Re: [Assam] New Dutch Ban
>supposed to be high security areas
that is what you think, but in realty not.
Aeroplanes are.
c
- Original Message -
From: umesh sharma
To: Rajen & Ajanta Barua ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; Dilip/Dil Deka ; ASSAMNET
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 8:07 PM
Subject: Re: [Assam] New Dutch Ban
metro trains are supposed to high security areas but none of the heavily
armed guards tries to remove ski masks for the passengers or their jackets.
Umesh
Rajen & Ajanta Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Umesh:
I don't know if you got it or not. Let me try again.
If someone wear masks in public place, that will not be a normal case, and
I donot think anyone will be allowed to pass any security zone with masks. Thus
you cannot compare wearing a masks to wearing a Burqa which is supposed to be a
normal dress like a Sikh turban. One wear Burqa precisely to cover and hide
the face, and security is not supposed to uncover a Burqa of a woman's face
because that will be against culture. Thus wearing a Burqa will be in conflict
with security.
Please note if someone hides metal under dress, that can be detected.
But a face cannot be detected under a Burqa.
Hope you got it.
Rajenda.
- Original Message -
From: umesh sharma
To: Barua25 ; Dilip/Dil Deka ; ASSAMNET
Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 12:22 PM
Subject: Re: [Assam] New Dutch Ban
so can one hide in big jackets and ski masks which I see so many
youngsters wearing inside buses and trains in Washington DC.
Umesh
Barua25 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
A general objection to women wearing Burqa and covering her face may be
security reason. A man can easily disguise and hide wearing a Burqa. I have
heard that Koran actually does not prescribe covering the face by a Burqa.
Rajen Barua
- Original Message -
From: Dilip/Dil Deka
To: ASSAMNET
Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 9:06 PM
Subject: [Assam] New Dutch Ban
Is this an infringement on free practice of religion? Is it also
curbing cultural freedom? Are they going to put the 50 women wearing Burqa in
jail for refusing to obey the law?
Are the Sikhs next in line because they also can hide a weapon under
the headgear?
The standard winter outer garments with protection for the head do
not look any different if security is the concern.
What does Mr. Saleh in the Netherlands say about this?
Dilip
=
Dutch to ban wearing of Muslim burqa in public
By Alexandra Hudson Fri Nov 17, 1:58 PM ET
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch government agreed on Friday a total
ban on the wearing of burqas and other Muslim face veils in public, justifying
the move on security grounds.
Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk will now draw up legislation which
will result in the Netherlands, once one of Europe's most easy-going nations,
imposing some of the continent's toughest laws against concealing the face.
"The cabinet finds it undesirable that garments covering the face --
including the burqa -- should be worn in public in view of public order, (and)
the security and protection of fellow citizens," the Dutch Justice Ministry
said in a statement.
The debate on face veils and whether they stymie Muslim integration
has gathered momentum across Europe.
The Netherlands would be the first European state to impose a
countrywide ban on Islamic face coverings, though other countries have already
outlawed them in specific places.
The move by the center-right government comes just five days before a
general election. The campaign has focused so far on issues like the economy
rather than immigration because most mainstream parties have hardened their
stances in recent years.
Last December Dutch lawmakers voted in favor of a proposal by
far-right politician Geert Wilders to outlaw face-coverings and asked Verdonk
to examine the feasibility of such a ban.
Because veils were worn for religious reasons, she had feared new
legislation could come into conflict with religious freedom laws. But she said
on Friday this was not the case.
MUSLIM HEADSCARF
Existing legislation already limits the wearing of burqas and other
total coverings on public transport or in schools.
France has banned the Muslim headscarf and other religious garb from
state schools while discussion in Britain centers on limiting the full facial
veil, or niqab.
Italy has a decades-old law against covering the face in public as an
anti-terrorism measure. Some politicians have called for this rule to be
enforced against veiled Muslim women.
