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November 23, 2005

Turkey: More Anger At Ban On Muslim Headscarves

Today, Voice of America News reports that in Turkey, protests against the banning of the hijab, or Muslim headscarf, are gaining momentum. The ban has been imposed in Turkey's universities, schools and government offices, following the social model of secularism put forward by Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey.

Though Turkey is attempting to join the European Union, a recent ruling in the European Court's Grand Chamber was made, stating that the ban on headscarfs in Turkish universities was in keeping with the values underpinning the European Convention on Human Rights.

Leyla Sahin had been barred from attending classes in Istanbul University's medical school in 1998, because the hijab contravened the university's dress code. She had been appealing against the decision, and the ruling from November 10 meant that there could be no further appeals to the EU on the matter.

But in Turkey, a movement called The Capital Women's Platform is campaigning against the ban. It was founded in the mid 1990s by women professionals who wear the hijab. Many had lost jobs as teachers. One such woman, Hatice Guler, had taught for 14 years before she was sacked for wearing a hijab.

The attitudes against the hijab became more hostile in Turkish society after 1996, when Turkey's first Islamist party came to power. This was ousted by Turkey's pro-secular military a year later. They have ousted various governments for attempting to introduce Islamism into Turkish society.

When the AKP, or Justice and Development Party won the election in 2002, these women hoped the hijab ban would end. After all, Recep Tayyip Erdogan is an avowed Islamist, and his wife wears the hijab, as do other ministers' wives. We reported Erdogan's angry criticism of the EU ruling, which he made in Denmark. He also said the ban would dampen Turkey's enthusiasm for joining the EU. A prosecutor launched an investigation to see if Erdogan's words had contravened the secular constitution of Turkey.

The spokeswoman for the Capital Women's Platform is Nuriye Ozsoy. She argues that the government should have greater courage in fighting the anti-hijab rulings to keep the loyalty of the "pious" constituents. Oszoy regrets that in municipal elections in March 2003 no hijab-wearing women candidates were put forward by the government. The group hopes that in parliamentary elections in November 2007, the Capital Women's Platform will be supporting a woman who wears the traditional headscarf.

Keywords: hijab, hidjab, burka, burqa

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at November 23, 2005 10:36 PM

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