French Hostages in Iraq - Captors demand end of Scarf Ban

[MKSheppard]

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/ ... 67/1/.html

PARIS : The French government switched into crisis mode as efforts intensified to secure the release of two journalists kidnapped in Iraq by Islamic militants demanding that Paris rescind a ban on headscarves in state schools.

"The situation is serious. We are devoting all our energy to obtain the release of our countrymen who have been appallingly taken hostage in Iraq," Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said after a second round of emergency talks with top ministers.

"We have already reinforced our initiatives in the region and we will continue to do so in the coming hours," he told reporters before heading into a meeting with President Jacques Chirac.

It was unclear what channels of influence Paris was using to help win the release of Radio France correspondent Christian Chesnot and Georges Malbrunot of Le Figaro newspaper.

Muslim leaders in France and abroad joined the government in urging the Islamic Army in Iraq, the same shadowy Sunni Muslim group that kidnapped and later killed Italian journalist Enzo Baldoni, to free the two men.

The group's demand that Paris revoke its ban on headscarves in state schools and universities upped the stakes in the debate over the controversial law, set to go into effect Thursday when classes resume across France.

"Together we ask for their release," Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin said after meeting with Muslim leaders, addressing "all those who have some kind of authority or responsibility for the fate" of the two newsmen.

"Secularism in our country does not divide -- it brings together all French men and women," he told reporters.

Raffarin met with de Villepin, Foreign Minister Michel Barnier, Culture and Communications Minister Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, Education Minister Francois Fillon and Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie on the crisis.

"France taken hostage," proclaimed the Sunday paper Le Journal du Dimanche on its front page above photos of Chesnot and Malbrunot.

The two newsmen went missing on August 20, the day they were to have left Baghdad for the central holy city of Najaf, then the scene of fierce fighting between US forces and Shiite militia loyal to radical cleric Moqtada Sadr.

Late Saturday, Arabic-language Al-Jazeera television broadcast images of Chesnot and Malbrunot -- both Middle East experts with years of experience in the region -- along with the ultimatum from the Islamic Army in Iraq.

The militants gave Paris 48 hours to meet their demands, describing the headscarf ban as "an injustice and an attack on the Islamic religion," the Qatar-based network reported, citing its "own sources in Iraq."

Muslim leaders condemned the kidnapping, with the president of the French Council for the Muslim Religion (CFCM), Dalil Boubakeur, saying he was "shattered" by the Islamic militants' "unworthy and odious blackmail".

"The Muslim community must set itself apart from these schemes that are reprehensible in the eyes of Islam and give no indication that these people are acting in their interest," Boubakeur said.

The CFCM is the first officially recognized body for France's Muslim community, which at an estimated five million is the largest in Europe.

Controversial Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan -- a leading opponent of the headscarf ban -- urged Paris not to "give in to this appalling blackmail," calling the kidnapping "unacceptable and contrary to the principles of Islam."

Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood condemned the hostage-taking, while in Iraq a strict Wahhabist group and the country's most senior Sunni Muslim scholars, the Committee of Ulemas, called for the immediate release of the two men.

But both Iraqi groups also called on France to reconsider its decision to ban "conspicuous" religious insignia like Islamic veils, Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses in the classroom.

The government introduced the law to stop what it saw as an increasingly radical stance by some students to assert their religious identity in schools in violation of a principle that such institutions should be strictly secular.

But the legislation was widely criticized in many countries in the Arab world, which charged that it was an example of blatant discrimination against Muslims.

Demonstrators have marched against the headscarf law in Bahrain, Egypt, the Gaza Strip, Indonesia, Jordan, Lebanon and in France itself, where a section of the Muslim community campaigned against the new regulation.

Kidnappings of journalists and other foreigners have become common in Iraq as insurgents attempt to force countries to withdraw their troops from the war-ravaged country or extort money.

However, the journalists' employers and Sunni Muslim scholars had earlier expressed faith that if they had been kidnapped they would be safe because France had staunchly opposed the US-led war against Iraq.

