An absolute ban on niqab makes no sense

The decision by France's lower house of parliament to approve a ban on face-covering veils in public places is very disappointing to say the least. It comes following an appalling debate in France which saw politicians refer to the burqa as a "walking coffin" and "a sign of enslavement".

While the law still needs to be approved by the Senate next September, the already resounding near unanimity shows that it will be, as in Belgium. Other Western European countries have opened a debate as well, including Spain, Italy and Britain. It is clear there is a wave of veil paranoia sweeping Europe and it is frightening to think of the repercussions following some of the hideous things being said by governments and statesmen.

Moreover, the timing of this ban in France is very suspicious: Is French President Nicolas Sarkozy trying to court the far right at a time when his presidential ratings are suffering badly? What about the rise of Islamophobia in Europe in general? Surely this ban ties in nicely to the general negative sentiment surrounding Islam.

The basic question is: Will a ban on dress code concerning Muslims and Muslims only help these western governments deal with "legitimate security concerns" and extremism (as if to indicate that women wearing the burqa are harmful)? The total sidelining of the almost 2,000 French women who wear the niqab as an expression of their identity means the French government is not interested in listening to their concerns or addressing the notion of freedom violations. It is indeed setting a very dangerous precedent in countries where people's clothing has never been considered the state's business. As an established democracy, France should be championing choice over oppression, even if the government has legitimate fears that some women may be pressured into wearing the burqa. There are better ways to delve into that than to impose a total ban.