The Musli
Re: [Assam] New Dutch Ban
metro trains are supposed to high security areas but none of the heavily armed guards tries to remove ski masks for the passengers or their jackets. Umesh Rajen & Ajanta Barua <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Umesh: I don't know if you got it or not. Let me try again. If someone wear masks in public place, that will not be a normal case, and I donot think anyone will be allowed to pass any security zone with masks. Thus you cannot compare wearing a masks to wearing a Burqa which is supposed to be a normal dress like a Sikh turban. One wear Burqa precisely to cover and hide the face, and security is not supposed to uncover a Burqa of a woman's face because that will be against culture. Thus wearing a Burqa will be in conflict with security. Please note if someone hides metal under dress, that can be detected. But a face cannot be detected under a Burqa. Hope you got it. Rajenda. - Original Message - From: umesh sharma To: Barua25 ; Dilip/Dil Deka ; ASSAMNET Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 12:22 PM Subject: Re: [Assam] New Dutch Ban so can one hide in big jackets and ski masks which I see so many youngsters wearing inside buses and trains in Washington DC. Umesh Barua25 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: A general objection to women wearing Burqa and covering her face may be security reason. A man can easily disguise and hide wearing a Burqa. I have heard that Koran actually does not prescribe covering the face by a Burqa. Rajen Barua - Original Message - From: Dilip/Dil Deka To: ASSAMNET Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 9:06 PM Subject: [Assam] New Dutch Ban Is this an infringement on free practice of religion? Is it also curbing cultural freedom? Are they going to put the 50 women wearing Burqa in jail for refusing to obey the law? Are the Sikhs next in line because they also can hide a weapon under the headgear? The standard winter outer garments with protection for the head do not look any different if security is the concern. What does Mr. Saleh in the Netherlands say about this? Dilip = Dutch to ban wearing of Muslim burqa in public By Alexandra Hudson Fri Nov 17, 1:58 PM ET AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch government agreed on Friday a total ban on the wearing of burqas and other Muslim face veils in public, justifying the move on security grounds. Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk will now draw up legislation which will result in the Netherlands, once one of Europe's most easy-going nations, imposing some of the continent's toughest laws against concealing the face. "The cabinet finds it undesirable that garments covering the face -- including the burqa -- should be worn in public in view of public order, (and) the security and protection of fellow citizens," the Dutch Justice Ministry said in a statement. The debate on face veils and whether they stymie Muslim integration has gathered momentum across Europe. The Netherlands would be the first European state to impose a countrywide ban on Islamic face coverings, though other countries have already outlawed them in specific places. The move by the center-right government comes just five days before a general election. The campaign has focused so far on issues like the economy rather than immigration because most mainstream parties have hardened their stances in recent years. Last December Dutch lawmakers voted in favor of a proposal by far-right politician Geert Wilders to outlaw face-coverings and asked Verdonk to examine the feasibility of such a ban. Because veils were worn for religious reasons, she had feared new legislation could come into conflict with religious freedom laws. But she said on Friday this was not the case. MUSLIM HEADSCARF Existing legislation already limits the wearing of burqas and other total coverings on public transport or in schools. France has banned the Muslim headscarf and other religious garb from state schools while discussion in Britain centers on limiting the full facial veil, or niqab. Italy has a decades-old law against covering the face in public as an anti-terrorism measure. Some politicians have called for this rule to be enforced against veiled Muslim women. The Muslim community estimates that only about 50 women in the Netherlands wear the head-to-toe burqa or the niqab, a face veil that conceals everything but the eyes. Dutch Muslim groups have complained a burqa ban would make the country's 1 million Muslims feel more victimized and alienated, regardless of whether they approve of burqas or not. "This will just lead to more girls saying 'hey I'm also going to wear a burqa as a protest'," Naima Azough, a member of parliament from the opposition Green Left, tol
Re: [Assam] New Dutch Ban
