KENT NEWS: A Muslim community leader has welcomed immigration minister Damian Green’s claim that banning the burka would be “rather un-British”.
The Ashford Conservative MP revealed this week that the coalition Government will not follow their French counterparts by introducing a bill that would make it illegal for women to wear full-face veils.
His comments have been welcomed by Muslims throughout the country, including Muhammad Usmani – minister of religion at Maidstone Community and Islamic Centre.
“It would be very un-British because Britain is a mostly Christian society and Christians are far more likely to accept other people’s faiths and beliefs,” he said.
“This is a very free, liberal and hospitable country, so I’m not surprised the Government does not want to ban the wearing of the burka.
“I think Muslims in France should challenge the new law in the international courts because it is wrong that they should be targeted because of their faith.”
Last week French MPs voted to ban the wearing of full-face veils in public, but the bill must first be ratified by the Senate in September before it becomes law.
Several other European countries including Spain, Netherlands and Belgium have debated the issue, but Mr Green said it would be “undesirable” for the UK Parliament to vote on such a ban.
He told reporters: “I stand personally on the feeling that telling people what they can and can’t wear, if they’re just walking down the street, is a rather un-British thing to do.
“We’re a tolerant and mutually respectful society.
“There are times, clearly, when you’ve got to be able to identify yourself, and people have got to be able to see your face, but I think it’s very unlikely and it would be very undesirable for the British Parliament to try and pass a law dictating what people wore.”
According to a recent survey of 2,205 voters carried out by Five News and the opinion website YouGov, 67 per cent support a burka ban.
The garment is the most concealing of all Islamic veils and is worn as a sign of spirituality and security, but women are not forced to wear it by any teachings in the Koran – the Muslim holy book.
Mr Green’s comments will not be welcomed by the UK Independence Party.
Its leader Lord Pearson spoke out before the last general election and said burkas should be outlawed to improve national security and prevent communities being divided.
Former party leader and current Kent Ukip MEP Nigel Farage, who lives in Westerham, near Sevenoaks, agreed in an interview with KOS Media.
He said at the time: “I can see how the burka ban might upset some people but if you look closely we weren’t saying stop people wearing them in the street.
“What we were saying was that if you’re in an airport or on a train, then modern security laws say you have to show your face.
“We’ve had a lot of correspondence about the burka issue, but most of those who were upset about it understood once we had written back and explained it to them.
“But we’ve also had lots of people getting in touch with us – including serving ministers – saying at last someone is getting back to Christian values in this country.”
Meanwhile, former Bishop of Rochester Michael Nazir-Ali has also spoken out about burkas, saying they should not be worn if doing so “compromises public or personal safety, endangers national security or impedes professional or social interaction”.
However, he does not support a blanket ban.
POSTED: 24/07/2010 08:00:00
Bookmark with:
Email to a friend: