French Ministers are urging a ban on Burkas as they believe that they promote segregation and the oppression of women. Urban Regeneration Minister Fadela Amara said in an interview with the Financial Times, that the banning the Burka in France would help to stem the “cancer” that is radical Islam. “The Burka represents not a piece of fabric but the political manipulation of a religion that enslaves women and disputes the principle of equality between men and women, one of the founding principles of our republic,” she said.
One man applied for citizenship so that he could live in France with his French wife, but was denied it because he was forcing her to wear a Burka. The country said they had refues him citizenship because he was denying his wife the freedom to show her face. In 2004 France banned the wearing of head scarves and other “conspicuous” religious symbols in schools and for public employees.
Ms. Amara said that the vast majority of the Muslim community are against the Burka as it is a symbol of male chauvenism within Islam and it confiscates the most fundamental liberties.
Now the UK Independance Party are saying that the religious garment should also be banned in the UK. Ex-UKIP Leader, Nigel Farage says that the Burka oppressed women and is a security threat. The UKIP is the only party to call for a complete ban after the BNP called for a ban in schools, and none of the three main political parties are behind the ban, with ministers saying it would not be “British.”
One MP, Philip Hollobone, described wearing a Burka as being like ‘wearing a paper bag’ and spoke about how it is offensive to cut yourself off from facial contact from the rest of the human race. He said he has huge sympathy with anyone who wants to ban face veils because they are helping to create a “divided society.”
Jack Straw caused controversy in 2006 within the muslim community when he said that wearing a Burka creates a symbol of segregation and difference and implied that it could make community relations harder.
The arguments for banning the Burka are saying that the covering of the face is a threat to security in this time where everyone is worried about terrorism. Not being able to see someones face means that we don’t know who they are and therefore cannot seperate them from others. However, we are supposed to live in a free country where there is freedom of speech and freedom of worship. MPs are arguing this in stopping the ban, because we cannot tell people how they should dress as it wouldn’t be a free Country if we did.