Umesh: I don't know if you got it or not. Let me try again. If someone wear masks in public place, that will not be a normal case, and I donot think anyone will be allowed to pass any security zone with masks. Thus you cannot compare wearing a masks to wearing a Burqa which is supposed to be a normal dress like a Sikh turban. One wear Burqa precisely to cover and hide the face, and security is not supposed to uncover a Burqa of a woman's face because that will be against culture. Thus wearing a Burqa will be in conflict with security. Please note if someone hides metal under dress, that can be detected. But a face cannot be detected under a Burqa. Hope you got it. Rajenda. - Original Message - From: umesh sharma To: Barua25 ; Dilip/Dil Deka ; ASSAMNET Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2006 12:22 PM Subject: Re: [Assam] New Dutch Ban so can one hide in big jackets and ski masks which I see so many youngsters wearing inside buses and trains in Washington DC. Umesh Barua25 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: A general objection to women wearing Burqa and covering her face may be security reason. A man can easily disguise and hide wearing a Burqa. I have heard that Koran actually does not prescribe covering the face by a Burqa. Rajen Barua - Original Message - From: Dilip/Dil Deka To: ASSAMNET Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 9:06 PM Subject: [Assam] New Dutch Ban Is this an infringement on free practice of religion? Is it also curbing cultural freedom? Are they going to put the 50 women wearing Burqa in jail for refusing to obey the law? Are the Sikhs next in line because they also can hide a weapon under the headgear? The standard winter outer garments with protection for the head do not look any different if security is the concern. What does Mr. Saleh in the Netherlands say about this? Dilip = Dutch to ban wearing of Muslim burqa in public By Alexandra Hudson Fri Nov 17, 1:58 PM ET AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch government agreed on Friday a total ban on the wearing of burqas and other Muslim face veils in public, justifying the move on security grounds. Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk will now draw up legislation which will result in the Netherlands, once one of Europe's most easy-going nations, imposing some of the continent's toughest laws against concealing the face. "The cabinet finds it undesirable that garments covering the face -- including the burqa -- should be worn in public in view of public order, (and) the security and protection of fellow citizens," the Dutch Justice Ministry said in a statement. The debate on face veils and whether they stymie Muslim integration has gathered momentum across Europe. The Netherlands would be the first European state to impose a countrywide ban on Islamic face coverings, though other countries have already outlawed them in specific places. The move by the center-right government comes just five days before a general election. The campaign has focused so far on issues like the economy rather than immigration because most mainstream parties have hardened their stances in recent years. Last December Dutch lawmakers voted in favor of a proposal by far-right politician Geert Wilders to outlaw face-coverings and asked Verdonk to examine the feasibility of such a ban. Because veils were worn for religious reasons, she had feared new legislation could come into conflict with religious freedom laws. But she said on Friday this was not the case. MUSLIM HEADSCARF Existing legislation already limits the wearing of burqas and other total coverings on public transport or in schools. France has banned the Muslim headscarf and other religious garb from state schools while discussion in Britain centers on limiting the full facial veil, or niqab. Italy has a decades-old law against covering the face in public as an anti-terrorism measure. Some politicians have called for this rule to be enforced against veiled Muslim women. The Muslim community estimates that only about 50 women in the Netherlands wear the head-to-toe burqa or the niqab, a face veil that conceals everything but the eyes. Dutch Muslim groups have complained a burqa ban would make the country's 1 million Muslims feel more victimized and alienated, regardless of whether they approve of burqas or not. "This will just lead to more girls saying 'hey I'm also going to wear a burqa as a protest'," Naima Azough, a member of parliament from the opposition Green Left, told an election campaign meeting for fellow members of the Moroccan community. Job Cohen, the Labour mayor of Amsterdam, said he opposed burqas in schools and pub
Re: [Assam] New Dutch Ban
so can one hide in big jackets and ski masks which I see so many youngsters wearing inside buses and trains in Washington DC. Umesh Barua25 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: A general objection to women wearing Burqa and covering her face may be security reason. A man can easily disguise and hide wearing a Burqa. I have heard that Koran actually does not prescribe covering the face by a Burqa. Rajen Barua - Original Message - From: Dilip/Dil Deka To: ASSAMNET Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 9:06 PM Subject: [Assam] New Dutch Ban Is this an infringement on free practice of religion? Is it also curbing cultural freedom? Are they going to put the 50 women wearing Burqa in jail for refusing to obey the law? Are the Sikhs next in line because they also can hide a weapon under the headgear? The standard winter outer garments with protection for the head do not look any different if security is the concern. What does Mr. Saleh in the Netherlands say about this? Dilip = Dutch to ban wearing of Muslim burqa in public By Alexandra Hudson Fri Nov 17, 1:58 PM ET AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch government agreed on Friday a total ban on the wearing of burqas and other Muslim face veils in public, justifying the move on security grounds. Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk will now draw up legislation which will result in the Netherlands, once one of Europe's most easy-going nations, imposing some of the continent's toughest laws against concealing the face. "The cabinet finds it undesirable that garments covering the face -- including the burqa -- should be worn in public in view of public order, (and) the security and protection of fellow citizens," the Dutch Justice Ministry said in a statement. The debate on face veils and whether they stymie Muslim integration has gathered momentum across Europe. The Netherlands would be the first European state to impose a countrywide ban on Islamic face coverings, though other countries have already outlawed them in specific places. The move by the center-right government comes just five days before a general election. The campaign has focused so far on issues like the economy rather than immigration because most mainstream parties have hardened their stances in recent years. Last December Dutch lawmakers voted in favor of a proposal by far-right politician Geert Wilders to outlaw face-coverings and asked Verdonk to examine the feasibility of such a ban. Because veils were worn for religious reasons, she had feared new legislation could come into conflict with religious freedom laws. But she said on Friday this was not the case. MUSLIM HEADSCARF Existing legislation already limits the wearing of burqas and other total coverings on public transport or in schools. France has banned the Muslim headscarf and other religious garb from state schools while discussion in Britain centers on limiting the full facial veil, or niqab. Italy has a decades-old law against covering the face in public as an anti-terrorism measure. Some politicians have called for this rule to be enforced against veiled Muslim women. The Muslim community estimates that only about 50 women in the Netherlands wear the head-to-toe burqa or the niqab, a face veil that conceals everything but the eyes. Dutch Muslim groups have complained a burqa ban would make the country's 1 million Muslims feel more victimized and alienated, regardless of whether they approve of burqas or not. "This will just lead to more girls saying 'hey I'm also going to wear a burqa as a protest'," Naima Azough, a member of parliament from the opposition Green Left, told an election campaign meeting for fellow members of the Moroccan community. Job Cohen, the Labour mayor of Amsterdam, said he opposed burqas in schools and public buildings, and said women wearing one who failed to get a job should not expect welfare benefits. "From the perspective of integration and communication, it is obviously very bad because you can't see each other so the fewer the better," he told foreign journalists. "But actually hardly anybody wears one ... The fuss is much bigger than the number of people concerned." Since the murder of anti-immigration maverick Pim Fortuyn in 2002, the Dutch have lost a reputation for tolerance, pushing through some of Europe's toughest entry and integration laws. Social and religious tensions have escalated in the last few years, exacerbated by the murder of film director and Islam critic Theo van Gogh by a Dutch-Moroccan militant in 2004. (Additional reporting by Emma Thomasson) - ___ assam m
Re: [Assam] New Dutch Ban
A general objection to women wearing Burqa and covering her face may be security reason. A man can easily disguise and hide wearing a Burqa. I have heard that Koran actually does not prescribe covering the face by a Burqa. Rajen Barua - Original Message - From: Dilip/Dil Deka To: ASSAMNET Sent: Friday, November 17, 2006 9:06 PM Subject: [Assam] New Dutch Ban Is this an infringement on free practice of religion? Is it also curbing cultural freedom? Are they going to put the 50 women wearing Burqa in jail for refusing to obey the law? Are the Sikhs next in line because they also can hide a weapon under the headgear? The standard winter outer garments with protection for the head do not look any different if security is the concern. What does Mr. Saleh in the Netherlands say about this? Dilip = Dutch to ban wearing of Muslim burqa in public By Alexandra Hudson Fri Nov 17, 1:58 PM ET AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch government agreed on Friday a total ban on the wearing of burqas and other Muslim face veils in public, justifying the move on security grounds. Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk will now draw up legislation which will result in the Netherlands, once one of Europe's most easy-going nations, imposing some of the continent's toughest laws against concealing the face. "The cabinet finds it undesirable that garments covering the face -- including the burqa -- should be worn in public in view of public order, (and) the security and protection of fellow citizens," the Dutch Justice Ministry said in a statement. The debate on face veils and whether they stymie Muslim integration has gathered momentum across Europe. The Netherlands would be the first European state to impose a countrywide ban on Islamic face coverings, though other countries have already outlawed them in specific places. The move by the center-right government comes just five days before a general election. The campaign has focused so far on issues like the economy rather than immigration because most mainstream parties have hardened their stances in recent years. Last December Dutch lawmakers voted in favor of a proposal by far-right politician Geert Wilders to outlaw face-coverings and asked Verdonk to examine the feasibility of such a ban. Because veils were worn for religious