Senegal considers burqa ban to stop terrorists disguising in Islamic dress

West African country may follow Chad and Cameroon in banning full-body cloak, saying decision is question of national security
Sengal’s ban on burqas comes amid fears Boko Haram militants in Nigeria may be trying to extend their range.
Senegal is considering banning women from wearing the burqa, amid rising fears of Islamic extremism in the west African country.

The interior minister, Abdoulaye Daouda, said women would no longer be allowed to wear the Islamic dress, which leaves only the eyes exposed. Daouda said the decision was a question of national security and was designed to prevent terrorists from using the burqa as a disguise.

An estimated 92% of Senegal’s population is Muslim. Although the country has not suffered a terrorist attack recently, authorities are concerned that the Islamic militant group Boko Haram, based in north-eastern Nigeria, may be trying to extend its range. This month, police arrested five people suspected of having ties to Boko Haram as part of a nationwide crackdown.


Chad suicide bomber kills 15 people in market and injures 80

Senegal is not alone in west Africa in banning the burqa. This year Cameroon and Chad, also with large Muslim populations, issued similar orders citing similar reasons. “Senegal is just following the trend,” said Martin Ewi, a senior researcher at the Institute for Security Studies.
www.theguardian.com...

Truth be told although Islam's presence in West Africa goes back over a millennium they were not always keen in following some mid east and west Asian dress codes, for one women played a greater role in their societies than their west asian counterparts, Ibn battuta remarked on this during his visit to Mali in the 14th century, so banning a burka may not be much of a political risk, btw Senegal is 95% Muslim it also boasted a Christian President in this majority Muslim nation and Muslim presidents sometime took christian wives.
But is banning the Burqa a good idea or will it just serve to fan flames for folks who really want to wear it, keep in mind the recent bombing in Nigeria by burqa wearing terrorist, would be of interest to find out what the streets of Dakar is saying about this.

a reply to: Spider879
I am supportive of the ban.
Down with anyone that subjects women to rules like that.

a reply to: Spider879

They should ban the burqa! It's for the security and protection of the surrounding public! Women are also being used as suicide bombers and can clearly hide any explosives or guns under their full body covering. It also prevents police and state security from identifying them if they were ever involved in a terrorist incident.

The U.S. needs to stop being so politically correct and also ban them. We have Muslim women who want to take their drivers license photo wearing a Burqa which hides their face and makes it useless to identify the driver! Isn't that the main reason we have drivers license in the first place? To be able to identify the driver?

“While hats or head coverings are generally prohibited from being worn in photographs used on Illinois drivers licenses and identification cards, customers may be photographed while wearing established religious head coverings,” reads a flier distributed to state employees at the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles. “Photographs increase public safety.”

A very good friend of mine has been to that poor country numerous times, as he is a member of a Sufi order there.

The Senegalese don’t have any jihadi lunatics in their midst.

It a poor but peaceful country of Muslims with a Sufi heritage and believe me they wont for a second tolerate such insanity as Boko Haram.

Religion or not.

Official IDs must have full face recognition.

The point of an ID is to ID. I do not support any exceptions on this.

Nobody should mess with religion
Victory in Massachusetts: Pastafarian Allowed to Wear Colander in License Photo


link

The Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, after having existed in secrecy for hundreds of years, came into the mainstream just a few years ago*. With millions, if not thousands, of devout worshipers, the Church of the FSM is widely considered a legitimate religion, even by its opponents – mostly fundamentalist Christians, who have accepted that our God has larger balls than theirs.

The age of legalized absurd.

a reply to: Annee

It's political stupidity. What do these women think will happen if they take off their scarfs, or burqa for a couple of minutes? I'm sure a bolt of lightning isn't going to come down and strike them dead. There should be no debate for this what so ever. And the Judge who allowed the ridiculous pasta head women to take her picture with a colander on her head should be taken off the bench.

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: Annee

It's political stupidity. What do these women think will happen if they take off their scarfs, or burqa for a couple of minutes? I'm sure a bolt of lightning isn't going to come down and strike them dead. There should be no debate for this what so ever. And the Judge who allowed the ridiculous pasta head women to take her picture with a colander on her head should be taken off the bench.

It's really not that easy for them to go against their belief. No one outside their immediate family is allowed to see their face. Some must cover even for a brother-in-law. I understand that.

However, if you want an official ID ---- face recognition must be required. No exceptions.

If they have to stay home, walk, take public transportation because of their belief ---that is their choice. I don't accept it as a personal hardship.

If it's good enough for Africa, then it's good enough for the West.

Ban the burqa! Our culture values seeing a person's face. It's a sign of trust for us to be able to look someone in the eye and read their facial expressions as we talk to them.

a reply to: Spider879

I think they should ban the Burqa everywhere and have a Law which says all women must wear Bikinis..



Except the really fat looking ones!

originally posted by: WeRpeons
a reply to: Spider879

Don't tell me you can't recognize Martha and Jenny or did you forget to wear your xray glasses again..

originally posted by: TruthxIsxInxThexMist
a reply to: Spider879

I think they should ban the Burqa everywhere and have a Law which says all women must wear Bikinis..

Except the really fat looking ones!

You are such a fattist..shame ding ding! shame ding ding!..

Freedom of religion means being allowed to follow the cultural and traditional customs of the religion. As long as nobody is forcing them to wear it and it is totally their choice, then it's nobody else's business. It's just as wrong to tell someone what they can't wear as it is to tell them what to wear.

originally posted by: Paradeox
Freedom of religion means being allowed to follow the cultural and traditional customs of the religion. As long as nobody is forcing them to wear them and it is totally their choice, then it's nobody else's business. It is just as wrong to tell someone what they can't wear as it is to tell them what to wear.

Yes but they are thinking this is a security risk, and remember 95% of the people are Muslims so it's not a case of a religious majority oppressing a minority .

Somebody could easily wear a motorcycle helmet or a costume that would have the same effect at masking their identity and nobody would think anything of it. There are ways to respect people's freedom of religion, but still be able to identify them, like with biometrics or something like that.