The Taliban in Afghanistan have released a statement in response to French President Nicholas Sarkozy's stated view that the Islamic veil is not welcome in France. The statement, released both in Pashtu and English languages by Taliban website alemarah1.org, was entitled as "Animosity of the West against the Islamic Veil."
The following are excerpts from the statement: [1]
"The Animosity of the West - And, By Extension, That of Mr. Sarkozy - Does Not Originate From His Amiable and Benevolent Emotions, i.e. Thinking that Muslim Women Feel Uneasy in the Islamic Veil"
"French President Sarkozy told a gathering of policymakers on June 20 that the Islamic veil is a symbol of slavery and humiliation. He told them that from now on he will not tolerate Muslim women being kept in a veil, and went on to say that Muslim women in France should stop wearing the veil.
"First of all, it is worth mentioning that the animosity of the West - and, by extension, that of Mr. Sarkozy - does not originate from his amiable and benevolent emotion, i.e. thinking that Muslim women feel uneasy in the Islamic veil. Never has a Muslim woman felt nervous and disturbed by wearing a veil. Muslim women do not consider it a burden; they see it as a symbol of protection, respect, and honor. That is why these women are not ready to give up the Islamic veil."
"It Is Part of Sarkozy's Anti-Islamic Posturing That He Wants to Arrogantly Force Muslim Women to Lose Their Identity By Mingling in the Lascivious Western Culture"
"We know that some countries, which ostensibly raise slogans of democracy more than the rest of the world and seem to support women's rights, are arrogantly bent on depriving the Muslim women of their rights to education, work and other inalienable rights under the so-called pretext of veil. Still, these pious and determined women are defending their rights of liberty against all odds.
"Marzia, a French Muslim woman, told lslamonline that she would immolate herself if she was forced to abandon the veil. She said that she felt safe and protected in it, and added that she believed she could protect her decency and honor by wearing it.
"It seems that it is part of Sarkozy's anti-Islamic posturing that he wants to arrogantly force Muslim women to lose their identity by mingling in the lascivious Western culture. We think that he is violating Muslim women's rights to freely keep their identity."
The French Coastal Areas Represent "The Kind of Freedom and Character Sarkozy Wants for Muslim Women"
"Mr. Sarkozy and supporters of his views want to drag Muslim women to the miserable level of Western women, who have lost both their decency and character by exposing their bodies to nakedness. They have become a showpiece for fornicators, especially during their youth. These licentious men hang naked photos of women everywhere, even on valueless items like shampoo, toothpaste, etc. If one happens to see the coastal areas of France, then one very easily reaches the conclusion of the kind of freedom and character Sarkozy wants for Muslim women.
"In France, London, and other European countries, women are forced to turn to pornography. Thousands of women are smuggled from Russia and the Caucasus; young girls are surreptitiously brought to pander to the sexual desires of unscrupulous lascivious persons. The question is why they do not make any effort to save these miserable women from this humiliating life and to protect their characters. But Mr. Sarkozy and some of his Western supporters, who are born and raised in a family environment where they are attached to such a way of life, are now bent on jeopardizing the Muslim women personally.
"Sarkozy's latest decision is not his personal decision, but it represents the ideas of all rulers of the West, who want to usurp the Muslims' rights of individual liberty and social rights and to trample on their spiritual values. We know that none of the Western rulers or human rights organizations reacted against Sarkozy's utterances. All showed a silence of affirmation."
"The Invading Rulers of the West Consider All Muslim Values Permissible for Them to Change as They Want - Under the Callous Slogans of Democracy"
"The invading rulers of the West consider all Muslim values permissible for them to change as they want, under the callous slogans of democracy and dissemination of democracy. They want everything in Muslim society to be in accordance with their tastes and temperament. They want to excise the [Muslim societies'] system of government, curriculum, civilization, culture, and clothing, and even to nominate rulers for the Muslim societies.
"The Muslim Ummah and their rulers should know that the West has chosen the path of antagonism against the Islamic Ummah. Not only are they bent on invading and usurping Muslims' territorial integrity and independence, but they are interfering in the Muslims' religion, ideas, traditions, culture, industry, trade, technology and social affairs. They want to frame all these as per the criteria of the West.
"We hope that the pioneers of this Ummah see through this important matter, and neutralize all [Western] machinations, animosities, and aspirations of mastership, through unity, cohesion, and wisdom."
Endnote:
[1] www.alemarah1.org, Afghanistan, accessed July 9, 2009.
