News Special: Religious Bans in Europe

In March of 2004, France passed legislation limiting the wearing of obvious religious symbols in public grade schools. Under the proposed legislation, Sikh children in France may not be able to wear their turbans to school. In response to the outcry from the Sikh community world-wide, the French government has promised to work with the Sikh children to find an equitable solution to the problem.

As the 2004 school year begins in France, SikhNet will be reporting on continuing developments in France.

Watch this special section for information and news updates.

Special Links	Europe Religious Ban: News Timeline
Sign United Sikhs Petition United Sikhs launched an on-line global petition asking the French government to reconsider its position on the wearing of religious symbols. Statement to UN Human Rights Commission On Thursday, April 8th, a Joint Statement was presented to the United Nations’ Human Rights Commission in Geneva, Switzerland on the issue of the religious ban in France. Letter from Sikh Coalition Sikh Coalition and over 80 other organizations have signed a letter asking French President Jacques Chirac to withdraw his endorsement of the upcoming French legislation. British Parliment EDM 461 Labor MP's introduced EDM 461 to the British Parliment calling on Her Majesty's Government to work with the European Union in support of all the diverse faith communities in France. US House Resolution 528 Congressmen Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Michael Honda (D-CA), co-introduced a resolution (HRES 528) requesting France to modify or abandon its ban on religious articles of faith in French public schools. Letter from US House of Representatives 50 Congresspeople from the US House of Representatives signed on to a letter circulated by Congressmen Mike Honda (D-CA) and Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) expressing concerns over the ban of article. What President Chirac Had Proposed Laicite A French movement to preserve secularity within France and all of Europe. Impact on Sikhs European Convention on Human Rights Sikhs in French History BBC Video Report on Sikhs Protesting Religious Ban in France	12/07/04 Assessing Europe's 'Headscarf Law' 11/30/04 French Turban Law Silly, Says Uk Jurist 11/29/04 White Paper On Turban Issue PM To Take Up Turban Issue With France 11/24/04 Urgent Appeal!! A Peaceful Protest In Ottawa - Right To Turban! Sikhs May Establish School In France 11/23/04 SGPC Urges To Lift Turban Ban 11/19/04 France Issue: Sikhs Urged To Wear Kesri Turban 11/15/04 European Sikhs Approach Eu On Turban Issue 11/11/04 How Does The Turban Threaten The French, M.S. Gill It's Not Turban, But Mindset Is The Issue, Monsieur 11/09/04 Teacher To Crusade For Turban In France France Turban Issue: Sonia Meets French Sikhs 11/08/04 Turban Ban May Affect 'Study In France' Campaign Call To All Sikhs To Rally Round French Sikhs 11/05/04 Sikh Students Expelled For Wearing Turbans French Sikhs Vow To Fight Turban Law 11/03/04 Sikh Delegation From France 11/02/04 France And The Other Face Of Secularism 11/01/04 French Court Orders Hearing for Sikh Students 10/27/04 France Non-Committal on Lifting Ban on Turbans 10/22/04 Decide Turban Issue by Nov. 5, French Court Tells Schools 10/21/04 France Expels Scarf-Clad Students 10/20/04 First Students Expelled over French Law The Turbanators 10/19/04 Sikhs to go to Court over French Law 10/11/04 DSGMC to Move European Court on Turban Issue 09/29/04 French Schools Turn Away Sikh Students 09/27/04 Manmohan Singh Says Agreement Reached for Sikhs in France 09/24/04 French Sikhs Feel Cheated 09/22/04 Sikh Students Can Wear Patka, Says French Envoy 09/21/04 Secularism Unwrapped: Turbans in France Sikh Organization to Hold