RFI - Burqa ban, Iranian executions and Yemen

Burqa ban, Iranian executions and Yemen

by Daniel Finnan

Article published on the 2010-01-29 Latest update 2010-01-31 10:13 TU

A woman wearing a niqab shops in a supermarket during winter sales in Leers, northern France
(Photo: Reuters)

Does the French burqa ban limit freedom of expression? Will executions in Iran make any difference to the opposition? And is Al-Qaeda's fight in Yemen just like Jean Lafitte's battle against the British?

A French parliamentary commission recommended a ban on the full Islamic veil this week, sparking fierce debate across the world.

They ruled that the face-covering veil was, according to the report, “contrary to the values of the Republic”.

However, readers of the RFI website disagree.

José Filardo from Brazil says, “Shame on France! From Land of Freedom to Land of Prejudice and Repression”.

He believes that banning the Burqa has “buried” traditions of “freedom of expression”, “freedom of speech”, and “political freedom”.

José describes the ban as “poison” and makes an analogy with the world financial crisis, adding that the ban could damage France in the same way that “toxic financial products contaminated the banking system”.

I’m not sure if the Burqa ban is likely to have quite the same impact as the world financial crisis and toxic debt, but it certainly raises some interesting questions about France’s sense of Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité.

Following the announcement our newsroom saw ferocious debate between journalists at RFI’s English service: Is a law which affects less than 2,000 women across the country really necessary? Isn’t this an issue for the French Muslim community to address? What about women who wear the Burqa through their own personal and religious choice, rather than force? Are we really scared by seeing someone with their face covered?

We continue to invite your valued comments and opinions on the controversial ban, and will keep you updated with the latest when it happens.

Elsewhere this week Iran executed two men who’d been convicted of being part of an armed group and plotting to topple the government.

The Islamic Republic has put more than 100 political activists on trial since August, and criminal action against protesters continues to draw strong reaction.

One anonymous reader from the United States says that this is “like closing the barn door after the cow has escaped”.

This mysterious commentator is referring to the alleged irregularities, contested result, and ensuing demonstrations, which they say only underlines the sense that Iranian people “know they do not have a voice in their government”.

In London this week RFI reported on two conferences aimed at combating the insurgency in Yemen and the ongoing war in Afghanistan.

And during Wednesday’s meeting on Yemen, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and British Foreign Secretary David Miliband backed the Yemeni government in its fight against separatist movements, while insisting on the eviction of Al-Qaeda fighters from the country.

But after reading our coverage of the conference, Ferdinand Bull from Grove City, in the US asks, “What do you expect?”

Ferdinand sarcastically notes that it is the, “same ole, same ole,” and draws a parallel with Jean Lafitte fighting “against the tyranny of Britain”.

Lafitte, who has been described as a “gentleman pirate” and smuggler, fought against the British in the Battle of New Orleans between December 1814 and January 1815, but whether his struggle against invading forces can be likened to Al-Qaeda’s fight in Yemen is a far too subjective question for this lowly member of RFI’s website team!

Now to feedback on RFI received this week.

Rajdeep Das, who listens on shortwave from Kolkata in India, commends us on our “information and educative” programmes and sees RFI as “a window to France”. They have listened since their “school days when I first heard about the great French revolution”.

Meanwhile, Mrs Carol C from Harrogate, UK asks us about our podcasts and specifically French language podcasts from RFI.

Well Carol, if you visit http://www.rfi.fr/, the main RFI French website, you can select Emissions (programmes) from the navigation bar at the top. There are numerous programmes available, but the podcast for Journal en français facile is available here.

News about RFI

Paul Myers continues reporting from the Africa Cup of Nations until 31 January.

Matthew Kay reports from Addis Ababa on the African Union assembly.

Most viewed on RFI this week:

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Burqa ban, Iranian executions and Yemen