France took a decisive step on Tuesday toward banning Islamic head scarves from public schools, with lawmakers overwhelmingly backing the government's drive to preserve French secularism from Islamic fundamentalism.
Legislators voted by a massive 494 to 36 margin to approve the controversial restriction on head scarves and other religious apparel -- despite protests and criticism from around the world that the measure infringes on religious freedom.
The legislation now goes to the Senate, where little opposition is anticipated, in early March. It is expected to be implemented for the 2004 to 2005 school year that starts in September.
The bill got far more than the 288 votes needed to pass in the 577-seat National Assembly -- a measure of its popularity within France, demonstrated repeatedly in public opinion polls.
"The Republic and secularism are strengthened," said Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, hailing "the magnitude of this vote."
French leaders hope a law will quell debate over head scarves that has divided France since 1989, when two young girls were expelled from their school in Creil, outside Paris, for wearing the head coverings. Scores more have been expelled since then.
"This law will help us to say to the Muslims, to the young ... that `You must also mobilize, and say what type of Islam you want within the Republic,'" said Communist lawmaker Andre Gerin.
The bill stipulates that "in schools, junior high schools and high schools, signs and dress that conspicuously show the religious affiliation of students are forbidden." It would not apply to students in private schools or to French schools in other countries.
The legislation does not spell out what apparel would be banned, but it targets Islamic head scarves, as well as Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses.
Sanctions for refusing to remove offending apparel would range from a warning to temporary suspension to expulsion.
The government argues that a law is needed to protect France's secular traditions and to ward off rising Islamic fundamentalism.
"This law is for us indispensable," said Martine David, a Socialist lawmaker. Teachers "need a clear judicial framework."
Parliament's majority party, President Jacques Chirac's Union for a Popular Movement, agreed Thursday to a last-minute amendment by the Socialists that calls for a re-evaluation of the law a year after it takes effect.
Lawmakers want the option, if necessary, of being able to alter the bill's language if it proves to be vague, ambiguous or too difficult to apply. The governing UMP party also added an amendment to ensure that mediation takes place before any sanctions are imposed -- another Socialist suggestion that helped the bill sail through with its enormous margin of victory.
France has been widely condemned in the Arab and Muslim world for the proposed ban. Thousands of angry protesters from Beirut to Baghdad have held street demonstrations.
Even non-Muslims entered the debate -- many on the side of opponents. Lord Greville Janner, vice president of the World Jewish Congress, said the parliament vote was "a sad decision."
"In a multicultural society, citizens should be free to wear whatever appropriate religious symbols they wish," he said in a statement.
The issue has also proven sharply divisive among Muslims in France -- at 5 million, Western Europe's largest Muslim community. Some believe that banning head scarves will become a method to exclude Muslim girls from public schools and further ostracize their community.
"This is not a good idea," said Abdelhak Cherid, 24, smoking a cigarette in the street with his friends, outside a Muslim grocery store in Paris. "It's going to cause problems -- serious problems.
"This law is going to create anti-Muslim sentiment, and anti-French sentiment. No good will come of it," he said.
But other Muslims here believe the key to successful integration is to live the values of their adopted land.
"I arrived in France and adapted to this country," said 65-year-old Telly Naar, who came from Morocco 40 years ago. "Everyone should be able to practice religion at home. If one wants to wear the head scarf outside, fine, but not inside a school that is secular."
Some said the debate on the issue exposed the danger of Islamic fundamentalism and will help roll back radicalism.
"Until now families were alone in fighting fundamentalists, often in the shadows, and at danger to their safety," said Hanifa Cherifi, a mediator for the national education system on the head-scarf issue.
The debate "lifted the veil on fundamentalist thinking, which is taking a population hostage," she told parliamentary TV.
A humanoid robot that won a half-marathon race for robots in Beijing on Sunday ran faster than the human world record in a show of China’s technological leaps. The winner from Honor, a Chinese smartphone maker, completed the 21km race in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, said a WeChat post by the Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, also known as Beijing E-Town, where the race began. That was faster than the human world record holder, Ugandan Jacob Kiplimo, who finished the same distance in about 57 minutes in March at the Lisbon road race. The performance by the robot marked a significant step forward
Four contenders are squaring up to succeed Antonio Guterres as secretary-general of the UN, which faces unprecedented global instability, wars and its own crushing budget crisis. Chile’s Michelle Bachelet, Argentina’s Rafael Grossi, Costa Rica’s Rebeca Grynspan and Senegal’s Macky Sall are each to face grillings by 193 member states and non-governmental organizations for three hours today and tomorrow. It is only the second time the UN has held a public question-and-answer, a format created in 2016 to boost transparency. Ultimately the five permanent members of the UN’s top body, the Security Council, hold the power, wielding vetoes over who leads the
South Korea’s air force yesterday apologized for a 2021 midair collision involving two fighter jets, a day after auditors said the pilots were taking selfies and filming during the flight and held them responsible for the accident. “We sincerely apologize to the public for the concern caused by the accident that occurred in 2021,” an air force spokesman told a news conference, adding that one of the pilots involved had been suspended from flying duties, received severe disciplinary action and has since left the military. The apology followed a report released on Wednesday by the South Korean Board of Audit and Inspection,
An earthquake registering a preliminary magnitude of 7.7 off northern Japan on Monday prompted a short-lived tsunami alert and the advisory of a higher risk of a possible mega-quake for coastal areas there. The Cabinet Office and the Japan Meteorological Agency said there was a 1% chance for a mega-quake, compared to a 0.1% chance during normal times, in the next week or so following the powerful quake near the Chishima and Japan trenches. Officials said the advisory was not a quake prediction but urged residents in 182 towns along the northeastern coasts to raise their preparedness while continuing their daily lives. Prime
RSS