PSD, IL and CDS-PP approved, in general, the Chega bill that aims to ban the wearing of burqas in public spacesinvoking women’s rights and security issues, but David Munir considers that this does not apply in Portugal.
The imam of Lisbon’s Central Mosque accused politicians this Friday of “covering the eyes of the Portuguese” with new legislation against the use of the burqa and an Islamophobic and anti-immigrant discourse, instead of solving the country’s problems.
PSD, IL and CDS-PP approved, in general, the Chega bill that aims to ban the wearing of burqas in public spacesinvoking women’s rights and security issues, but David Munir considers that this does not apply in Portugal.
Who wears a burqa (the body completely covered) “there are half a dozen Muslim women” in Portugal and those who wear ‘nikab’ (a mask over the rest) are “a dozen or so”said the Portuguese sheikh, recalling that the Most wear veils over their hair.
“The use of the burqa is not mandatory in Islam, nor is the ‘nikab’. A Muslim woman can have her face uncovered” and “can wear whatever clothes she wants of her own free will”, so the question of women’s rights in this matter does not arise, he considered.
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“Muslims have been integrated into society for years”
The new diploma, once approved, will be “analyzed by constitutionalists, whether or not it goes against the Constitution of the Republic and whether or not it goes against the law of religious freedom”but, “In practice, if we look at it, how many Muslim women were caught with their faces covered doing something that put their security at risk?” – he questioned. “Zero”he responded, highlighting that there are also no cases in which Muslim women refused to identify themselves to the authorities if they wore a burqa or ‘nikab’.
“With so many serious problems that we have in our country, with babies being born in ambulances or hospitals being closed because there are no doctors”, instead of “dedicating our time to these situations and looking for solutions for them, we are discussing a Muslim woman’s clothing”, commented David Munir.
Leaving that to “security is an important issue”the imam recalled that there are more risks related to the use of weapons than to religious clothing.
“According to Muslim law, you cannot force anyone to wear what they don’t want, not even their daughters. And there are many Muslim women who don’t even wear a scarf” over their hair, but “as long as they wear modest clothing, everything is fine”, said David Munir.
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If the law is approved, a Muslim family that has the practice of wearing the burqa or ‘nikab’ will begin to “wear a scarf or you won’t leave the house”. Or else, “You can probably go to another country where you will feel more comfortable”which is what “some seem to want”with this law that is a “veiled way of attacking immigrants”com “a somewhat Islamophobic speech”, highlighted Munir.
But“above all”this law “it’s a way of covering the eyes of Portuguese people who pay taxes” e “to divert attention to the most serious problems” of the country, he further accused.
The initiative had favorable votes from Chega, PSD, IL and CDS-PP, votes against from PS, Livre, BE and PCP, and abstention from PAN and JPP. While IL and CDS-PP declared support for the Chega project, which “prohibits the hiding of the face in public spaces, with certain exceptions”the PSD expressed “Available to take this path”but argued that “the text presented can and should be improved according to expertise”.
On the left, the PS argued that care must be taken when drafting laws, in a context in which the extreme right wants “drive hate” against one “specific target”in this case the Muslim community, PCP and BE contested the proposal, while Livre accused Chega of presenting a project on purpose “poorly done” and that’s why I didn’t want to value this debate.
With this initiative, Chega proposes that it be “the use, in public spaces, of clothing intended to hide or obstruct the display of the face is prohibited”, with some exceptions. At the opening of the debate, the leader of Chega specified that the objective is to prohibit “women wear burqas in Portugal” and addressed immigrants in particular.
“Whoever arrives in Portugal, wherever they come from, whatever region they come from, with whatever customs they have or whatever religion they have, must above all comply with, respect and ensure respect for the customs of this country and the values of this country”, defended André Ventura.
