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Raffarin
(R) and Sarkozy agreed on banning hijab, differed on how to do it
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By
Hadi Yahmid, IOL France Correspondent
PARIS,
May 3 (IslamOnline.net) - French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin
did not rule out passing a law to ban Muslim girls from wearing hijab
(the Islamic headscarf) to allow secularism restore its strength in
the European country.
“I
want not to embarrass others or clash with them, but rather to allow
secularism regain its strength here,” Raffarin told the first
meeting of the French Council for the Muslim Religion (CFCM).
The
French senior official made it clear that the controversy over hijab
would be addressed in the context of the discussions on the
“Educational Reform Law” to be enacted in the country.
Muslims
in the rigidly-secular France have been struggling for more rights and
acknowledgement of Islam. Their number is now estimated at around 6
million, or up to 10 percent of the total population.
Raffarin
said secular principles would be applied “even on its detractors.”
“It
is not a negative secularism that stands against religion, and it will
be in force even by the use of law,” he told 200 Council members.
In
spite of their large numbers - some 50,000 Frenchmen and women
reportedly convert to Islam annually - Muslims complain that the
French refuse to accept the Muslim presence and consider Islam an
alien force which "should be eliminated."
Muslim
families, having been forced to accept that their daughters cannot
wear the Islamic headscarf to school, were confronted last year with a
new policy, which makes the abortion-pill freely available to teenage
school-girls, "making illicit sexual activity routine and
subverting parental authority."
“Calmly”
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Is
hijab really anti-modern?!
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On
his part, French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy was rather
diplomatic in his overture.
“The
issue of the Islamic hair cover should be thrashed out calmly with the
attendance of all parties concerned,” he told the gathering.
He
regretted the “rude” way the French media approached the question.
On
the expected law banning hijab in France, Sarkozy evaded a direct
comment, saying “let the decision be open to discussion” which he
said could take some time.
He
warned that “we should not open chances for extremism” to spread
in the country.
Sarkozy
earlier said that wearing hijab should be prevented if it acts as a
means of hegemony, otherwise “it is a personal matter.”
He
also threatened in April that Muslim clerics expressing
"radical" views would be deported from France, after
so-called "hardliners" made a strong showing in
elections to the CFCM, first Islamic representative body.
"We
want to rid Islam in France of foreign influences, Imams who make
statements that run contrary to the values of the republic will be
deported."
“Priority”
Muslim
citizens attending the gathering reacted differently. Some gave a
boost to Raffarin and Sarkozy’s initiatives. Others were vehemently
dismissive.
“The
hijab issue should not be discussed in such a precipitous way, as
there are other issues of more importance that should be given
priority,” said Tuhami Ibriz, the head of the Islamic Organisations
Union.
The
Imam of Paris mosque Dalil Abu Bakr was far afield, saying he was
satisfied with the statements of both officials.
Statements
of Sarkozy during an Islamic gathering on the necessity that Muslim
women take off their veils while being photographed for issuing
identity cards have also drew
different responses among the Islamic Organizations here.
Abu
Bakr agreed to the call, saying: “We have to live our life and be
subject to the administrative laws,” he said.
But
thousands of veiled young women have protested Sarkozy’s speech and
cries have prevailed all over the conference room.
Sweeping
French
Muslim groups say that their communities are being overwhelmed by the
"secularism" sweeping over all spheres of life in France,
where it is increasingly difficult to live or bring up children as
Muslims.
A
French court has
rejected a Turkish Muslim woman's demand for a resident's
permit on the grounds that she wore a headscarf for her identity
photograph, judicial sources said Wednesday, June 20.
The
Muslim labor force and Muslim businessmen constitute significant
economic power in the country, about 60% of them hold French
nationality. Statistics show that Islam is the fastest-growing
religion in France.
France
is a secular state, and it regulates its relations with the other main
religions through official bodies of the type it is finally creating
for Islam.
Meanwhile,
France recently moved to clamp down on illegal immigration with a new
law approved by the government which will toughen conditions for
entry, as Sarkozy said the aim of the law was to stop the estimated
30,000 illegal entries into France every year and at the same time
encourage the integration of those who arrive in the country lawfully.
