Friday, April 30, 2010

Veil a \'walking prison\' for women, say Belgian MPs

BRUSSELS: Belgium's ban on the burqa will be imposed in streets, public gardens and sports grounds or buildings ''meant for public use or to provide services'' to the public, according to the bill.



''We're the first country to spring the locks that have made a good number of women slaves, and we hope to be followed by France, Switzerland, Italy, and the Netherlands; countries that think,'' said liberal lawmaker Denis Ducarme.



All governing parties and the opposition agreed on the move — most for security reasons linked to the fact that people cannot be recognized while wearing the clothing. They added that the veil was a ''walking prison'' for women. The bill's chief promoter, Daniel Bacquelaine, said local mayors could suspend the ban during festivities such as Carnival when people traditionally wear costumes, including masks.



The vice-president of the Muslim Executive of Belgium, Isabelle Praile, warned the vote could set a dangerous precedent and pave the way for a crackdown on other religious symbols such as Sikh turbans. Human rights group Amnesty International also said the vote violated rights to freedom of expression and religion.
News From: http://www.7StarNews.com

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