Baldoni was killed after being held for a week, Al-Jazeera had reported. His captors had threatened to execute him unless Italy withdrew its 3,000 troops from Iraq within 48 hours.

- AFP[/img]

[Tsyroc]

Hasn't Turkey, a Muslim nation, had a ban on most traditional headgear since the modern country was formed?

Why not but them first and then mess with the French?

[Rogue 9]

Hasn't Turkey, a Muslim nation, had a ban on most traditional headgear since the modern country was formed?

Why not but them first and then mess with the French?

Because 1.) the Turks are majority Muslim; hard to say that they're actively persecuting themselves, 2.) the French did this recently and there was a big public deal about it, and 3.) nobody likes the French. (Okay, just kidding on the last.)

[CJvR]

3.) nobody likes the French.

No, but we will still back them against Islamists.

[Sarevok]

Well the scarf ban was a bad decision anyway. It violates personal and religious freedom. However taking hostages is bad. It would only hurt their cause rather than helping it. Peaceful protests are the way to go.

[Jade Falcon]

Though it wasn't just a 'scarf ban', it also affected other religious symbols, so the Islamics are not being singled out and victimised here. I find it interesting that the scarf is the case most often pointed out.

I believe the Jewish skullcap (sorry, don't know it's name), and prominent crosses and the crucifix are also banned among other things.

[Ace Pace]

The jewish skullcap is a Kipa.

[Sea Skimmer]

Though it wasn't just a 'scarf ban', it also affected other religious symbols, so the Islamics are not being singled out and victimised here. I find it interesting that the scarf is the case most often pointed out.

I believe the Jewish skullcap (sorry, don't know it's name), and prominent crosses and the crucifix are also banned among other things.

They only banned wearing a 'large' crucifix I believe, which is part of the reason why so many people are so outraged.

[Sharp-kun]

They only banned wearing a 'large' crucifix I believe, which is part of the reason why so many people are so outraged.

I always thought that it was anything that was noticable that was banned. Things like the skullcap and headscarf you can't hide, while a tiny cross can just be put in your pocket where no one can see it.

[Rogue 9]

Though it wasn't just a 'scarf ban', it also affected other religious symbols, so the Islamics are not being singled out and victimised here. I find it interesting that the scarf is the case most often pointed out.

Well, it's an open secret that they Kipa and the cross were banned along with it only to maintain a semblance of fairness; the objective of the law was to integrate the Muslim population.

[Jade Falcon]

They only banned wearing a 'large' crucifix I believe, which is part of the reason why so many people are so outraged.

Hence why I said 'prominent', I should maybe have made myself a bit clearer. A small cross or crucifix on a chain that can be easily hidden would probably be ok.

[Darth Wong]

The objective of the ban was to keep students from segregating along religious lines, and overt religious clothing is one of the thing that aids in such undesirable behaviour. It's bad enough that people have all of these religious animosities, but to literally wear it on your sleeve all the time does not help the situation.

When I went to school, if I wore a shirt saying (for example) something like "the Pope is a worthless piece of scum", I probably would have been asked to not wear it because it's inflammatory. This is no different; they are telling students not to walk around wearing religious "gang colours".

[Darth Wong]

Well the scarf ban was a bad decision anyway. It violates personal and religious freedom.

Bullshit. They don't allow gang colours in most schools either; does this mean they're violating freedom of association?

Religious freedom means you get to believe what you want. It does not mean you get to do whatever you beliefs tell you to.

[Chardok]

What a stupid reason to kidnap and murder people. Can't those dips see they are doing nothing but setting the stage for actually BEING persecuted in revenge? It's not as if the world at large has a favorable opinion in general of the muslim population. My opinion is rapidly eroding, to be completely honest. Blame it on the media, blame it on my being narrow minded, blame it on whatever; but I'm very close to simply filing anyone who follows islam into my "Do not trust until proven worthy of trust" Cabinet, which goes completely against my typical life philosophy of trust almost anyone until proven unworthy of trust.

quoth The Rampant AI:

But Islam is a religion of peace, yo.

