Five Members of the European Parliament say ban
on turban violates human rights

 

London, February 23, 2005
The Hindustan Times

Five Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have expressed alarm at the rise of religiously motivated violence in many European countries, especially since September 11, 2001.

MEPs Caroline Lucas, Claude Moraes, Sarah Ludford, Philip Bushill-Matthews and Alain Lipietz in a written statement expressed their “deep concern” at France’s ban on what they term as the display of ‘conspicuous religious symbols’ in schools.

The MEPs said they believe “this ban on the Christian cross, Jewish skullcap, Muslim hijab, and Sikh turban to be an infringement of human rights, in particular Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights.”

The Euro deputies urged the French government to rethink its ban and investigate ways of improving the opportunities for religious as well as racial minorities to integrate more fully into French society.

The MEPs called on EU Member States specifically to allow within educational and other state establishments the outward expression in a private manner of individual faith. They also called for a debate on the subject to be held in the European Parliament.

The move by these MEPs is bound to trigger renewed campaign by Sikh community here in the UK to lift the ban on Sikh students attendingg schools wearing turban. Both the British and India.