Up To Date france

Several female French Muslims shrugged off claims by politicians that the banning of burqa will be a way to protect their rights. Instead, they just want to freely practise their religious customs the way it should be practiced.

French political leaders might be lining up to uphold her rights, but Samira just wishes for them to let her wear her veil and freely practice her religion.

“I’ve nothing to apologise for and I respect everyone else. Democracy is more than just a theory for me”, said the 36-year-old to AFP after shopping at a marketplace in Venissieux.

The area is host to a strong population of Muslims, yet only four women with the niqab passed the market in two hours. The niqab is a veil that fully covers the face except for the eyes.

Some females prefer a headscarf to cover their necks and hair, with the face shown through an oval. On the other hand, some sport Western-style clothing.

Last Tuesday, the French parliament adopted a legislation that condemns the use of the full-face Islamic veil relative to the French values. The decision set the stage for the law that bans the veil.

The National Assembly vote places France towards becoming the second country in Europe after Belgium to ban the wearing of the niqab or burqa in public locations.

The French resolution that condemns the use of the full-face veil called burqas received a unanimous approval in the parliament on Tuesday.

Burqa is a garment being donned by a minority group of Muslim women in France. French politicians point to its use as an insult to the values of the citizens, which has led to political efforts targeting to run a ban against it.

Along with the said facial garment, another type of veil known as niqab, is being proposed for banning in parliament. Niqab, however, differs from the full-face burqa, as it allows an opening for the eyes, covering them with just a thin layer of lace or netting.

The UMP party of French President Nicolas Sarkozy had been in full support of the proposal, along with the opposition Socialist. All the 434 members of the National Assembly present during the voting unanimously went for the passing of the resolution. Meanwhile, Communist Party members who occupied 30 seats in parliament, protested by walking out of the session.

The passage of the non-binding resolution came Tuesday, declaring that “radical practices which violate the dignity and equality between men and women, such as the wearing of the full veil, are contrary to the values of the republic”.

Discussions on the draft legislation will be held next week, which could lead to the full ban of the attire in the whole nation. Voting is expected to come in July.

If ever the bill would be turned into law, people caught wearing the veil would be charged with fines. It would also make France the second country in the euro zone to restrict such practice.

On Tuesday, the government of France has received a report outlining the moves that it can adopt to forbid the burqa before moving on to work on the draft of a bill which is set to ban the Islamic veil.

In January, Prime Minister Francois Fillon requested the State Council for a lawful outlook after a report of the parliament demanded a ban on the face-covering veil in all government offices, schools, public transport and hospitals.

Vice president of the state council, Jean-Marc Sauve, announced on Monday the release of the independent body’s report entitled “study of the legal possibilities for banning the full veil”.

The report is anticipated to conclude that the burqa must be banned in areas like government offices where security requires the face to be exposed.

Still, it is also expected to claim that Muslim women should be allowed to wear the niqab or burqa in other areas such as streets, turning down appeals for an absolute ban.

The burqa was declared unwelcomed in secular France by President Nicolas Sarkozy, who favours the bill to outlaw it, though he has also warned against denouncing Muslims.

“The full veil runs counter to women’s dignity. The answer must be a ban”, Sarkozy said. “The government will present a bill to ban the veil that will be consistent with the general principles of law”.

France — home to the largest Muslim minority in Europe estimated to be around five to six million — has been arguing on a burqa ban although only around 1,900 women wear the veil, the interior ministry claimed.

Adherents of a ban argued that it is an insult to French values, but opponents insisted that a ban would reinforce discriminations against the Muslims.

This government’s action evolved as France’s anxieties on immigration were exposed by a national identity discussion which lasted for four months.