PARIS (RNS) Five years after France banned Muslim girls from wearing headscarves in public schools, the government has launched a probe into another Muslim garment — all-covering burqas or niqabs — that may lead to a similar injunction in public spaces.
In July, a 32-member parliamentary commission will begin a six-month investigation into the burqa in France — particularly whether it clashes with the country’s fiercely secular creed and violates the dignity of the women who wear it.
The burqa or niqab — head-to-toe coverings that hide the face except for a narrow slit for the eyes — are rarities on French streets.
No estimates exist about how many women wear them.
Nonetheless, the issue has sparked hot debate, dividing not only the center-right government but also France’s estimated 5 to 6 million-strong Muslim community, Europe’s largest.
On Monday (June 22), President Nicolas Sarkozy waded into the fray, saying burqas are “not welcome” in France.
“We cannot accept in our country women who are prisoners behind a grill, cut off from all social life, deprived of all identity,” Sarkozy said in a speech at the Palace of Versailles outside Paris.
A number of French politicians, including Cities’ Minister Fadela Amara — a Muslim woman of Algerian background — are similarly opposed to it. But Immigration Minister Eric Besson has come out against a ban, arguing it would create unnecessary tensions.
The matter has divided Muslims as well. Several prominent leaders have spoken out against the burqa. But Mohammed Moussaoui, head of the French Council of the Muslim Faith, warned that banning the garment — or even forming a commission to study it — risked stigmatizing the Muslim community.
“I am not for women wearing the burqa,” Moussaoui said in an interview published Wednesday in Le Paisien/Aujourdhui en France. But a ban, he said, “risked being counterproductive.”
Fears of stigmatizing Muslims also spiked in 2004, when the government banned students from wearing “conspicuous” religious symbols to public schools. While the legislation also covered skull caps and large crosses, much of the protests flared over the headscarves.
By Elizabeth Bryant
Copyright 2009 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted June 24, 2009 at 6:57 pm
I think there was a post about this on another B’net site. My question is…how are they going to enforce this? Run about taking off the outfit when they see a Muslim woman wearing one? Fine them? Of course, Muslim students can’t wear a headscarf, so this is an extension of that type of rule, I guess. When I was in London several years ago, the area the flat my sister and I stayed in was in an area of many Muslims. We saw some complete coverage, and some scarves. Some (and I’m sure not all) of the women may choose to wear the full covers? Should be interesting to see if they do pass the prohibition law, (it is France!) and if so, how they enforce it.
posted June 24, 2009 at 6:57 pm
If I were French I think I’d support such a ban. It sure seems demeaning. Possibly I could be convinced otherwise.
posted June 24, 2009 at 7:02 pm
The President of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, should follow what he believes to be right, and pass the law once and for all. Some will complain, but it sounds as though the Muslim leaders even agree with him. Those who stand for justice are always on the right side of history. I heard President Obama say this and I like this where it fits, and it definitly fits here.
posted June 24, 2009 at 8:39 pm
As hard as it is to believe, some women actually do choose to completely cover themselves. From my perspective, it’s demeaning and represents a bad theology, but I would never want to ban something that someone else finds valuable if it doesn’t cause any harm to anyone else.
A ban could possibly be a relief to those women who wear the veil because of social pressure or even threat of violence, but I’m wary of passing laws based on that kind of logic, because there are a lot of legal freedoms that can become oppressive in the wrong circumstances, and wouldn’t want most of them taken away.
posted June 24, 2009 at 10:39 pm
If people start putting explosives under burqas and doing bombings they will be banned in a heartbeat. In the meantime, as I said, I think I’d be for the ban, with trepidations for reasons like Nate mentioned.