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December 22, 2005
Holland: MPs Approve Banning of Muslim Burkas
Though not on the website of the Telegraph, today's print edition (page 19) states that the move to ban the burqa (illustrated, below), which was first suggested by right wing MP Geert Wilders (pictured, left) and introduced by Rita Verdonk, Holland's Integration Minister, came a step closer to becoming law yesterday.
The report announces that yesterday Dutch MPs voted by a majority - 80 to 70 to approve a ban on the burka in public places.
The government will study the legality of the motion and report back to parliament in February. Geert Wilders, the MP who introduced the motion, described burqas as "medieval and unfriendly to women"."This measure will serve to promote integration by preventing Muslim women from separating themselves from Dutch society, and by giving comfort and support to moderate Muslims," he said.
There are 1 million people living in the Netherlands who are Muslim. Probably less than 100 women in the Netherlands wear the burqa, out of a national population of 16 million.
According to Radio Netherlands, Christian Democrats supported the move. MP Wim van der Camp, for the CDA, stated: "We voted in support of the motion because we want to clearly tell the government that people's faces should be visible in public, whether this concerns a burka, a crash helmet or a balaclava. Normal people do not walk around with covered faces."
The Bill was also supported by the conservative VVF party, which is in a coalition with the ruling party, as is CDA. Another supporter was the opposition LPF party, which was founded by the late Pim Fortuyn, who was killed by an animal rights campaigner in 2002, who claimed he was doing it "for the Muslims".
The reason the bill will have to wait until February for ratification is because Rita Verdonk is concerned that the law may infringe the constitution of the Netherlands, which guarantees freedom of religion. She is currently investigating the matter and will report on her findings in January.
There has been predictable opposition to the parliament's decision. Haci Karacaer, chairman of a Turkish conservative Muslim association, Milli Gorus, stated:
"I agree that women who walk around in the burka do not have a great future in this country but I think they should be allowed to dress as they want in a constitutional state. People should have the right to choose to exclude themselves from society."
Keywords: Burka, Burqa, Hidjab, hijab
Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at December 22, 2005 12:04 PM
Comments
Yes if they choose to exclude themselves from the modern world and society then surely they don’t expect the same system to look after them or for them to take advantage of the free spirit and laws and the benefits that go along with a free democratic society!!! It’s all very well but if these people who wear burka’s, kappa’s veils or whatever want to express their religious beliefs let them congregate to an obscure part of the world preferably the Sahara dessert and live there and not amongst free spirited and democratic human beings!!! I totally agree with Holland and France for banning all religious apparel!!!
Posted by: AnwarMustafa ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.westernresistance.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at December 11, 2007 12:49 AM
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