FRENCH MPs voted this week to approve overwhelmingly a bill to ban the wearing of the Islamic full veil in public. Berengere Poletti, an MP from President Sarkozy’s UMP party, said women in full veils wore “a sign of alienation on their faces” and had to be “liberated”.
But the Sister who is the head teacher at Bournemouth Islamic Centre and Central Mosque told me: “They are so wrong!”
“By banning the niqab [a veil covering the lower part of the face] do the French government think that’s it, the end of the niqab?” she asked.
“These beautiful women will uncover for no one – they will stand proud of what they believe in and stand tall against anyone.”
“I feel so privileged to live here in the UK. We are free and I know the hijab [headscarf that sometimes incorporates a face veil] will never be banned here – we are more tolerant of others.
“Who are those in government to dictate what we can wear? Really, what harm are these women doing to others? “Aren’t we individuals? Please understand these women are following a religion of peace. They, like myself, want a peaceful way of life, to love others as we want to be loved back; to respect others as we want to be respected. “Our aim is to please Allah; to cover and be modest is such a beautiful expression of faith.”
Tariq Palmer, public relations spokesman for the Bournemouth Islamic Centre and Central Mosque, said: “The French have a reputation of clashing with elements of their society and they have been itching for years to upset Muslims – ironic, really, given the number of Muslims in and around Paris! “I can never understand why the wearing of a veil or other form of face covering is so hated and feared among so-called intelligent people.”
The French vote is being closely watched in other countries, with Spain and Belgium also debating similar legislation.
A ComRes survey found that two-thirds of Britons believed that wearing the burqa [the all-enveloping garment] should be illegal in places such as banks and airports and one third wanted an outright ban on face veils in public.
The Rev Anne Gee, priest for the villages north of Wimborne, felt the ban in France was a “good thing”. “Essentially, this is a Christian continent,” she told me. “We express ourselves facially. Moses spoke to God face to face; we should also see one another face to face.
“Happiness, sadness, kindness, love will all be seen in our facial expression. “In our Christian vocation we are called to allow the light of Christ to shine through us. It will show in our faces. There is no need to hide.”
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