Can you just hear the sarcasm dripping to the floor?

[Jade Falcon]

Besides, the rules of personal and religious freedom, I'm sure will be difference in France than the USA. I also believe it's only at non denominational state run schools that this applies.

[AniThyng]

The objective of the ban was to keep students from segregating along religious lines, and overt religious clothing is one of the thing that aids in such undesirable behaviour. It's bad enough that people have all of these religious animosities, but to literally wear it on your sleeve all the time does not help the situation.

When I went to school, if I wore a shirt saying (for example) something like "the Pope is a worthless piece of scum", I probably would have been asked to not wear it because it's inflammatory. This is no different; they are telling students not to walk around wearing religious "gang colours".

while i can see the point you are trying to make...i have a hard time really getting worked up over muslim girls wearing the headscarve....maybe i'm just used to it since i live in a muslim majority country and it's just something people do. or don't. it's acceptable for muslim women here not to wear it if they don't want to as well.

and i honestly can;'t see how a headscarve can be remotely compared to a t-shirt with a message that is deliberately written to be inflammatory.

[Darth Wong]

while i can see the point you are trying to make...i have a hard time really getting worked up over muslim girls wearing the headscarve....maybe i'm just used to it since i live in a muslim majority country and it's just something people do. or don't. it's acceptable for muslim women here not to wear it if they don't want to as well.

Different situation: if you live in a Muslim majority country, it is likely that avoiding religious segregation in a multi-religious student body is not a concern. And if it's not worth getting worked up over, then tell them that; they're the ones making a huge issue out of the damned headrag.

and i honestly can;'t see how a headscarve can be remotely compared to a t-shirt with a message that is deliberately written to be inflammatory.

The scarf represents a belief structure whose holy book says far more inflammatory things about "infidels" than what my proposed T-shirt said about the Pope. It's a symbol; no one would have to explain to you why a Nazi baseball cap would piss people off, so why don't you understand this?

[Bob the Gunslinger]

The jewish skullcap is a Kipa.

In Yiddish it's a yarmulke (pronounced "yamukka" here).

[Sarevok]

Well the scarf ban was a bad decision anyway. It violates personal and religious freedom.

Bullshit. They don't allow gang colours in most schools either; does this mean they're violating freedom of association?

Religious freedom means you get to believe what you want. It does not mean you get to do whatever you beliefs tell you to.

Wearing head scarves is an important thing in Islam. It is important to follow this rule. Besides head scarves have no bad effect, it is only an element of clothing.

[Darth Wong]

Well the scarf ban was a bad decision anyway. It violates personal and religious freedom.

Bullshit. They don't allow gang colours in most schools either; does this mean they're violating freedom of association?

Religious freedom means you get to believe what you want. It does not mean you get to do whatever you beliefs tell you to.

Wearing head scarves is an important thing in Islam. It is important to follow this rule. Besides head scarves have no bad effect, it is only an element of clothing.

Someday when you learn to address points instead of ignoring them, get back to me. Read what I wrote again, dumb-fuck. Gang colours are "only an element of clothing" too.

[Gandalf]

Well the scarf ban was a bad decision anyway. It violates personal and religious freedom.

Bullshit. They don't allow gang colours in most schools either; does this mean they're violating freedom of association?

What constitutes a gang colour?

We don't have them here.

[Sarevok]

I echo the question.

[Darth Wong]

I take it neither of you have developed the computer skills necessary to operate Google?

[ArmorPierce]

Well I think banning gang colors is retarded. So you're banned from wearing blue because that's crip, red because that's blood, and yellow because that's king? Besides it trampling over freedom of speech, I don't see what they are trying to stop from not being allowed to wear these "gang colors".

[Darth Wong]

Well I think banning gang colors is retarded. So you're banned from wearing blue because that's crip, red because that's blood, and yellow because that's king? Besides it trampling over freedom of speech, I don't see what they are trying to stop from not being allowed to wear these "gang colors".

News flash: you don't have freedom of speech when you're in a public school. Get over yourself.