28 March, 2024

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Burqa Against Human Dignity, The Ban A Symbol Of Majoritarianism 

By Jayampathy Wickramaratne

Dr Jayampathy Wickramaratne PC

The proposal to ban the wearing of the burqa and the niqab has given rise to much discussion about the freedom to manifest religion and the right of the State to restrict such freedom. The burqa is a full-body covering, including a mesh over the face, while the niqab is a full-face veil leaving an opening only for the eyes. References to the burqa in this article include references to the niqab.

Readers of my generation will agree with me that we hardly saw a Muslim woman wearing a burqa in the first half of our lives. The veil (mottakkiliya) that loosely covered the head was quite common, and no one had anything to say about it. There are various theories as to how the burqa became to be worn in Sri Lanka. One is that returnees from the Middle East popularized it. Another is that it is the result of radicalization in the Islamic world. Yet another is that Arab-style dresses, both female and male, are reactions to the growth of anti-Muslim sentiment.

Arguments for and against

Let me make it clear that I do not like the burqa. I think that it takes away the human dignity of women. But I support the right of every woman to wear it as much as I support the right to resist conservative attempts to force it on women. Many Muslim friends say that Islam only requires men and women to dress modestly but that the Islamic piety movement that spread globally and called for adherents to be more religious, led people to transform not only in dress but in other practices as well.

Many Muslim women’s rights activists who rightly call for reform of Muslim personal laws have pointed out that a ban would restrict women’s freedom of movement even more, as happened in 2019 after the ban consequent to the Easter Sunday carnage. Some had even to resign from their jobs and depend on husbands even more. But, unfortunately, not many such activists call for the freedom of women to refuse to wear the burqa. An exception is a lawyer who told me that the burqa is neither a religious requirement nor a test of religiousness but a misogynistic ideology of some Muslim-majority countries. Its origin lies in the deep-rooted suspicion of sexual appetites in men and women. She, however, emphasizes the need to distance ourselves from the ban and challenge the racist and nationalist agenda of its proponents.

Muslim women who support the right to wear a burqa say that it is a matter of choice. Some even consider it a safety measure against sexual harassment, both physical and otherwise.  However, very few such women support the right of their Muslim sisters to refuse to wear the burqa. Muslim men who insist on the burqa take refuge in religion.

Constitutional provisions

Religious dress is part of the freedom to manifest religion, guaranteed by Article 14(1) (e) of our Constitution. Of course, it is not absolute and is subject to ‘restrictions as may be prescribed by law in the interests of national security, public order and the protection of public health or morality, or for the purpose of securing due recognition and respect for the rights and freedoms of others, or of meeting the just requirements of the general welfare of a democratic society’ as laid down in Article 15 (7). As the Supreme Court has emphasized, restrictions must be reasonable and proportional to the mischief to be eliminated.

Some argue that a ban is necessary for ‘law and order’ while some invoke ‘national security’. A distinction between an order for the maintenance of public order and one made for the maintenance of law and order was drawn in Ram Manohar Lohia v State of Bihar. While ‘maintenance of public order’ meant the prevention of disorder of a grave nature, ‘maintenance of law and order’ means prevention of disorder of comparatively less gravity. Hidayatullah J took the example of three concentric circles in which ‘law and order represents the largest circle within which is the next circle representing public order and the smallest circle represents security of the State.’ Article 15 (7) permits restrictions within the two inner circles only.

Allowed in France for necessity to interact, not for public safety

The total ban from wearing a full-face veil in public was the subject matter of S.A.S. v France handed down in 2014 by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). The applicant did not claim that she should be able to keep the niqab on when undergoing a security check, at the bank or in airports and agreed to show her face when requested to do so for necessary identity checks.

The French Government contended that the ban aimed at protecting public safety by making it possible to identify persons, which prevented danger to person and property and combatted identity fraud. It also aimed to protect the rights and freedoms of others by ensuring ‘respect for the minimum set of values of an open and democratic society’. The face plays the most significant role in interactions between people, while concealing one’s face in public breaks social ties and expresses a refusal of the principle of ‘living together’. It also promoted gender equality. The full-face veil is an affront to human dignity as it resulted in women being ‘effaced’ in public. The law was both necessary and proportionate.

The ECtHR did not accept all of the government’s purported aims. The Court recognized two legitimate aims that may be applicable: the protection of public safety and the protection of the rights and freedom of others.

