Torn between secularism and Islam: Turkey bans headscarves

The World Today ^ | 3 May 2004 | Mark Willacy, Eleanor Hall

[MegaSilver]

ELEANOR HALL: In Turkey, Islamic human rights groups are increasing the pressure on the Government to overturn a ban on headscarves. Despite Turkey's majority Muslim population, the Government has banned headscarves in schools, universities, public offices, and from Government functions.

Many argue that the headscarf is a symbol of radical Islam, and a threat to Ataturk's legacy of secular statehood. But others say some Muslim women are being barred from an education or from working as public servants because of their faith.

This report from our Middle East Correspondent Mark Willacy in Istanbul.

MARK WILLACY: Squeezed uncomfortably between Europe and Asia, Turkey has long grappled with the competing ideals of two worlds. While overwhelmingly Muslim, Turkey is a secular republic which promotes itself as decidedly Western.

At the gates of Turkey's most prestigious university, Habibe Ustejik (phonetic) is again being turned away by the security guard. The 24-year-old chemistry student is banned from the Bosphorus University for one year for wearing a headscarf to class.

HABIBE USTEJIK: I'm a Muslim and I chose to be Muslim. After reading the Koran I saw the verses and the parts about headscarves, about the orders to wear headscarves, so I decided to wear the headscarf because of my religion.

MARK WILLACY: But many Turks see the headscarf not as a symbol of religious modesty, but of radical Islam.

Dr Nahla Fenala is a prominent Istanbul sociologist.

NAHLA FENALA: Around 65 per cent of women in all age groups, they use a type of head covering. Many people, they don't want the Government to lift the ban on headscarf because they see it as a political symbol, especially in the public buildings and universities.

MARK WILLACY: The headscarf has been banned from schools, universities, public offices and Government functions. It's the legacy of the man who swept aside the rubble of the decayed Ottoman Empire, and who founded the new secular Turkish republic.

As part of his program of Westernisation, Attaturk forced Turks to use surnames, he adopted Latin script in the Western calendar, and symbols of so-called 'backwardness' like the Fez were banned.

But Islamic human rights lawyer, Mustafa Urjung (phonetic) says the cost of this program is religious freedom.

"We are fighting cases for more than 10,000 high school and university cases who are victims of this ban", he says.

Many Turkish Muslims had hoped that the rise to power of the Islamist Justice and Development Party would see the headscarf ban overturned. Even the Prime Minister's wife has been prevented from attending official functions because she wears a headscarf.

But the Government knows that the last Islamist party to push a religious agenda was ousted by the military seven years ago. Turkey may be a democracy, but the generals remain the guardians of Attaturk's secular state.

However, ruling party member Ibrahim Yildirim believes things are changing.

IBRAHIM YILDIRIM: I understand the military has some doubts about it, but in the long run I think they're going to realise those people who are wearing headscarves are really ordinary people, they have no political opinions or anything; they just do it as a custom, as a religious thing. They want to do it, they should do it.

MARK WILLACY: Banned from class, Habibe Ustejik (phonetic) is today shopping for a new headscarf. She knows that her stand will cost her a degree from Turkey's most prestigious university, not to mention a lucrative career.

HABIBE USTEJIK: They want me to change my lifestyle, to change my choices. I believe we are the black people of this country, we are the Negroes of this country because being women in Turkey, with a headscarf or without a headscarf, it's very difficult in fact.

MARK WILLACY: Once the seat of power for the Ottoman sultans, Istanbul is now a bustling Western city, but it remains torn between competing faiths of secularism and Islam.

ELEANOR HALL: Middle East Correspondent Mark Willacy in Istanbul.

[MegaSilver]

Islamic human rights groups

...

[xrp]

If headscarves are outlawed then only outlaws will wear headscarves!

[tessalu]

If a person's faith is in a head scarf, she or he does not have much faith at all.

[Darryl Newhart]

They're really itchin to get in the E.U., eh?

[tkathy]

We need to ban these hideous things in America.

[MegaSilver]

We need to ban these hideous things in America.

What about the Hindus, Sikhs, and Arab Christians who might wear them?

[xrp]

If Faith, as a person, wears a headscarf, then without the headscarf, is Faith a person?

Example: FAITH HILL

[Addict]

To wear or not to wear...

