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| A peek from the minaret |
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| Written by Cvetelina Manolova (Kapital), translated by Gergana Yovova |
| Sunday, 06 December 2009 20:01 |
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"I've never been more ashamed I'm Swiss" - these were the waking thoughts that passed through the minds of half of the citizens of the picturesque Alpine republic last Monday, after the prohibition of building minarets in the country was passed on with a referendum. Many would ask whether the Swiss do not have more important things to do, and would probably be right, as after that referendum the image of the country, famous as one of the most tolerant, neutral, and democratic in Europe, will never be the same. The result from this inquiry is not in the least harmless. First, because this happened in a country known for its democratic traditions, in which Muslims are only 3.5 percent of the population, and out of the 150 mosques and temples, only four have minarets. Second, because during the referendum, a surprisingly high number of people bothered to vote - 53 percent (given the usual activity of less than 40 percent). And last but not least, because the result was absolutely astonishing because all the questionnaires prior to the referendum showed that most of the voters would answer "no," while in reality almost 58 percent said "yes." Thus, Switzerland, mostly famous for its pastoral atmosphere, Alpine pastures, chocolate, clocks, banks, and neutrality, joined one genuinely populist and growingly-strong anti-Islam tendency in Europe. Fear veiled with burqa The reasons which may involve a mature and democratic state in such problems are various. One of the grounds is the liberal system that allows all kinds of causes to reach a referendum. Cultural differences also play a role in a country where more that 20 percent of the population is of foreign origin. "This result is due to the fear and misunderstanding of the Muslim culture and is an expression of a wide-spread concern," Marcus Haefliger, a journalist from the authoritative Swiss weekly NZZ am Sonntag, said for Kapital. Indeed, this fear was the main target of the posters proclaiming the prohibition, which depicted a gloomy woman veiled in a burqa, behind whom minarets like black rockets emerge from the red shades of the Swiss flag. Still, even people's ignorance can hardly justify such fears. In Switzerland, where the total population is 7.5 million, there are about 400,000 Muslims, most of whom come from the Balkans - Bosnia, Kosovo, and Turkey, and do not even follow the orthodox norms - they do not wear the typical clothes, do not pray regularly, and do not eat according to the Islam traditions. It is really rare to see a woman wearing burqa on the Swiss streets. The debate before the voting was focused around the Islam traditions and their effects on women's social status, which incited some outstanding activists from the feminist movement to join the campaign. They attacked Muslims, because the latter accept forced marriages, honor killings, and the beating of women - all of which contradict the traditional European norms. Haeflinger said that even the initiators of the referendum, members of the right Swiss People's Party, admit that the whole voting was not that much against the minarets themselves, but was more symbolic. "Minarets are deemed symbol of the political Islam," he explained. The bad example and the consequences The results from the Swiss referendum provoked a lot of negative reactions, especially in other European countries, where anti-Islam moods are not new. The concerns from the Muslim population, which is growing fast because of immigration and high birthrate in the Old Continent, are becoming stronger. A month ago in France, where one fifth of the total 15 million European Muslims live, a possible prohibition of the babushka was discussed. In the Netherlands, Italy, and Denmark, where there are not even mosques with minarets, loud outcries called to follow the Swiss example. "Switzerland is sending us a clear signal: yes to the campanili, no to the minarets," Roberto Carderoli, minister from the Italian government from the Nationalist Party Northern League, commented. As for Switzerland, the consequences will mainly bear a negative sign. About seven percent of the annual export of the country, or $14.4 billion, is designated for Muslim countries, and the company Nestle is the biggest exporter of food, which is acceptable for consummation according to the Muslim criteria. Also, many of the tourists that visit Geneva and Zurich come from the Persian Gulf. Turkey, by far most affected by the anti-Islam moods in Europe, has already called the Muslim population to withdraw their money from Swiss banks. "I suppose that the trading relations with other countries will become harder," the Minister of Law Evelyn Vidmar-Shlumph admitted. The Swiss authority of a mediator in the conflict between Israel and Palestine, as well as in the peace negotiations between Turks and Armenians, is also impaired. In addition, the relations between Switzerland and the Muslim countries have already been strained because of the problems with Libya. They started last year, when the son and daughter-in-law of the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi were arrested in Geneva, and continued with the arrest and conviction of two Swiss workers in Libya. These issues have probably influenced the Swiss during the Sunday vote.
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(c) Economedia, published with permission
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Comments
If all the other countries follow suit, they better had EU renamed to "Christian Union".
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/6749094/Al-Qaeda-and-a- decade-of-terro r.html?state=error#postacomment