Mayor writes to French Prime Minister about plans for hijab ban in
French schools
Mayor writes to French Prime Minister about plans for hijab ban in
French
schools
Mayor Ken Livingstone has written to the Prime Minister of France,
urging
the French government to reconsider proposals to ban the wearing of
the
hijab and other religious symbols in state schools. In the letter, to
Prime
Minister Jean-Pièrre Raffarin, the Mayor writes:
<http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2003/WORLD/europe/08/29/livingstone.cnna/story.k
en.jpg
>
Ken Livingstone Mayor of London
'As the elected representative of London I have a duty to promote
equality
of opportunity for all in London. London's diverse population
includes large
Muslim communities and I am very concerned to ensure their full
inclusion in
the city's life. Any form of discrimination against their cultural and
religious freedom has, in my view, the effect of stigmatising them. I
believe that a move to ban the hijab and other religious symbols in
state
schools will inflame current tensions between communities and
encourage
attacks on minority communities, not only in France but also more
widely in
Europe. I realise that we come from political traditions, which
approach
this issue from different perspectives.
'London's Sikh community also viewed with considerable concern the
sight of
their co-religionists demonstrating in Paris over the recent weekend.
The Sikh community in the UK went through this debate in the 1960s
when
Sikhs won the right to wear the turban while undertaking policing
duties.
This issue has, of course, an effect on Jewish, Hindu and Christian
communities too.
'I would, therefore, like to appeal to you to reconsider restricting
fundamental religious freedoms in France through the proposed
legislation.'
Mayor of London
Greater London Authority,
City Hall, The Queen's Walk, London SE1 2AA
www.london.gov.uk <http://www.london.gov.uk/>
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