German Muslims take concerns to German government

Jun 25, 2009, 10:37 GMT

Berlin - German Muslims and the Federal Government concluded a four-year process of consultation on Thursday, with Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble attending final session of the Islam Conference concluding in Berlin.

This week, data compiled for the conference revealed for the first time that 5 per cent of Germany's population is Muslim, more than was previously thought, and highlighted Muslim discontent about public schools.

Schaeuble said the meetings since 2006 about improving the integration of Muslims in Germany had an international dimension and Chancellor Angela Merkel would be briefing US President Barack Obama about them in Washington.

Merkel met at her office with the Muslim community leaders before the three-hour conference began.

Most of the work since 2006 of the Islam Conference, including information gathering, has been done by committees and officials appointed by Schaeuble.

In his speech to the delegates, he said the conference had been vital in establishing an 'internal discourse' among Muslim immigrants hailing from 49 nations.

Education has been a focus of the meetings, with Muslim parents complaining that public schools fail to provide their children with job qualifications and mostly do not offer religion classes like those offered to Christians.

Schaeuble said Germany was moving towards school instruction in Islam, though there were constitutional obstacles, and was likely to appoint university professors of Islamic religion.

'I am convinced we need such professorships and their occupants as the harbingers of an Islamic theology for Germany and in Germany,' he said.

The survey has found that conservative Muslims object to their daughters being taught to swim in classes with boys. Because there is no girls-only swimming instruction, 7 per cent of Muslim girls do not attend any pool class.

Schaeuble said Germany was moving to improve weaknesses in the schools that limited integration, and a working party would recommend ways to reduce 'day to day' conflicts at schools.

Although Thursday marked the official end of the 2006-09 conference, Schaeuble said it was needed permanently. Politicians called for the conference to be re-instituted after this September's general election.