With regard to necessity in relation to public safety, the Court observed that an obligation to remove clothing with a religious connotation in the context of security checks and the obligation to appear bareheaded on identity photos for use on official documents did not violate the freedom to manifest religion. However, in view of its impact on the rights of women who wish to wear the full-face veil for religious reasons, a blanket ban on wearing in public places clothing designed to conceal the face can be regarded as proportionate only in a context where there is a general threat to public safety.

The Court found that the ban can possibly be regarded as justified in its principle solely in so far as it seeks to guarantee the conditions of ‘living together’. It remained to be ascertained whether the ban is proportionate to that aim. On that issue, the Court fell back on the margin of appreciation doctrine to validate the French law, saying that that the question of whether or not to permit the wearing of the full-face veil in public places constituted a choice of society and that France had a wide margin of appreciation in the instant case.

Two judges who dissented concluded that the ban was disproportionate to the aim of protecting the idea of ‘living together’—an aim which cannot readily be reconciled with the permissible grounds for the restriction of basic human rights. It is not clear as to what may constitute ‘the rights and freedoms of others’ outside the scope of rights protected by the European Convention. The very general concept of ‘living together’ does not fall directly under any of the rights and freedoms guaranteed within the Convention.

Burkini ban suspended

On 05 August 2016, the mayor of the French city of Villeneuve-Loubet issued a decree that had the effect of prohibiting beachwear, which clearly manifested a religious affiliation during bathing and on the beaches.  The object of the decree, it was clear, was to ban the wearing of the burkini, a swimsuit covering the whole body except the face, hands and feet. The decree was issued in the aftermath of terrorist attacks in neighbouring Nice in July 2016.

The League of Human Rights (LDH) and the Committee against Islamophobia in France (CCIF) instituted proceedings before Nice Administrative Court for the suspension of the decree. The Court dismissed the petitioners’ claim, rejecting arguments that the decree violated several fundamental rights and freedoms, including the freedom of religion and freedom of expression. The Court held that pursuant to the July 2016 terrorist attacks, the ban on wearing burkinis seemed ‘necessary, appropriate and proportionate’ to eliminate extremism and preserve public order. The Court further held that the ban was consistent with French law regarding prohibiting actions that neglect the ‘relations between public authorities and private individuals on the basis of religion.’ LHD and CCIF appealed to the French Conseil d’État (Council of State).

The Conseil d’État allowed the appeal and suspended the impugned decree. It stated that the mayor, who is responsible for ensuring public order, safety, security and sanitation, must reconcile the accomplishment of his mission with respect for the freedoms guaranteed by law. It follows that the police measures that the mayor of a coastal municipality enacts in order to regulate access to the beach and the practice of swimming must be adapted, necessary and proportionate with regard only to the necessities of public order, as they arise from the circumstances of time and place, and taking into account the requirements implied by good access to the shore, bathing safety as well as hygiene and decency on the beach.

The Council observed that no evidence was produced before the judge in summary proceedings that risks of disturbing public order have resulted, on the beaches of the town of Villeneuve-Loubet, from the attire adopted for swimming by certain people. In the absence of such risks, the emotion and the concerns resulting from the terrorist attacks, and in particular that committed in Nice on 14 July, cannot be sufficient to legally justify the contested prohibition measure. In those circumstances, the mayor could not, without exceeding his police powers, enact provisions that prohibit access to the beach and swimming when they are not based on proven risks of disturbing public order or, moreover, on the grounds of hygiene or decency. The contested decree thus seriously and manifestly unlawfully infringed the fundamental freedoms of freedom of movement, freedom of conscience and personal freedom. 

It must be noted that the decision of the Conseil d’État came after almost two years of the ECtHR decision in S.A.S. v France. Clearly, the Conseil d’État did not consider the ban to be necessary in a democratic society to ensure ‘respect for the minimum requirements of life in society’ or the notion of ‘living together’, indicating a possible shift in French thinking.

HRC strikes down burqa ban

The criminalization of the wearing of a full-face veil came up before the Human Right Committee, the treaty body of the ICCPR, in Yaker v France, decided in 2018. The committee concluded that France failed to demonstrate how wearing the full-face veil in itself represents a threat to public safety or order that would justify such an absolute ban.

The committee considered the concept of ‘living together’ to be very vague and abstract. France has not identified any specific fundamental rights or freedoms of others that are affected by the fact that some people present in the public space have their face covered, including fully-veiled women. Nor has it explained why such rights would be ‘unfairly’ obstructed by wearing the full-face veil, but not by covering the face in public through the numerous other means that are exempted from the law. The right to interact with any individual in public and the right not to be disturbed by other people wearing the full-face veil is not protected by the ICCPR and therefore cannot provide the basis for restrictions.

