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The Dutch ban Burqas
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| starsearcher |
| quote: | Dutch to ban wearing of Muslim burqa in public
By Alexandra Hudson 1 hour, 49 minutes ago
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch government agreed on Friday a total ban on the wearing of burqas and other Muslim face veils in public, justifying the move on security grounds.
Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk will now draw up legislation which will result in the Netherlands, once one of Europe's most easy-going nations, imposing some of the continent's toughest laws against concealing the face.
"The cabinet finds it undesirable that garments covering the face -- including the burqa -- should be worn in public in view of public order, (and) the security and protection of fellow citizens," the Dutch Justice Ministry said in a statement.
The debate on face veils and whether they stymie Muslim integration has gathered momentum across Europe.
The Netherlands would be the first European state to impose a countrywide ban on Islamic face coverings, though other countries have already outlawed them in specific places.
The move by the center-right government comes just five days before a general election. The campaign has focused so far on issues like the economy rather than immigration because most mainstream parties have hardened their stances in recent years.
Last December Dutch lawmakers voted in favor of a proposal by far-right politician Geert Wilders to outlaw face-coverings and asked Verdonk to examine the feasibility of such a ban.
Because veils were worn for religious reasons, she had feared new legislation could come into conflict with religious freedom laws. But she said on Friday this was not the case.
Existing legislation already limits the wearing of burqas and other total coverings on public transport or in schools.
France has banned the Muslim headscarf and other religious garb from state schools while discussion in Britain centers on limiting the full facial veil, or niqab.
Italy has a decades-old law against covering the face in public as an anti-terrorism measure. Some politicians have called for this rule to be enforced against veiled Muslim women.
The Muslim community estimates that only about 50 women in the Netherlands wear the head-to-toe burqa or the niqab, a face veil that conceals everything but the eyes.
Dutch Muslim groups have complained a burqa ban would make the country's 1 million Muslims feel more victimized and alienated, regardless of whether they approve of burqas or not.
"This will just lead to more girls saying 'hey I'm also going to wear a burqa as a protest'," Naima Azough, a member of parliament from the opposition Green Left, told an election campaign meeting for fellow members of the Moroccan community.
Job Cohen, the Labour mayor of Amsterdam, said he opposed burqas in schools and public buildings, and said women wearing one who failed to get a job should not expect welfare benefits.
"From the perspective of integration and communication, it is obviously very bad because you can't see each other so the fewer the better," he told foreign journalists.
"But actually hardly anybody wears one ... The fuss is much bigger than the number of people concerned."
Since the murder of anti-immigration maverick Pim Fortuyn in 2002, the Dutch have lost a reputation for tolerance, pushing through some of Europe's toughest entry and integration laws.
Social and religious tensions have escalated in the last few years, exacerbated by the murder of film director and Islam critic Theo van Gogh by a Dutch-Moroccan militant in 2004.
(Additional reporting by Emma Thomasson) |
Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061117...ch_burqa_ban_dc |
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| malek |
| excellent!!! its a good start! |
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| tatgirl |
| Does that mean they're gonna ban the wearing of balaclavas too? Or wrapping scarves around faces in the cold weather? just wondering... |
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| Jayx1 |
i think newcomers have pushed themselves so much onto the countries thay have immigrated to that the original residents are pushing back. Banning christmas, easter and other traditions as well as all the job qouta schemes. Sadly a lot of people have had enough. It will happen here too very soon i think.
The hope in canada though is that a lot of 2nd and 3rd gen children of people of "minority" religion and colour are starting to think that banning christmas and job qoutas are stupid as well. Lets hope it doesnt come to drastic measures here. Because banning burqas and not respecting the rights of immigrants is just as bad as those immigrants not respecting the rights and traditions of dutch people, or canadians for that matter. |
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| DarV |
| All i know is theres a lot of racism in Europe hopefully that wont happen here |
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| Jayx1 |
| quote: | Originally posted by DarV
All i know is theres a lot of racism in Europe hopefully that wont happen here |
holland used to be even more tolerant than here. but the dutch have been pushed to their limits it seems |
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| raveed |
Its a very justified suggestion. Most European countries and especially North America have been fairly liberal when it comes to allowing people to follow their faith and practice their culture but at the end of the day, if these people have left their countries to live in another permanently, then they better get used to practicing that countries way of life.
Its double standards to practice your origin countries culture and religion while at the same time holding another countries passport. Most of the people have left their country for security or monetary reasons so why still take a part of that country that you like with you and mix it with an aspect of your resident country that you like. You cant expect everything to be your way. |
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| Jayx1 |
| i dont care if other cultures, traditions and religions are practiced here. I get pissed off when im told that mine cant be practised. And i think thats what this burqa backlash is all about. |
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| Cro_Addict |
as far as banning it in public i dunno...
but i am definitly for banning it for certain things like taking photos for IDs; ie. drivers licence.
or at security checkpoints like border corssings, or airports, etc.. |
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| sufee_b |
| Yes! freedom at its best...damn hypos :whip: |
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| Jayx1 |
| quote: | Originally posted by sufee_b
Yes! freedom at its best...damn hypos :whip: |
i dont agree with this ban but i can understand the feeling behind it.
The simple solution would be for all parties to respect each other. That includes immigrants respecting the country they are moving to, and dutch people respecting the immigrants.
For far too long its been one way and not the other. |
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| jazzyrj |
Raveed,
I agree with you.
Also to add to your point. This ban will most likely generate a wave of angry protests, sparking riots, burning of flags,.. etc etc. |
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