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Breze
said the four-day conference is being held at a time of mounting
anti-immigrants hostility. |
By
Hadi Yahmid, IOL Correspondent
PARIS,
May 4, 2006 (IslamOnline.net) – With anti-immigrants rhetoric
overshadowing presidential campaigns, a major annual conference will
seek to reassure skeptical French about the loyalty of the sizable
Muslim minority to the country.
"This
year's Paris-le-Bourget conference is sending a message to society that
we can be loyal French citizens while preserving our religious
identity," Lhaj Thami Breze, chairman of the Union of French
Islamic Organizations (UOIF), told IslamOnline.net on Thursday, May 4.
Running
the banner "Vivre ma religion au quotidier. Dier, les Prophites
et l'homme"I, the conference opens on Friday, May 6.
It
brings together a cohort of high-ranking French politicians and Muslim
dignitaries to discuss a host of issues of Muslim concern.
Among
leading attendees are Christine Boutin, a member of the Union for the
Popular Movement party, researchers Olivier Roy and Vincent Glissiere
and Muslim scholar Hani Ramadan, the chairman of the Geneva-based
Islamic Center.
The
UOIF is the biggest Muslim body in France and groups about 200
societies.
The
number of Muslims in France exceeds six millions, representing 10% of
the population, the largest Muslim minority in Europe.
Hostility
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The
logo of the Muslim conference.
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Breze
said the four-day conference is being held at a time of mounting
anti-immigrants hostility.
A
new immigration bill has been proposed by Interior Minister Nicolas
Sarkozy to win votes from the extreme right.
"There
is a heated debate about a draft law imposing restrictions on the
presence of foreigners in the country and the possibility of uniting
immigrants with their families," he said.
Interior
Minister Nicolas Sarkozy's new immigration bill would make it tougher
for immigrants to bring relatives to France, force newcomers to take
French and civics lessons and end their automatic right to a long-term
residence permit after 10 years in France.
Breze
also regretted anti-Muslim accusations by right-wing candidate Philippe
de Villiers.
Opening
his presidential race on April 23, Villiers, the head of the Movement
for France (MPF) party, warned against what he termed "Islamization
of France".
He
claimed in a new book, "Les Mosquees De Roissy" (The
Mosques of Roissy), that the Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport was
infiltrated by "Muslim radicals."
This
has scared away Muslim workers from the airport's prayer room fearing
that they might be tracked by police as "potential
terrorists."
All
in One
A
series activities will be held on the conference's sidelines.
"An
exhibition will be held to raise awareness about Prophet Muhammad (peace
and blessing be upon him)," Breze said.
A
series of blasphemous cartoons commissioned by a Danish newspaper has
motivated Muslim minorities in many Western countries to champion local
campaigns to raise awareness about the Prophet.
A
contest for memorizing the Noble Qur'an will also be organized as part
of Paris-le-Bourget activities.
Fund-raising
campaigns and musical and artistic events organized by French Muslim
organizations will also be held.
The
Bourget conference is the biggest Muslim convention in Europe.
Last
year, more than 150,000 Muslims from across Europe attended the
conference, up from the previous year's 120,000..