reasons, she had feared new legislation could come into conflict with religious freedom laws. But she said on Friday this was not the case. MUSLIM HEADSCARF Existing legislation already limits the wearing of burqas and other total coverings on public transport or in schools. France has banned the Muslim headscarf and other religious garb from state schools while discussion in Britain centers on limiting the full facial veil, or niqab. Italy has a decades-old law against covering the face in public as an anti-terrorism measure. Some politicians have called for this rule to be enforced against veiled Muslim women. The Muslim community estimates that only about 50 women in the Netherlands wear the head-to-toe burqa or the niqab, a face veil that conceals everything but the eyes. Dutch Muslim groups have complained a burqa ban would make the country's 1 million Muslims feel more victimized and alienated, regardless of whether they approve of burqas or not. "This will just lead to more girls saying 'hey I'm also going to wear a burqa as a protest'," Naima Azough, a member of parliament from the opposition Green Left, told an election campaign meeting for fellow members of the Moroccan community. Job Cohen, the Labour mayor of Amsterdam, said he opposed burqas in schools and public buildings, and said women wearing one who failed to get a job should not expect welfare benefits. "From the perspective of integration and communication, it is obviously very bad because you can't see each other so the fewer the better," he told foreign journalists. "But actually hardly anybody wears one ... The fuss is much bigger than the number of people concerned." Since the murder of anti-immigration maverick Pim Fortuyn in 2002, the Dutch have lost a reputation for tolerance, pushing through some of Europe's toughest entry and integration laws. Social and religious tensions have escalated in the last few years, exacerbated by the murder of film director and Islam critic Theo van Gogh by a Dutch-Moroccan militant in 2004. (Additional reporting by Emma Thomasson) -- ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
Re: [Assam] New Dutch Ban
they should impose their hidden will on everyone who vists their country and go the Nordic ( & Canadian ) way -- no clothes at all in public places. Umesh Dilip/Dil Deka <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Is this an infringement on free practice of religion? Is it also curbing cultural freedom? Are they going to put the 50 women wearing Burqa in jail for refusing to obey the law? Are the Sikhs next in line because they also can hide a weapon under the headgear? The standard winter outer garments with protection for the head do not look any different if security is the concern. What does Mr. Saleh in the Netherlands say about this? Dilip = Dutch to ban wearing of Muslim burqa in public By Alexandra Hudson Fri Nov 17, 1:58 PM ET AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch government agreed on Friday a total ban on the wearing of burqas and other Muslim face veils in public, justifying the move on security grounds. Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk will now draw up legislation which will result in the Netherlands, once one of Europe's most easy-going nations, imposing some of the continent's toughest laws against concealing the face. "The cabinet finds it undesirable that garments covering the face -- including the burqa -- should be worn in public in view of public order, (and) the security and protection of fellow citizens," the Dutch Justice Ministry said in a statement. The debate on face veils and whether they stymie Muslim integration has gathered momentum across Europe. The Netherlands would be the first European state to impose a countrywide ban on Islamic face coverings, though other countries have already outlawed them in specific places. The move by the center-right government comes just five days before a general election. The campaign has focused so far on issues like the economy rather than immigration because most mainstream parties have hardened their stances in recent years. Last December Dutch lawmakers voted in favor of a proposal by far-right politician Geert Wilders to outlaw face-coverings and asked Verdonk to examine the feasibility of such a ban. Because veils were worn for religious reasons, she had feared new legislation could come into conflict with religious freedom laws. But she said on Friday this was not the case. MUSLIM HEADSCARF Existing legislation already limits the wearing of burqas and other total coverings on public transport or in schools. France has banned the Muslim headscarf and other religious garb from state schools while discussion in Britain centers on limiting the full facial veil, or niqab. Italy has a decades-old law against covering the face in public as an anti-terrorism measure. Some politicians have called for this rule to be enforced against veiled Muslim women. The Muslim community estimates that only about 50 women in the Netherlands wear the head-to-toe burqa or the niqab, a face veil that conceals everything but the eyes. Dutch Muslim groups have complained a burqa ban would make the country's 1 million Muslims feel more victimized and alienated, regardless of whether they approve of burqas or not. "This will just lead to more girls saying 'hey I'm also going to wear a burqa as a protest'," Naima Azough, a member of parliament from the opposition Green Left, told an election campaign meeting for