By Hadi Yahmed, IOL Correspondent
PARIS, November 16 (IslamOnline.net) – French President Jacque Chirac has rejected proposals by Minister of Industry Nicolas Sarkozy related to amending French secular law to enable the state to fund places of worship in general and mosques in particular so as to better integrate Muslims into the French society.
Chirac regarded the controversy over the status of secularism in France “as futile because the subject is almost unanimously agreed upon by all French people.”
In his meeting with the youth of Marseille Sunday November 14, Chirac said, “I believe secularism -– separating the authorities of the state from the church -– is a fundamental issue. Consequently, I am not for questioning the status of secularism.”
The French President has reiterated that “the law of 1905 regulating secularism in France is a basic component of the national coalition, and hence, reviewing it is futile.”
Chirac statements are a direct reaction to the proposals of ex-Interior Minister Sarkozy, nominated to the presidency of the ruling “Gathering for the Popular Front”. Sarkozy’s proposals were included in a book issued in October 2004.
In his proposals, he demanded to have secularism reviewed and reformed in a way that allows funding places of worship, particularly mosques, in order to facilitate integrating Muslims into the French society.
Muslims’ Rights
In a book entitled ‘The Republic, The Religions, The Aspiration’, including discussions between a French journalist and a philosopher with Sarkozy himself, the French Minister calls for “funding places of worship, particularly mosques and hence, reforming secularism law” that stipulates the state neither funds, adopts or acknowledges any religion whatsoever.
Sarkozy has called for “strengthening the status of Mosques in France , regarded the least fortunate, through funding them, criticizing those adhering to the current situation.”
“They think that it is normal the state funds the setting up of a play ground, a library, a theater and a kindergarten; however, regarding places of worship, they believe that the state should not spend a penny.”
He also suggests to build a large mosque in every big city in France .
In his reply to points of criticism leveled at him for his role in establishing the French Council for Islamic Religion in 2003, he said in his book, “Muslims have the same duties as the French, they should also enjoy the same rights.”
“Muslims are not above the law, but we should also put into consideration that they are not under the law (i.e. ignored by the law),” he added.
Chirac did not deny the difficulties facing French Muslims, but said that solving such problems, particularly funding the construction of mosques, does not require revising secularism law but finding solutions that conform with the nature of the debated problems.
“The issue of building and funding mosques in France faces several difficulties and the already existing mosques, amounting to 1554, do not have the basic characteristics of mosques as they are found in the basements of apartment buildings and are small in area compared to the number of worshippers who visit such mosques,” IslamOnline.net correspondent said.
On Sunday November 14, Muslim inhabitants of a southern Paris district had to hold ‘Eid Al-Fitr prayers in the street in a protest message directed to the municipal officials, who granted them a very small piece of land to build their mosque on.
Observers think that Sarkozy's proposals will raise a lot of controversy particularly that he prepares to preside over the ruling party in its forthcoming conference to be held late in 2004.
His rivals will make use of this issue during the 2007 presidential elections, particularly that Sarkozy is one of the most prominent candidates to presidency, according to observers.