VOA常速英语2007-Muslim Somali Workers Say They Lost Jobs for Pra

By Kane Farabaugh
Grand Island, Nebraska
04 October 2007
 

Last December, JBS Swift and Company -- the world's second largest processor of beef and pork -- temporarily suspended operations when U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents raided plants in several states.  More than 250 workers at a plant in Grand Island, Nebraska were detained.  
No charges were filed against JBS Swift and Company, but the loss of its employees led to increased recruiting efforts to ease the shortfall.  Several hundred Somali refugees moved to Grand Island and now work at the processing plant.  But as VOA's Kane Farabaugh reports, hiring Muslim workers has brought new issues into the spotlight¹ for the company.

At the Islamic Center in Omaha, Nebraska, Muslims break their fast ahead of evening prayers during the holy month of Ramadan.

It is a religious obligation for Muslims during the holiest period in their faith.  It is an observance that Mohammad Rage says JBS Swift prevents its Somali Muslim workers in Grand Island, Nebraska from following. "When they see Somalian women, or Somalian men leaving the line, they would prevent them from doing so, and say that the work is going on and you have to keep on working.  We don't pay you to pray, we pay you to work."

Rage, who is also Somali, is acting² as an advocate for an estimated 400 workers in Grand Island. At one of two Somali-owned restaurants in this town of 45,000 people, he listens to their concerns.

Ali Shira says he initially³ believed JBS Swift understood the needs of Muslim workers. "All of a sudden it just started to change.  They said, 'Either you work here, or you give us the badge and leave.  We're not going to let you pray'." Shira says he felt a moral obligation to continue practicing his evening prayers, which ultimately led to his dismissal.

JBS Swift and Company declined to be interviewed on camera for this story, but issued a written statement to Voice of America which reads:

"JBS Swift & Company does everything it can to reasonably accommodate the religious beliefs and practices of its employees.  In addition, we do not condone⁴ or tolerate any discrimination or harassment⁵ of any sort.  Specifically, we are working closely with the Center for American Islamic Relations (CAIR) to find a prayer solution for our Muslim employees that adequately addresses everyone's interests."

"It's a very short break," says Rima Kapitan who is an attorney for the Council on American Islamic Relations, or CAIR, in Chicago. 

Earlier this year, CAIR submitted a complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission on behalf of the Somali workers in Grand Island.  It includes testimony⁶ from more than 40 of those workers who claim they were verbally and physically⁷ harassed⁸ for praying.

CAIR continues to appeal to the company to allow Muslim workers short breaks to pray. "Workers are permitted bathroom breaks anyway, so it's not like they would be treated differently.  It would be akin⁹ to a bathroom break," Kapitan said.

JBS Swift maintains it has not terminated any employees for their religious beliefs or practices, including praying in the workplace.

Kapitan says she hopes to reach an out of court settlement with the company.

"Initially they said that any break would be an undue¹⁰ burden on the company.  Then recently we had an encouraging letter from them in response to our suggestions, adapting them in part or proposing they adapt them in part.  They proposed to move the break time for all workers."

Ali Shira is now employed at a plant in a neighboring town, where he says he is allowed to observe his religious customs.  He says his experience with JBS Swift is causing him to doubt religious freedom in the United States. "We were given an orientation¹¹ before we were brought here about the United States Constitution, and we never thought this would happen to us.  We were told there was freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of practices."

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

3 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

4 condone   

v.宽恕；原谅

参考例句：

• I cannot condone the use of violence.我不能宽恕使用暴力的行为。
• I will not condone a course of action that will lead us to war.我绝不允许任何导致战争的行为。

5 harassment   

n.骚扰，扰乱，烦恼，烦乱

参考例句：

• She often got telephone harassment at night these days.这些天她经常在夜晚受到电话骚扰。
• The company prohibits any form of harassment.公司禁止任何形式的骚扰行为。

6 testimony   

n.证词；见证，证明

参考例句：

• The testimony given by him is dubious.他所作的证据是可疑的。
• He was called in to bear testimony to what the police officer said.他被传入为警官所说的话作证。

7 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

8 harassed   

adj. 疲倦的，厌烦的 动词harass的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He has complained of being harassed by the police. 他投诉受到警方侵扰。
• harassed mothers with their children 带着孩子的疲惫不堪的母亲们

9 akin   

adj.同族的，类似的

参考例句：

• She painted flowers and birds pictures akin to those of earlier feminine painters.她画一些同早期女画家类似的花鸟画。
• Listening to his life story is akin to reading a good adventure novel.听他的人生故事犹如阅读一本精彩的冒险小说。

10 undue   

adj.过分的；不适当的；未到期的

参考例句：

• Don't treat the matter with undue haste.不要过急地处理此事。
• It would be wise not to give undue importance to his criticisms.最好不要过分看重他的批评。

11 orientation   

n.方向，目标；熟悉，适应，情况介绍

参考例句：

• Children need some orientation when they go to school.小孩子上学时需要适应。
• The traveller found his orientation with the aid of a good map.旅行者借助一幅好地图得知自己的方向。