I beleive that this should be left to people to decide, there is no need for legal regulation here. If a person feels comfortable dressing in such (or any other) way he/she should be allowed to do so, providing that the basic decency is preserved (no naked people or the like).
When France banned scarfs in schools, not many moslems protested publicly on the street, indicating that most of the girls wear it due to family or islamic community pressure, not because they wanted to.

[RightWingAtheist]

That wouldn't be very American, would it? Next we'll be asking the government to ban Bart Simpson T-shirts.

[sgtbono2002]

Can we stop the Amish from wearing straw hats and bonnets?

[RightWingAtheist]

Your last sentence is quite true; young girls are taught early to wear the headscarf and dress modestly by their parents, who tell them Allah will punish them if they do not do so.

[river rat]

QUESTION...

Does anyone know the documented source instuction for Muslims to cover themselves to varying degrees..

1. Some wear a full head covering - with only a mesh to see through..

2. Some simply wear a scarf that covers only the hair...face is fully exposed.

3. Some wear a combination of hair covering, and a veil to cover their lower face but reveals the eyes...


I'm seriously interested...

Actually, I'd like to know what I would be correct in inferring from seeing women dressed in the different manners..

Semper Fi

[PureSolace]

If headscarves are outlawed then only outlaws will wear headscarves!

its true! :)

[Romish_Papist]

"What about the Hindus, Sikhs, and Arab Christians who might wear them?"

Touche.

[tiamat]

What about the Amish or Mennonite women who cover their hair?

[MegaSilver]

What about the Amish or Mennonite women who cover their hair?

There's that, too...

[tiamat]

Yep.

And people best keep that in mind before they go petiioning to ban stuff!

[Tax-chick]

I'd like to know what I would be correct in inferring from seeing women dressed in the different manners

You'd be correct in inferring (I love a person who can use "imply" and "infer" correctly :-) that they come from different ethnic/geographic backgrounds. Styles of head covering or dress are largely determined by local custom in different countries.

Beyond that, you'd be guessing. The Saudis have spread their style of dress to other countries by paying men a bounty for the number of family members who cover up Saudi-fashion. Young women who have "converted" to Islamic fundamentalism may adopt the most stringent covering, including gloves, even if they came from secularized families.

None of it is in the Koran, which only says that women AND men should dress modestly. Everything else comes from commentaries ("Hadith") and local customs. If you asked an Afghani tribesman why his wife is totally covered, he'd probably say it's required by Islam, but he'd be wrong ... he probably can't read, anyway!

I recommend any of several books by Fatima Mernissi, a Moroccan Islamic scholar. It's an interesting topic.

[Tax-chick]

Put some clothes on. You used to be cute, and you used to make good music, but it's been a while.

[river rat]

I suspected as much..
I've come to think of folks dressing like that in our public places as an indirect "challenge"..

At least this old Marine views it as such.

At our supermarket -- I found myself behind a woman (as best as one can tell when they're covered from head to toe in a black robe) NO skin visible, in the Express Check Out line ---- where customers with 9 or fewer items can quickly conduct business and be on their way.

I was behind this particular woman - her cart had no fewer that 20 or 30 items...
I informed her she was in the wrong line - and that she should leave and get in the correct line..
She claimed she didn't see the LARGE SIGN directly over her head..
I said, "Well, if you didn't wear a hood in public, perhaps you could see what you were doing"...
She insisted that the clerk call the manager and report my insult...
Of course the manager arrived and this "modest" female, began to speak and it was clear she was no Arab.
She had a mouth on her that would peal paint...
When I informed the manager of what I said, and that I would determine my future business relationship with his store by his action ---
The manager very kindly assisted the lady in moving her things off the counter and moving them to the correct line..

Less that a month later --- I was in line, the SAME lady pulls in behind me and with a full cart again.. This time with a male dressed like a organ grinder's monkey...
I addressed the male, and informed him they were in the wrong line - and pointed to the sign, which was less that 4 feet from his nose..
Without saying a word - he put his hand on their cart and attempted to move to the next line...

Potty mouth started up.....she told her man that THIS was the person that had insulted her a month earlier..
The man - tried to ignore her - but she wouldn't quit..
I could hear her in English - continue her complaining while I was checking out and her man was loading her stuff on the other counter...

Both spoke English like native speakers..
I wonder how many idiots walk around in "costume" in these times looking for attention or trolling for law suits?

Semper Fi