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"I
don't see any problem in teaching Islam, Judaism or Christianity
at schools," said Benbassa
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By
Hadi Yahmid, IOL correspondent
PARIS,
August 31 (IslamOnline.net) – A French expert at minorities' affaris
called on Tuesday, August 31, for "reshaping" secularism in
France to protect the rights of minorities, saying that the western
European country has been suffering from an "identity crisis"
for decades.
"France
should reshape its version of secularism and translate its words into
action when it comes to respecting the rights of all minorities in
French society. It is the one and only way to keep the French secularism
well and alive," Esther Benbassa told IslamOnline.net.
Urging
the French government to take concrete steps to breathe a new life into
secularism, Benbassa, a Jew, further called for teaching religion at
state schools.
"I
don't see any problem in teaching Islam, Judaism or Christianity at
schools."
Benbassa
is a prominent French writer. Among her famous books are: "The Jew
and The Other," "Israel: The Impossible Land," "The
Jews and Their Future," and "The Jews of France."
"Identity
Crisis"
Benbassa
further believes that the French Republic has been suffering from an
"identity crisis" for decades, but only came to the surface
after the enactment of a
law banning hijab and religious insignia at state schools.
"France
is facing a problem of identity, that is why it finds it difficult to
accept other identities."
Esther
attributed the crisis to an ardent desire of the country's minorities to
speak their minds out and be themselves.
"We
are facing a revolution of affiliations as all minorities want to
express themselves."
She
also said France has been always encountering problems with its
minorities, noting that it did everything possible to melt them away
into one crucible.
As
for the "hard-line" tone of the French government, Benbassa
said it will never work with Muslims or Arabs, though it was used with
the Jews in the 18th century.
"The
French should bear in mind that what was applied to the Jews is no
longer applicable to the Arabs," she said.
'Extinction'
She
warned that the principles of the French Revolution are threatened with
extinction if France failed to live up to its multi-cultural society.
"The
real danger lies in the mono-viewpoint adopted by France," she
said.
The
French expert stressed that the practices against the French Muslims
would only push some of them to leave the country and return to their
homelands.
"The
Jews, at that time, had no place to go, whereas the Arabs and Muslims in
France are still having connections with their homelands, and if they
were pushed to return to their homelands, they would do although most of
them don't speak Arabic," she said.
French
orientalist Bruno Etienne has maintained that Islam does
not pose a threat to secularism and French Muslims are taking
initiatives in coping with the country's secular laws.
Muslims
in France, whose number is estimated at around 5.8 million, hail from
several African and Asian countries, with the majority from Algeria,
Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey.
