The
French Government’s Steps Seem to Be Influenced by Islamophobia
Main
Points:
1. The
government also inspected 24,000 cultural and religious organizations
2. 30 mosques
have been closed on charges of harbouring extremists.
3. The
government closed 650 NGOs and other religious organizations for allegedly
harbouring extremists.
------
By
New Age Islam Correspondent
1 October
2021
(Photo courtesy: aa.com)
----
After the
killing of a history teacher Samuel Paty by a Muslim youth in October last
year, the French government went out to crush Islamic extremism in the country.
French President Macron even went ahead and said that Islam as a whole was
going through a crisis. This prompted the French government take a number of
steps to curb extremism in the country. His government launched a drive against
Muslims and their places of worship apart from NGOs and religious organizations
in the country.
Now
according to the French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, out of 89 inspected
mosques, one third, that is, 30 mosques have been closed on charges of
harbouring extremists. 6 more mosques will be closed in near future. The
inspections had started in November 2020.
Apart from
the mosques, the government closed 650 NGOs and other religious organizations
for allegedly harbouring extremists. A total of 24,000 places were inspected by
the French police.
It is also
to be noted that the construction of a mosque Eyup Sultan in Strasbourg has
been halted by the government though the organisers of the mosque had acquired
approval from the French authorities.
The
Anti-Separatism Law has been passed amid opposition from the opposition in
August this year. Under the law, organizations promoting political Islam are
under the government scanner. Five political organizations have been closed on
the charges of promoting political Islam and some ten more organizations may be
closed in near future.
It is a
fact that in France, radical elements and members of hardline Islamic
organizations had been promoting extremism among the French Muslim youth. Their
extremism on the other hand promoted Islamophobia. The Anti-Separatism Law
intends to curb political Islam which these extremist organizations promoted.
But the opposition of the French and the Leftists and also the UN feels that
this law will further ghettoize and marginalize Muslims.
The law
prevents home schooling for Muslim children. This will put a hurdle on basic
Islamic education of Muslim children at home. This a violation of religious
rights of Muslims. This is also a interference with the private life of
citizens.
Another
section of the law prohibits patients from choosing doctors based on gender for
religious reasons.
These laws
are a violation of personal rights of citizens and the opposition as well as
human rights bodies have criticized these laws as an infringement of minority
rights.
That the
French government has found 30 out of 89 mosques to be harbouring extremists
seems to be a drive influenced by Islamophobia. It would mean that one third of
the mosques had been harbouring extremists. This seems unrealistic because if
it is true then where are the extremists? The government has not shown any
arrest of the extremists and terrorists.
The
government also inspected 24,000 cultural and religious organizations and out
of them 650 has been closed. This also seems to be based on Islamophobia. It is
should be noted that the government has already mechanism and laws for
monitoring of institutions of minorities. It is intriguing why the government
has found so many mosques and organizations promoting political Islam and
extremism.
The
government claims that the legislation is intended to strengthen France's
secular system, but critics believe that it restricts religious freedom and
marginalizes Muslims.
It also
restricts the educational choices of Muslims by making homeschooling subject to
official permission.
Under the
law, patients are prohibited from choosing their doctors based on gender for
religious or other reasons, and "secularism education" has been made
compulsory for all civil servants.
France has
been criticized by international organizations and NGOs, especially the UN, for
targeting and marginalizing Muslims with the law.
Every
country has the right to ensure its security but making laws that targets or
marginalizes its minority, particularly Muslims should not be supported.
Extremism and terrorism should be fought but not by alienating the entire
Muslim community and painting the whole community black but by taking them
along in this fight. The steps that the French government have taken in the
name of fighting extremism and political Islam will only further spread
Islamophobia and further promote ghettoisation among Muslims and create among
the patriotic French Muslims a sense of victimhood and insecurity.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/muslims-islamophobia/france-mosque-islamophobia-extremists/d/125484
New Age Islam, Islam
Online, Islamic
Website, African
Muslim News, Arab
World News, South
Asia News, Indian
Muslim News, World
Muslim News, Women
in Islam, Islamic
Feminism, Arab
Women, Women
In Arab, Islamophobia
in America, Muslim
Women in West, Islam
Women and Feminism