fellow members of the Moroccan community. Job Cohen, the Labour mayor of Amsterdam, said he opposed burqas in schools and public buildings, and said women wearing one who failed to get a job should not expect welfare benefits. "From the perspective of integration and communication, it is obviously very bad because you can't see each other so the fewer the better," he told foreign journalists. "But actually hardly anybody wears one ... The fuss is much bigger than the number of people concerned." Since the murder of anti-immigration maverick Pim Fortuyn in 2002, the Dutch have lost a reputation for tolerance, pushing through some of Europe's toughest entry and integration laws. Social and religious tensions have escalated in the last few years, exacerbated by the murder of film director and Islam critic Theo van Gogh by a Dutch-Moroccan militant in 2004. (Additional reporting by Emma Thomasson) ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org Umesh Sharma 5121 Lackawanna ST College Park, (Washington D.C. Metro Region) MD 20740 1-202-215-4328 [Cell Phone] Ed.M. - International Education Policy Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, Class of 2005 weblog: http://jaipurschool.bihu.in/ website: www.gse.harvard.edu/iep - To help you stay safe and secure online, we've developed the all new Yahoo! Security Centre._
[Assam] New Dutch Ban
Is this an infringement on free practice of religion? Is it also curbing cultural freedom? Are they going to put the 50 women wearing Burqa in jail for refusing to obey the law? Are the Sikhs next in line because they also can hide a weapon under the headgear? The standard winter outer garments with protection for the head do not look any different if security is the concern. What does Mr. Saleh in the Netherlands say about this? Dilip = Dutch to ban wearing of Muslim burqa in public By Alexandra Hudson Fri Nov 17, 1:58 PM ET AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Dutch government agreed on Friday a total ban on the wearing of burqas and other Muslim face veils in public, justifying the move on security grounds. Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk will now draw up legislation which will result in the Netherlands, once one of Europe's most easy-going nations, imposing some of the continent's toughest laws against concealing the face. "The cabinet finds it undesirable that garments covering the face -- including the burqa -- should be worn in public in view of public order, (and) the security and protection of fellow citizens," the Dutch Justice Ministry said in a statement. The debate on face veils and whether they stymie Muslim integration has gathered momentum across Europe. The Netherlands would be the first European state to impose a countrywide ban on Islamic face coverings, though other countries have already outlawed them in specific places. The move by the center-right government comes just five days before a general election. The campaign has focused so far on issues like the economy rather than immigration because most mainstream parties have hardened their stances in recent years. Last December Dutch lawmakers voted in favor of a proposal by far-right politician Geert Wilders to outlaw face-coverings and asked Verdonk to examine the feasibility of such a ban. Because veils were worn for religious reasons, she had feared new legislation could come into conflict with religious freedom laws. But she said on Friday this was not the case. MUSLIM HEADSCARF Existing legislation already limits the wearing of burqas and other total coverings on public transport or in schools. France has banned the Muslim headscarf and other religious garb from state schools while discussion in Britain centers on limiting the full facial veil, or niqab. Italy has a decades-old law against covering the face in public as an anti-terrorism measure. Some politicians have called for this rule to be enforced against veiled Muslim women. The Muslim community estimates that only about 50 women in the Netherlands wear the head-to-toe burqa or the niqab, a face veil that conceals everything but the eyes. Dutch Muslim groups have complained a burqa ban would make the country's 1 million Muslims feel more victimized and alienated, regardless of whether they approve of burqas or not. "This will just lead to more girls saying 'hey I'm also going to wear a burqa as a protest'," Naima Azough, a member of parliament from the opposition Green Left, told an election campaign meeting for fellow members of the Moroccan community. Job Cohen, the Labour mayor of Amsterdam, said he opposed burqas in schools and public buildings, and said women wearing one who failed to get a job should not expect welfare benefits. "From the perspective of integration and communication, it is obviously very bad because you can't see each other so the fewer the better," he told foreign journalists. "But actually hardly anybody wears one ... The fuss is much bigger than the number of people concerned." Since the murder of anti-immigration maverick Pim Fortuyn in 2002, the Dutch have lost a reputation for tolerance, pushing through some of Europe's toughest entry and integration laws. Social and religious tensions have escalated in the last few years, exacerbated by the murder of film director and Islam critic Theo van Gogh by a Dutch-Moroccan militant in 2004. (Additional reporting by Emma Thomasson) ___ assam mailing list assam@assamnet.org http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