Burqa and face mask–what is the difference?

Measures imposed all over the world in response to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic include wearing of face masks in public. This experience would, no doubt, compel courts to seriously reconsider in the coming years whether wearing a face mask is incompatible with the fundamental requirement of ‘living together’. France, the respondent state in S.A.S. v. France and Yaker v France, made wearing a face mask compulsory on public transport, workplaces and some public spaces. France thus requires people to wear face masks to fight against COVID-19 and, at the same time, fines women for wearing full-face veils.

In an article titled ‘Requiring face masks to fight COVID-19 while upholding niqab bans shows irony lost on leaders’, Marco Perolini said:

‘The way we interpret specific customs or behaviours is often socially and culturally constructed. Prejudice, stereotypes, and ‘othering’ often contribute to how we perceive specific practices. Governments and large sections of society in many countries have framed full-face veils and, more generally, covering one’s face, as threats to security and/or as a manifestation of gender inequality. They have presented their interpretations as dogmas.

However, these are just social and cultural constructions and they can change over time—we have already seen how the COVID-19 pandemic is disrupting them. Policy makers must use this opportunity to scrap laws prohibiting the wearing of full-face veils and blanket bans on wearing face masks in protests. The other option is requiring people to wear face masks to fight against COVID-19 and, at the same time, fining women for wearing full-face veils or protesters covering their faces. The irony, hypocrisy and discrimination of this situation should not escape us. Is a face mask used to fight the virus really that different from a niqab?’

Effectiveness of the ban

Many restrictions in the name of ‘national security’ have been found to be of no effect and yet those who criticize them are labelled ‘traitors’. A case in point is Rodrigo v Imalka, Sub Inspector, Kirulapone, which concerned checkpoints in Colombo during the separatist war. The IGP produced a circular issued by his predecessor which stated very categorically that ‘checkpoints’ erected in all police areas throughout the country have been of ‘minimal use’. It further stated that there had been very few arrests at checkpoints and only a few instances of persons taking illegal items such as weapons and explosives. The IGP stated that it had been discovered from a confession of a suspect arrested elsewhere that terrorist suspects had transported two boats filled with explosives up to Negombo, passing ten checkpoints. The Supreme Court observed that no person who has committed an offence, let alone a terrorist, would ever drive up to such a checkpoint and virtually submit himself to be arrested. That observation applies equally well for a burqa ban.

The writer submits that knee-jerk reactions such as the ban imposed in 2019 as well as restrictions imposed in the guise of ‘national security’ but with racial/religious undertones would only foment extremism. What is needed are measures that are effective. As the HRC stated in Yaker v France and the ECtHR observed in S.A.S. v France, it should be possible for states, in certain contexts, to be able to require that individuals show their faces, which might entail one-off obligations for individuals to reveal their faces in specific circumstances of a risk to public safety or order, or for identification purposes. There cannot be any objection to such measures applied in a reasonable manner but certainly not to be put into practice by the Police requiring every burqa-clad woman visiting the Galle Face Green to reveal her face!

In the writer’s view, most Sri Lankans who call for a burqa ban do so not out of concerns for national security but for majoritarian hegemonistic reasons. ‘National security’ is just a good excuse which overawes those who say a ban is useless.

Finally, the Muslim community and its leadership, political and otherwise, as well as women’s rights groups, must stand up not only for the right of women to wear but also for the right to refuse to wear the burqa. There are disturbing reports of male students in universities ‘policing’ women’s dress and compelling them to wear the burqa. For quite some time, there have been reports of similar ‘policing’ in the Eastern Province, about which the Muslim leadership has been silent. 

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Latest comments

  • 5
    5

    Islamic Fundamentalism is nothing different to Buddhist Fundamentalism or any other Fundamentalism.Religions are for peace, harmony, humanity, not to create hatred against others and there is no place for violence. Tolerance, sacrifice, sharing, love and peace are fundamentals of religion.
    In this island, politics brought the religious fundamentalism. Saharan did not born as a terrorist but he was brought up as a terrorist for political purpose long time ago, not after 2019 Easter Bomb. Buddhist Sinhala politicians and Buddhist religious leadership should take responsible for the creation of Islamic Fundamentalism.
    It is true that Muslim politicians were used the opportunity given by the political leadership to get more benefits and to expand their Muslim identity. It is also true that most of the muslims, particularly low income group do not use the banned burqa or any other face cover. At the same time, it is not necessary to ban burqa for security reasons. The fact is Rajapaksas wanted to create permanent vote bank of majority Buddhists Sinhala who consider Tamils and Muslims and those Sinhalese who supports other Sinhala parties. Now they are making or creating fake evidences against SJB, TNA and JVP to prove that Easter Bombing was mastermind by them.