Protest in New York 09/20/04 101 Muslim Girls Still Defy French Law 09/17/04 Turban Chaos in France Turban Issue Not Resolved in France Turban Issue Almost Solved: French Envoy 09/14/04 Turban Issue: Sikhs Plan Demonstration in NY Sikhs in Indian-Kashmir Protest French Ban on Turbans France Says Turban Issue To Be Resolved Soon Scarf Ban Stains French-Muslim Ties 09/10/04 French Ban: The Turbans Will Not Go Away 09/09/04 SGPC Slams French Ban on Turbans Muslim Girls Flout French Ban on Headscarf 09/08/04 In the French Media: The Turban Deprives Nine Schoolboys of Attending Classes Angry Sikhs to sue French Government Turban ban: France Rejects PM's Appeal Up to 120 Girls Defy French Ban on Headscarves Help Us Mr. PM, cry Sikh Diaspora French Head Scarves Law Affecting Sikhs 09/07/04 French Sikhs Lambast School Ban French Sikhs Caught in Hairnet 09/03/04 Confusion among Sikhs over new French law Quiet First Day for France's Ban on Head Scarves in School A Sikh who Fought for his Turban Speaks Out Against Turban Ban 09/02/04 Hostage Drama Overshadows French School Return Few Headscarves in sight as French Schools Reopen 09/01/04 India Asks France to Allow Sikhs to Wear Turbans Sikhs to Defy French Headscarf Ban 08/05/04 French Sikhs Seek PM's Support on Turban Issue French Sikhs Urge India to Intervene in Turban Row 08/03/04 France's Sikhs Want to Meet Manmohan on Turban Issue 07/05/04 European Court Backs Ban on Muslim Scarves 07/01/04 UN Hears Sikh Petition Against French Ban on Turbans 05/27/04 French PM Invites Manmohan Singh to France Sikh Youth Face Dilemma in France 05/24/04 US Says Muslim Schoolgirl has Every Right to Wear Headscarf to School 05/20/04 Sikhs in France Denounce Hairnet Suggestion Joint Statement to UN Human Rights Commission Requests Involvement in French Religious Ban 05/19/04 French Law Means Sikhs Can't Wear Turbans 05/13/04 US Religious Group Slams France for Headscarf Ban 04/23/04 Confusion in France as Religious Ban Debate Continues 04/21/04 France Tries to Clarify Headscarves Law 04/02/04 Berlin city bans headscarves 03/24/04 SGPC Urges French Government to Review Turban Ban 03/23/04 To Date, 35 Members of Congress Call for Change in French Ban 03/22/04 Moderator Accuses France Of Religious Intolerance 03/12/04 The European Court for Human Rights Rejects Turban Case 03/11/04 Sikhs and French Lobby Over Resolution 528 03/09/04 Members of US Congress Support French Sikhs with House Resolution 528 03/05/04 UK Pledges Not to Ban on Hijab 03/04/04 French Veil Ban Passes: Due in September BBC: French Senate Backs Headscarf Ban 03/03/04 Different Government Culture in France Allows Headscarf Ban 02/23/04 Tarlochan Works Against Turban Ban UK Sikhs Join Headscarf Protest France's Law on Headscarves has Global Impact 02/20/04 French Ban: Through the Eyes and Hearts of Sikh Youth in France 02/19/04 France Hopes for Solution to Sikh Turbans 02/17/04 French-Sikh Soldiers: Their Names Live For Evermore 02/16/04 France May Compromise On Turban Issue SGPC Reminds French Minister Of Sikhs' Contributions Should Islamic Headscarves Be Banned In Schools? What Do You Think? French Headscarf Bill: Not First Struggle For Sikhs Scarf Ban? Not In Toronto 02/13/04 French FM Meets With Ncm Tarlochan Singh, Recognizes Sikh Dilemma In Headscarf Ban Us Congress Introduces Resolution On French Ban With Help From Sikh Organizations 'We'll Unravel The Turban Ban': French FM Villepin 02/12/04 Memorandum On Turban Ban Presented To French Envoy Indian PM May Raise Turban Ban Issue With French Minister French FM Arrives In India To Boost Strategic Partnership 02/11/04 Memorandum On Turban Ban Presented To French Envoy 'Hands Off Our Headwear': Conversations With The French Youth French Headscarf Ban Opens Rifts London Mayor Says French