National cohesion versus the veil
The problem is not the Islamic headscarf, it is how to preserve France's national cohesion, a leading French politician told Omayma Abdel-Latif
A leading member of France's ruling party defended his government's position to impose a ban on Islamic headscarves and other visible religious signs in public schools. Pascal Drouhaud, director of the International Relations Committee in the Union Pour un Mouvement Populaire (UMP), France's ruling party which also enjoys the majority in the assembly, told the Weekly that the ultimate goal of the raging debate in France about the fate of secularism was 'to preserve the national cohesion of France'. Drouhaud insisted that the recommendation of the Stasi commission to ban all visible religious symbols was not 'a threat or a menace against one community', "it is about preserving France and the Republican values," explained Drouhaud during a brief visit to Cairo.
His comments came a few days after the Stasi commission, a 20- member committee appointed by French President Jack Chirac last July to gauge reactions on the possible outlaw of all visible religious symbols in public schools, concluded its findings by recommending a ban. According to Drouhaud, President Chirac is expected to pass a law to legalise this ban.
Observers believe that the issue of imposing a ban on all religious signs in public schools brought to the fore important questions about the fate of secular traditions in France which were established at the turn of the last century and the need to reconcile them with a society that has undergone radical demographic changes. France is now host to Europe's biggest Muslim and Jewish population (official figures put the numbers at three to five million Muslims and 700 000 Jews). The issue should, therefore, be put within the larger context of how a society integrates its immigrants.
"We realised that the issue of integration is turning into a problem of communities and this is not good because the French Republic is not a Republic of communities but of common values."
"We cannot imagine a France that is based on co-existance between communities because this is not how France is organised. We want every French citizen despite their difference to be united behind the values of the Republic."
Though Drouhaud staunchly defended the notion of French laïcité, arguing that 'it is the principle of freedom, security and unity of the country', he nonetheless, acknowledged that the French state should 'rethink' the system of secularism and adapt it to the ever-changing society. "We realise that when the laws of laïcité was issued in 1904 the French society was far more different than the society that exists today. France is evolving and we need to respond to this evolution," he explained. Drouhaud dismissed, however, that such a response to the social and demographic changes will -- in any way -- come at the expense of the Republican values. He went as far as to suggest that the outlaw of the Islamic headscarf and other religious signs in public schools is -- in fact -- a step in the direction of reforming and modernising the system of laïcité. "It will guarantee, he stressed, that all citizens are the same and have the same rights and duties."
"It is the same for Christians, Jews and Muslims and the core issue is how we can live together respecting each other's religions," he argued.
But such rhetoric is not likely to cut ice among the Muslim community in France, the majority of whom were angered by the recommendation. While some observers argued that the ban was less likely to dampen the controversy, others pointed to the more important issues suggesting that the controversy over the Islamic headscarf was only a smoke screen to hide the real issues, chief among them is the marginalisation of the Muslim community in France. Drouhaud, however, flatly denied this, insisting that "there is no Muslim problem in France as such."
"Of course we have problems in France, as everywhere, but this is more because we don't have big economic growth," he explained. Drouhaud declined to comment on the new initiative presented by the French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy on positive discrimination. It is akin to the Affirmative Act and allows quotas of jobs for Muslims in public places. By suggesting preferential treatment to a particular ethnic group, the initiative represents a challenge to the current French system. Drouhaud believes that the initiative is part of the ongoing debate.
"It is an element in the debate but our system is not based on such ideas, our system is based on the idea of having equal rights for all citizens. I think the important question is: do the French people want to put an end to the system of laïcité and live in a country based on federation of communities? The answer is no. This is not what the French people want."
Critics of the ban argue that, unlike other religious symbols such as the cross or the Jewish skullcap, the Islamic headscarf is more of a political statement and less of a religious one, as many use it to assert their identity. Drouhaud agrees. "UMP believes that the "foulard Islamique" reflects a political position and some also regard it as a sign of oppression," he said. However, it is precisely because of such statements that many Muslims believe there are constant attempts by some wings in the French media to demonise Islam and portray it as representing a challenge and a threat to the French Republican ideals.
A French citizen of Lebanese origin spoke about the continuous demonisation of Islam in most French media outlets. "Veiled women are never invited to give their views in radio or TV shows that deal with the issue of the veil," he explained. On the other hand, they constantly host those who hold anti-Islamic views suggesting even that "a good Muslim is a non-practicing one". In response, Drouhaud does not believe that there is a systematic campaign to demonise Islam. "It would be very stupid to demonise Islam in a country like France where we have cultural and historical links with the Muslim world and it is not in the interest of France to enter in an anti-Islam campaign," he stressed.