    • 2
      0

      Burqa ban reminds me the old Tamil Nadu song Vaa Vennila.

    • 2
      2

      “Readers of my generation will agree……..” may remember, that Dalada Maligaw Kandy, we used to visit in shorts or skirts with high hemline, until this hypocrisy crept into the guardians of temples.
      I wonder whether the exposure of waist area (low waist with belly button) of saree clad women is banned. I wish they don’t ban it.

  • 3
    10

    Thank you for your sobering thoughts.
    *
    The following is an important observation that many of us often ignore:
    “Yet another is that Arab-style dresses, both female and male, are reactions to the growth of anti-Muslim sentiment.”
    The switch to Arab-style dresses can also be seen in a global context as a Muslim response to systematic humiliation of Muslims by the West.
    Even radical Islam was substantially influenced by this sense of humiliation.

    • 3
      1

      SJ
      “Yet another is that Arab-style dresses, both female and male, are reactions to the growth of anti-Muslim sentiment.”
      .
      How did anti Muslim sentiment grow around the world?
      In Sri Lanka Christian community is responsible which way?

      Soma

    • 3
      1

      Even radical Islam was substantially influenced by this sense of humiliation Is that why half a million Arabian and African Muslims s are flocking to the small European countries? reality is selected Muslims are dead enemies ti average Muslims and they running away from their countries. Though UK returning many back home, they still could not stop dreaming going back to UK.

  • 12
    4

    Who in their right mind walks around in public with their face totally covered like a ninja?

    • 3
      4

      H
      If you don’t like it, don’t do it.
      There are things in life I don’t like to see people do. But as long it does not hurt another, who am I to object?
      The matter is best resolved by the Muslim women themselves.
      If there is a move to reform Islam from within and it faces repression, do support the move by all means.
      But it is not good to tell them what to do.
      Passing judgment on people would seem rather arrogant.

    • 3
      1

      The key phrase is right mind. Don’t assume everyone is good up there! Some are not. On average 10% of people aren’t.

  • 5
    6

    France did it, Germany did it, Swiss did it 2 months ago… what is the global trend.. people are saying the security concerns of the greater good outweighs the requirements of few for religion..

    Did you protest in front of German, French and Swiss Embassies or did u attend the parties with them?

    https://thehill.com/changing-america/respect/equality/542169-switzerland-is-banning-muslims-from-wearing-a-niqab-or

  • 6
    5

    Majoritarian bigots are tightening the noose around their necks.

    “France did it, Germany did it, Swiss did it 2 months ago…” Yes they did, but they didn’t send their women as maids to the Middle East, where Sri Lankan maids have to wear whatever the dress Muslim women there wear and do menial jobs!

    Back home Sinhalese lawmakers pass laws to ban Muslim women’s dress, what majoritarianism this is?

  • 6
    9

    Another long overdue legislation. A huge namaskar to the President. Sadu Saaadu Saaaaadu.

    No one must forget that the Lion’s mighty roar could not be silenced for 2500 years. How could the censorship of a feral Hyena silence the mighty Lion?

    The Lion is free to roar at every nook and corner of Sri Lanka and abroad. The Lion will not depend on an internet forum to let out it’s mighty roar.

  • 6
    6

    Banning burqa, abaya, hijab, etc is liberating Muslim women! Wearing such clothing in hot and humid tropical country such as Sri Lanka is absolute torture.
    /
    People around the world are high praising the government of Sri Lanka for the banning of nonsense.

    • 4
      1

      Tony

      “Wearing such clothing in hot and humid tropical country such as Sri Lanka is absolute torture.”

      Had you taken the trouble to check the weather in those countries where they traditionally wore such clothing you would not have confirmed you were born without the gray matter.

