This House believes the face veil is a barrier to integration in the West
Monday February 19 2007
MOTION PASSED
by 57% to 43%
Details
The Doha Debate on February 19 joined in the bitter European debate about Muslims who wear the niqab or face veil, branding it “a barrier to integration”; in the West.
In a surprise vote, fifty-seven per cent of the audience, said the niqab hindered integration in the West, appearing to support comments from Western leaders such as Britain’s Tony Blair, who has termed the veil “a mark of separation".;
British Muslim Peer, Lord Ahmed of Rotherham, and Reem Maghribi, founder of Sharq magazine, argued that they didn‘t want the face veil to become a symbol of Muslims and Islam.
“People can wear whatever they like…..(but) my worry is that a person wearing the niqab will become a symbol of Islam and will exclude me and many others from representing my point of view,”; said Lord Ahmed.
School teacher Ayshah Ismail, who wears the niqab, told the 300-strong audience that she is fully integrated into British society. She blamed ignorance for the lack of acceptance the West has towards the veil. Her co-speaker against the motion: ‘This House believes the face veil is a barrier to integration in the West’, was Ahmed Younis, the former National Director of the Muslim Public Affairs Council in the US.
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