Burka Not Welcome In France

Several weeks ago, French President Nicolas Sarkozy told Parliament that the burka, which covers women from head to toe, is “not welcome” in France.  As a result, Parliament is now studying whether to ban the burka in France or not. Meanwhile a 35-year old Muslim woman by the name of Carole  has been ordered out of a swimming pool in Paris for “hygiene” reasons. She was wearing a “burkini”, a head to toe swim suit.

France is not the only country to consider banning the burka.  In 2005, the Dutch tried that as well, but the then Government fell before legislation could be passed to enforce the ban on burka.

In 2004, France passed a law that banned conspicuous religious symbols such as the Jewish skull caps, Sikh turbans, Christian crucifixes, and the Muslim headscarves in state schools.

Now President Sarkozy wants to eliminate the burka from France.  He proclaimed that the burka “is not a religious symbol. It is a sign of subservience; it is a sign of lowering. I want to say solemnly, the burka is not welcome in France. We cannot accept in our country women trapped behind a fence, cut off from social life, deprived of any identity. This is not the idea that we have of a woman’s dignity.”

But what do Muslim women think of the French President’s remarks?  Housing minister Fadela Amara, a Muslim women’s rights campaigner, called the burka “a kind of tomb for women.”  But Mohammed Moussaoui, the head of the French Council for the Muslim Religion sees it as “a way of stigmatizing Islam and the Muslims of France” although only a very small minority of them actually wear the full veil.

President Sarkozy said: “The problem of the burka is not a religious problem. This is an issue of a woman’s freedom and dignity”.  Is he correct?  Will the burka be not welcome in France?  Will France ban the burka? Only time will tell.

Earlier posts:

Beauty Pageant – Saudi Style
Why Different Standards For Caning?