The French government is moving close to passing legislation to ban women from wearing burqas in France. The French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, stated support for the ban and claimed that wearing the covering was an affront to the dignity of women.
Burqas are full-body coverings worn by some women of the Islamic faith. Some lawmakers are arguing that it violates secularism in France. Not only will burqas potentially be banned, but fines may also be given to those found wearing them.
France has the largest Muslim population in Europe, yet few Muslim women wear the burqa. In reality, the proposed ban is part of larger campaign of racism and xenophobia targeting immigrants. France also has military troops in Afghanistan.
France’s Muslim population consists largely of immigrants from African countries plundered by French colonialism. They suffer from disproportionate high rates of poverty and unemployment. The intense racism resulted in an immigrant uprising in 2005—a direct consequence of extreme oppression.