  • 3
    0

    I don’t like seeing the Burqa, and I was glad to find the author, Dr Jayampathi Wickremaratne, saying this early in this very article:
    .
    “Let me make it clear that I do not like the burqa. I think that it takes away the human dignity of women. But I support the right of every woman to wear it as much as I support the right to resist conservative attempts to force it on women.”
    .
    However, I don’t like the timing and the spirit in which this legislation/ regulation is being introduced.
    .
    What I advocate is persuasion of the entire Muslim community to integrate with the rest of the Sri Lankan population, encourage more education for Muslim females (they should start off as girls and end up as dignified young women), and reform of MMDA, where necessary. Bottom line to this paragraph: “Work towards making every citizen of this country feel that h/ she is an equal, independent and valued member of our society.”

    .
    This government’s attitude is racist, and it should start focussing on the more important matters that it must attend to.
    .
    This is my view; I don’t expect everybody to agree with me. However, I do ask why I shouldn’t be allowed my say when so many spout hatred and intolerance.

  • 0
    0

    What a stupid matter matter to discuss!
    Dress is to hide nudity. It is not a safe heaven for criminals to hide. In the Allah created appearance of all human beings,there are ugliness. Super-smart man created dress cover it up & make them handsome and beautiful. With the name of Allah, the man shouldn’t make it doubly ugly by covering it with pillow covers. The basic question is not if it is proportional to force the woman slaving them under men on the name of religions, which is said women are finding satisfaction by taking subordination to men. The question is what is cost of allowing one side to dominate & creating men like Hitler, Saddam, Qaddafi…..Unlike in the Sinhala Buddhist culture, punishing the victim should not be tolerated. Sex crime is committed by men, mainly. So men have to invent a kind of glass for themselves so when they look at women they will get terrified and run away, & they won’t victimize the opposite sex. Fathima Akka can help on this invention.

  • 3
    1

    Japan, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA do it too!

    SL is in elite company.

    • 0
      0

      JATAM

      “Japan, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA do it too!”

      Japan, France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, USA,….. do have a space industry, highly developed science, technology and industrial base, brilliant educational system, ……………………. not just Burka ban.

  • 4
    0

    Dr.Wickremaratne

    You were a member of parliament from 2015 – 2020 and parliamentary secretary to the then PM . Much was expected of you given your legal expertise and position of influence. Despite your ‘socialist’ background , you went with the flow. Persons of your ilk are responsible for the situation this country is faced with today .You should bury your head in shame.

  • 2
    1

    I get in with hesitation. I know nothing about the religious demands on dressing up.
    .
    For me, a dress is for the protection of the skin and for the covering of the parts of the body that should not be exposed.
    .
    The earliest humans used leaves and the bark of trees to cover themselves.
    .
    It is the weather and the climate that determines how we cover ourselves.
    .
    Times have changed. Security has become a concern. We have to adjust our dress to suit the needs of the times in which we live.
    .
    If a religious practice calls for a particular way of dressing and the security concerns for another, a request to make adjustment to the way we dress is rational.

  • 4
    1

    Some argue that a ban is necessary for ‘law and order’ while some invoke ‘national security

    Even wearing the T shirt and denim they can carry on illegal activities terrorizer does not have a particular clothes. The late Mr. SWRD Bandanayeke was shot at his town house in Colombo and died of his wounds the day after. by monk

  • 4
    0

    Firstly, banning burqa is not actually making our country safer. Harmonious coexistence of communities is a fruit of respect for individual rights and freedoms.

    I’ve met muslim women in Islamic states who object law requiring them to wear even a hijab. Women are booked by police even for being too fashionable, or dressing immodestly even though they’re fully covered.

    Seen muslim women boarding outbound flights in the middle east wearing hijab but remove it immediately when the flight takes-off and change their outfit.

    But also met women in centres of higher education and in high positions in the west who diligently wear hijabs and even niqabs; didn’t appear they were forced by their family or community. Also, those wearing hijabs and niqabs don’t all dress modestly. Clearly, there’s a lot of individual choices.

    Wherever it is, even in the case of burqa, the utmost emphasis should be on due individual rights and freedoms fundamental to human dignity. A socially progressive state wouldn’t dictate either way.

    What we need to ensure is that each woman is empowered and protected to exercise her due individual rights and freedoms, free of persecution by family, community, and the state.

  • 0
    0

    Sugandh, The idea of dress or anything else cultural is not about human rights or arrogant actions. It is far better to be humble and merge in with the majority and be unified and accepted in whatever we do so that friendship and relationship is promoted rather than highlighting differences and enmity. When you are secure in your identity and worth, there us no inner struggle to prove how great or different you are. Dress is recent and man made and not of religious significance.

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