SeanAshi
02-10-2004, 04:24 AM
ASSOCIATED PRESS
France forged ahead with a plan to ban Muslim headscarves in public schools. A parliamentary vote Tuesday is expected to pass comfortably, despite concern that the measure could backfire and strengthen Islamic radicalism.
France's conservative government is hoping for broad support for the bill in the 577-seat National Assembly to assure cohesion over a divisive issue and give a strong sense of legitimacy to the legislation.
The government made a tactical compromise last week with the Socialist opposition and has reason to expect that the bill will get a comfortable ride in its first parliamentary vote, after 21.5 hours of debate last week.
French leaders have portrayed the bill as a project to promote national concord over a thorny issue that France has grappled with for 15 years. But opponents of the legislation fear the worst.
"The majority of Muslims want to practice their religion in peace and in total respect of the laws," said Lhaj-Thami Breze, president of the Union of Islamic Organizations of France, France's largest fundamentalist grouping.
"When you persecute, when you make fun of, when you refuse, when you don't respect beliefs, what is the consequence?" he said. "The consequence is radicalization."
French leaders view the ban as a vital antidote to rising Muslim fundamentalism and growing risks to France's secular underpinnings.
"It is time for the republic to set clear, practical and operational limits," Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said as he opened parliamentary debate on the bill a week ago.
The bill bans "conspicuous" religious symbols from public classrooms, starting in the new school year in September. The ban would include Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses but is aimed at the Islamic headscarf.
Sanctions for refusing to remove conspicuous religious signs would range from a warning to temporary suspension to expulsion from school.
However, critics, from parliamentarians to Muslims and researchers, warn of a possible backlash.
Centrist leader Francois Bayrou said the law would be a "magnificent present" for Muslim fundamentalists, while sociologist Farhad Khosrokhavar says it will be "the beginning of the problem."
Just 20 percent of France's estimated five million Muslims are "religiously minded," Khosrokhavar said. "But even those who do not wear the headscarf will feel offended because it is a denial of personal rights."
"Instead of fighting against Islamic radicalism, it might encourage it because of this feeling of stigmatization," said Khosrokhavar, author of "The Head Scarf and the Republic."
France has grappled with the headscarf problem since two girls in Creil outside Paris defied school officials in 1989 and refused to remove them. Since then, schools have expelled scores of girls.
Its nice to see the arabs pissed at someone other then The United States
France forged ahead with a plan to ban Muslim headscarves in public schools. A parliamentary vote Tuesday is expected to pass comfortably, despite concern that the measure could backfire and strengthen Islamic radicalism.
France's conservative government is hoping for broad support for the bill in the 577-seat National Assembly to assure cohesion over a divisive issue and give a strong sense of legitimacy to the legislation.
The government made a tactical compromise last week with the Socialist opposition and has reason to expect that the bill will get a comfortable ride in its first parliamentary vote, after 21.5 hours of debate last week.
French leaders have portrayed the bill as a project to promote national concord over a thorny issue that France has grappled with for 15 years. But opponents of the legislation fear the worst.
"The majority of Muslims want to practice their religion in peace and in total respect of the laws," said Lhaj-Thami Breze, president of the Union of Islamic Organizations of France, France's largest fundamentalist grouping.
"When you persecute, when you make fun of, when you refuse, when you don't respect beliefs, what is the consequence?" he said. "The consequence is radicalization."
French leaders view the ban as a vital antidote to rising Muslim fundamentalism and growing risks to France's secular underpinnings.
"It is time for the republic to set clear, practical and operational limits," Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said as he opened parliamentary debate on the bill a week ago.
The bill bans "conspicuous" religious symbols from public classrooms, starting in the new school year in September. The ban would include Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses but is aimed at the Islamic headscarf.
Sanctions for refusing to remove conspicuous religious signs would range from a warning to temporary suspension to expulsion from school.
However, critics, from parliamentarians to Muslims and researchers, warn of a possible backlash.
Centrist leader Francois Bayrou said the law would be a "magnificent present" for Muslim fundamentalists, while sociologist Farhad Khosrokhavar says it will be "the beginning of the problem."
Just 20 percent of France's estimated five million Muslims are "religiously minded," Khosrokhavar said. "But even those who do not wear the headscarf will feel offended because it is a denial of personal rights."
"Instead of fighting against Islamic radicalism, it might encourage it because of this feeling of stigmatization," said Khosrokhavar, author of "The Head Scarf and the Republic."
France has grappled with the headscarf problem since two girls in Creil outside Paris defied school officials in 1989 and refused to remove them. Since then, schools have expelled scores of girls.
Its nice to see the arabs pissed at someone other then The United States