Netherlands may Ban Muslim Veils
Wednesday, 15 November 2006
THE NETHERLANDS may soon issue a complete ban on Muslim veils after its government announced to outlaw the wearing of niqab, or full-face veil, as well as the burqa, cloak covering the head, in public spaces.
If the Dutch government issued such a ruling, Netherlands will be the first European state to impose a nationwide ban on the Muslim veil.
The debate on the Muslim women’s right to wear the full-face veil, or niqab, and whether it prevents Muslims from integrating into Western societies has gathered momentum all over Europe, following remarks by key British leaders, calling on Muslim women to take off their niqabs.
The right-leaning coalition said it would seek a way to ban all Muslim face-veils. Last December, the Dutch parliament voted in favor of a proposal by far-right politician Geert Wilders, seeking to criminalize face coverings, for what it said were “security concerns.”
Dutch lawmakers asked Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk to examine the feasibility of such proposal. Verdonk stated that the government would now push for a total ban on Muslim veils, even though the legislation would contradict Dutch religious freedom laws. “The cabinet finds the wearing of a burqa undesirable ... but cannot at present enforce a total ban,” Verdonk was quoted by the Dutch news agency, ANP, as saying. But she affirmed that the government would try to find a way around this.
“The government will search for the possibility to provide a ban,” her spokeswoman told Reuters news agency. According to Muslim groups, who warned that such a move would only result in increasing the feelings of victimization and alienation, only 50 women out of 1 million Dutch Muslims wear the burqa or the niqab. “What the government is doing now is totally disproportionate to the number of women who actually wear the burqa,” said Ayhan Tonca, chairperson of an umbrella group of Dutch Muslim organizations. “The legislation we already have to protect people for security reasons is adequate,” he added.
Wednesday, 15 November 2006
THE NETHERLANDS may soon issue a complete ban on Muslim veils after its government announced to outlaw the wearing of niqab, or full-face veil, as well as the burqa, cloak covering the head, in public spaces.
If the Dutch government issued such a ruling, Netherlands will be the first European state to impose a nationwide ban on the Muslim veil.
The debate on the Muslim women’s right to wear the full-face veil, or niqab, and whether it prevents Muslims from integrating into Western societies has gathered momentum all over Europe, following remarks by key British leaders, calling on Muslim women to take off their niqabs.
The right-leaning coalition said it would seek a way to ban all Muslim face-veils. Last December, the Dutch parliament voted in favor of a proposal by far-right politician Geert Wilders, seeking to criminalize face coverings, for what it said were “security concerns.”
Dutch lawmakers asked Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk to examine the feasibility of such proposal. Verdonk stated that the government would now push for a total ban on Muslim veils, even though the legislation would contradict Dutch religious freedom laws. “The cabinet finds the wearing of a burqa undesirable ... but cannot at present enforce a total ban,” Verdonk was quoted by the Dutch news agency, ANP, as saying. But she affirmed that the government would try to find a way around this.
“The government will search for the possibility to provide a ban,” her spokeswoman told Reuters news agency. According to Muslim groups, who warned that such a move would only result in increasing the feelings of victimization and alienation, only 50 women out of 1 million Dutch Muslims wear the burqa or the niqab. “What the government is doing now is totally disproportionate to the number of women who actually wear the burqa,” said Ayhan Tonca, chairperson of an umbrella group of Dutch Muslim organizations. “The legislation we already have to protect people for security reasons is adequate,” he added.