Defend the right to wear the niqab and burqa

The ban on minarets in Switzerland , followed by the rising tide of Islamophobia in Europe, is a move that Socialists and anti-racists must challenge at all times. Geert Wilder , the Stop Islamification of Europe and the various fascists and racists across Europe all have one agenda, the scapegoating of Muslims to blame the economic and social crises of Capitalism and divert attention away from the real issues facing working people.The Belgium move to ban the wearing of the burqa and niqab in public is the next step in this reactionary process that is unfolding itself. Muslim women will face possible fines and imprisonment for exercising their religious right to dress according to their faith, if the Belgium parliament endorses the recommendations of the home affairs committee.

Yet out of a population of500,000 Muslims, less than 1% wear the full veil. What dangers does the presence of women and young girls wearing scarves present? None. So why the attacks? Is it to defend secularism ? No! For Catholic women attending church services cover their heads. Is it to expose terrorists? Well you can not hide much under a scarf that can’t be detected.

No this is not about anti-terrorist security. It is what it must be exposed as, Islamophobia, racism under another name, with a specific target in mind, Muslims. It is about imposing a form of cultural racism over dress code and asserting under the guise of secularism an excuse for another attack on religious freedoms and democratic rights.

As Isabelle Praille, the vice- president of the Muslim Executive of Belgium, warned, “this is the thin end of the wedge. Today it’s the full-face veil. Tomorrow the veil, the day after it will be the Sikh turbans, and then perhaps it will be the mini-skirts.”

Whereas the Nazis made Jews wear the yellow Star and Gays the pink triangle, today the modern racists do not want people to be able to show self confidence and pride in their life styles and beliefs. It is all about denying freedom to be confident in what you believe in and to take part in society under equal terms. Instead, Muslims are being told that you can be a member of Belgium society but do not be proud of being a Muslim and do not remind us that you are.

What next? All non whites must remove their skin pigment and undergo operations to become white? By abolishing through state law any differences that does not bring about equality it merely reinforces cultural and religious oppression. Will Chassidic Jews be told to shave off their beards and for their wives not to wear their hair coverings? Where will it end, another Auschwitz! Enough is enough.

In Harrow and elsewhere many were proud to stand side by side with Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Christians, Gays, atheists, travellers, asylum seekers, black and white, young and old, in defence of a mosque from attacks by the EDL and SOIE. Since then, the racists and fascists have not dared return to Harrow. Up and down the country, people are uniting against the fascist threats and do not fall for this scapegoating.

Geert Wilder campaigns against the “ Islamification of Dutch society. His supporters in the UK march against Muslims and the Front National gains in the French regional elections. In the meantime the BNP and NF are both hoping to make electoral inroads here.

The attack on the burqa and niqab is a cover for legitimising cultural racism and introducing institutionalised racism through legislation. Muslim women must be free to decide for themselves how, where and when they wear religious dress. If not, then this will empower racist men not only over Muslim women but over all women.

Alf Filer