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French banning of headscarves a violation of religious, cultural right
By Hj S. M. Mohamed Idris
Al-Jazeerah, 12/3/03
The French government’s decision to introduce a legislation to ban the Muslim headscarf from public schools constitutes a serious attack on the fundamental religious rights of Muslims. It is undoubtedly a black mark on a country founded
on democratic principles of egalitarianism and protection of religious freedom and minority rights.
Fourteen years ago, two Muslim sisters and their cousin were expelled from a school located on the outskirt of Paris for “breaching the secular premise” of the French government by wearing a headscarf to school. Now, the earlier bone of contention and source of political controversy has reemerged and reignited to haunt the leadership with the resulting outcome of an impending legislation formally barring pupils from “ostentatiously” displaying religious symbols in schools. The government’s argument that the law would protect teenagers from “fundamentalist pressure” sounds very hollow, casting a long doubtful shadow over its repeated reiteration of preserving inter- religious and racial harmony in France.
What is disheartening is the fact that Prime Minister, Jean-Pierre Raffarin, has been influenced by the propaganda of women politicians who insist that imposing a ban on headscarves would ensure gender equality and keep religious fundamentalism at bay, an issue which finds increasing resonance with the French political leadership fuelled by politically motivated fear of “religious extremism” and need to “preserve secularism”.
The centuries-old political system underpinned by the separation of the church and state was based on the need to guarantee religious freedom but this controversial legislative move not only undermines that very notion but also the principles of equality and protection of personal rights. The wearing of the hijab is a religious and cultural right of an individual. Further, the wearing of the hijab has been perceived by many as liberation from the media promotion and perception of women as sex objects, lustful consumerism and a revolt against the banalisation of the flesh. France, if it indeed practices what it preaches on promotion of cultural diversity, must act to prevent the dissolution of cultural and religious freedom that this draconian legislation will produce.
Therefore, Citizens International urges the French government not to enact the proposed anti-democratic law which would only sow religious discord, fan racist sentiments and pose a grave danger to social peace. Enacting such an obnoxious and undemocratic law would only strengthen the increasingly prevalent view among French Muslims that the government continues to view them with distrust and suspicion. It will no doubt result in augmenting their sense of alienation, preventing them from integrating with the larger society and, worse, leading to clashes of cultures.
Hj S. M. Mohamed Idris, JP Chairman Citizens International
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Citizens International is a global initiative from Penang, Malaysia. It seeks to analyse the causes of increased militarization of the planet and to work towards an environment of peace and international security.
Email : cizs@tm.net.my
website: www.citizensint.org
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| Earth, a planet hungry for peace |
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| The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers (Ran Cohen, pmc, 5/24/03). |
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| The Israeli apartheid (security) wall around Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, like a Python. (Alquds,10/25/03). |
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