting the facilities the university had promised, RMIT Islamic Society president Mohamed Elrafihi said.

Muslims have been boycotting the multi-faith facilities and praying wherever they can.

Some women had been sexually abused and harassed while praying, Mr Elrafihi said.

The society's women's vice-president, Fardowsa Mohamed, said at least one student left the university and the country after being sexually harassed. "That means the rest of us are scared and don't feel safe," she said.

The dispute began in late 2007 when dedicated prayer rooms for male and female Muslims were closed while the building was extended.

New ones were promised for the beginning of the 2008 academic year but Muslims were then told the rooms were not exclusively theirs.