Uproar over Burqini ban at French resort

Published August 13, 2016
MARSEILLE: Nissrine Samali, a Muslim woman, gets into the sea wearing Burqini.— AFP
MARSEILLE: Nissrine Samali, a Muslim woman, gets into the sea wearing Burqini.— AFP

PARIS: Anti-racism organisations and human rights groups vowed on Friday to overturn a “deeply worrying” ban on the wearing of Burqinis — full-body swimsuits — on the beaches of Cannes, the French Riviera resort famous for its annual film festival.

Cannes’ mayor David Lisnard signed off on the ruling that “access to beaches and for swimming is banned to anyone who does not have (bathing apparel) which respects good customs and secularism,” which is a founding principle of the French republic.

SOS Racisme attacked what it said was the mayor’s “strategy of tension”.

An umbrella organisation of groups against Islamophobia, the CCIF, said it was “deeply worried” about the ban, which it viewed as “a new attack on the most basic principles of law”. It said it was planning to oppose the ban in the courts.

The ban also came under fire from the Socialist Party, who are in opposition to the centre-right Republicans who control Cannes. The local Socialist branch said the Burqini ban was an attempt at grabbing headlines which would “play into the hands of religious fundamentalists”.

Thierry Migoule, head of municipal services in Cannes, sought to clarify the intent of the Burqini ban, which is in place until August 31.

“We are not talking about banning the wearing of religious symbols on the beach... but ostentatious clothing which refers to an allegiance to terrorist movements which are at war with us,” he said.

The issue comes at a highly sensitive time for relations with Muslims in France after two attacks last month linked to the militant Islamic State (IS) group.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2016

Opinion

Editorial

New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.
Ceasefire, finally
Updated 26 Mar, 2024

Ceasefire, finally

Palestinian lives matter, and a generation of orphaned Gazan children will be looking to the world community to secure justice for them.
Afghan return
26 Mar, 2024

Afghan return

FOLLOWING a controversial first repatriation phase involving ‘illegal’ Afghan refugees last November, the...
Planes and plans
26 Mar, 2024

Planes and plans

FOR the past many years, PIA has been getting little by way of good press, mostly on account of internal...