http://www.smh.com.au/world/now-syria-joins-move-against-veils-20100720-10jhy.html
Now Syria joins move against veils July 21, 2010 DAMASCUS: Syria has banned the face-covering Islamic veil from its universities to prevent what it sees as a threat to its secular identity, as similar moves in Europe spark cries of discrimination against Muslims. The Education Ministry ban, which affects public and private universities, applies only to the niqab - a full veil that reveals only a woman's eyes - not headscarves, which are far more commonly worn by Syrian women. The billowing black niqab has become more frequently worn in Syria recently, a move that has not gone unnoticed in a country governed by a secular, authoritarian regime. ''We have given directives to all universities to ban niqab-wearing women from registering,'' a Syrian government official said. The niqab ''contradicts university ethics'', he added, saying the government was protecting Syria's secular identity. The official confirmed that hundreds of primary school teachers who were wearing the niqab at government-run schools were transferred last month to administrative jobs. Syria is the latest country to weigh in against the veil, perhaps the most visible hallmark of conservative Islam. Opponents of the ban say prohibiting the niqab violates freedom of religion and will stigmatise all Muslim people. Duaa, a 19-year-old university student in Damascus, said she hoped to continue wearing her niqab to classes when the next term began, despite the ban. Otherwise, she said, she would not be able to study. ''The niqab is a religious obligation,'' said Duaa, who asked that her surname not be used. ''I cannot go without it.'' Associated Press [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Post message: prole...@egroups.com Subscribe : proletar-subscr...@egroups.com Unsubscribe : proletar-unsubscr...@egroups.com List owner : proletar-ow...@egroups.com Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: proletar-dig...@yahoogroups.com proletar-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: proletar-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
