Bolivia: Women hired by the Islamic hospital must wear a veil

In the city of El Alto, Bolivia, there is a controversy over the hospital funded by the Irani government, since women who were recruited were photographed wearing a headscarf.

Bolivia President Evo Morales, along with Ahmadinejad witnessed the inauguration of the “Republica Islamica de Iran” hospital in El Alto.

The hospital will start operating from January 2010, but since it was published by the newspapers La Razón and El Diario the women were photographed wearing headscarves on the opening day.

Calixto Chipana, Labor Minister, told the media that “while there is religious freedom in Bolivia, reports on the use of the veil in a hospital in Alto seem like a press war against Iran’s help.”

International media tried to interview the hospital managers, but they refused to testify, arguing that “the only person authorized to do so is the hospital’s director, Irani Masout Maleki Birjandi”.

Nadia Pou Mount said that the use of the veil was compulsory, while a nurse whose name wasn’t revelead said it was voluntary.

The nurse said “I have children and I am a graduate nurse. We were told that if we wanted to be recruited in the hospital we had to wear a turban and well, I do not understand what it means, but as I need the job, I have no other option.”

Mount Pou stated that “the veil is being used as part of the uniform, under the concept that the hospital is a bit of Iran in Bolivia.”

She also confirmed that “during the job interviews they were asked whether they agreed with the rules and they all agreed.”

The new State Constitution, promoted by the government of Evo Morales, said that “the state respects and guarantees freedom of religion and spiritual beliefs, according to their worldviews.

Minister Chipana confirmed that “there is freedom of religion in Bolivia because the new legislation is being applied” and that “inspectors were sent to the hospital and they couldn’t find any complaints about being forced to wear the veils. I’m going to double-check and I will act if I find any complaint.”

Administrative Mount Pou stated that “within Islam, the veil is a way to protect women, show respect not just for God but also to the people around them”.

And that “women are like a beautiful diamond, as such, you look after it and you keep it only for the women who are going to cherish it.”