Veil Ban 'Anti-Muslim' India To Take Up Turban Issue With French Ministerf French Veil Ban Faces Criticism, Confusion Abroad 02/10/04 French Lawmakers Back Veil Ban Overwhelmingly: 494-36 45 Members Of Us Congress Write To French Government Indian Govt. Officials To Meet With French Foreign Minister On Religious Ban France's Proposed Banning Of Headscarves Stirs Sikh Community In India Viewpoints: Europe And The Headscarf French Law To Also Hit Pupils Denying Holocaust Debate Over Religious Symbols Divides France British Criticism Of Headscarf Ban 02/09/04 French Mps Set To Massively Approve School Headscarf Ban Tuesday French Foreign Minister To Arrive In India On Feb 12 France Throws Down Gauntlet To Muslims This Week English Mayor Marches With Sikhs Against Proposed French Religious Symbol Ban 02/06/04 French MP's Strike Deal On Headscarf Law: Must Be Reviewed Within A Year 02/05/04 US Religious Freedom Panel Says Headscarf Ban Violates Rights No Plans to Ban Hijab in Norwegian Schools British MEP Takes Sikhs' Concerns over French Law to EU France's Secularists Protest Against Hijab Ban Tohra Writes to UN's Kofi Annan on Turban Issue 02/04/04 Debate Begins in France on Religion in the Schools US Sikhs Work with Congress on Letter to French President Ask France to Treat Sikhs as Minority: Tohra to UN Secretary General Annan London Mayor Joins French Veil Ban Row UK Euro MP Seeks EU Ban on Headscarf Law Mann Presents Memo on Turban Issue to French Minister of Foreign Affairs Turban Ban Issue Raised in Lok Sabha US Religious Freedom Watchdog Wary of Proposed French Headscarf Ban CNN: French PM Calls for Headscarf Ban 02/03/04 French Prime Minister to Open Parliamentary Debate on Controversial Religious Ban in France Bishop of Paris to Take Up Turban Issue Last-Minute Doubts as French Debate Veils in School CNN: France Debates Head Scarf Ban BBC: French MPs Debate Headscarf Ban French Parliament Opens Headscarf Debate 02/02/04 NCM Tarlochan: Diplomatic Channel May Relax Turban Ban in France French Secularism vs. Turbans, Other Symbols of Faith Religious Dress Tied to Identity 02/01/04 Sikhs Protest Against Turban Ban in France 1/31/04 Sea of Turbans as Sikhs Protest Against French Ban BBC Video Report: Sikhs Protest Against French Ban Sikhs in Paris Demo Against Veil Ban Law 1/30/04 Pope Sends Message to NCM Tarlochan Singh on Proposed Religious Ban SGPC Brings Case For Turbans In France Before French Official Sikh Americans Meet with Washington on Religious Ban Issue 1/29/04 Sikhs to March in Paris Sikh Religious Bodies Appeal to France on Turbans 1/28/04 France Launches Procedure to Pass Anti-Veil Law UK Sikhs Lead in Fight Against Against French Religious Ban To Ban or Not to Ban: What French Students Have to Say 1/27/04 What if You Had to Choose Between Faith and College 1/26/04 Sikhs to Protest Impending French Religious Ban Young Sikhs Face Tough Choices Under New French Law Muslim Students Set Out to Clear Misconceptions US Students Protest French Ban 1/22/04 French Sikh Forced to Remove Turban French Sikhs Updbeat about Keeping Turbans in School Doubts Rise Over Ban on Scarves on Schools Veil Issue Hurts France Abroad 1/21/04 Next Target in the French Headgear Debate: The Bandanna 1/20/04 French Religious Ban to Focus on Public Schools Only Sikh Organizations Issue Joint Letter to Chirac BBC Report: French Sikhs Defend the Turban Sikh U.S. Senate Candidate Responds to French Ban Issue 1/19/04 NCM Tarlochan Singh Conversing with French and Indian Authorities on Turban Ban Sikh Delegation Meets with French Diplomat in London 1/16/04 The Turban Ban in France: An Open Letter to French President Jacques Chirac European Sikhs to Protest French Turbantor American Sikhs to Protest Proposed French Legislation 1/15/04 DSGMC Meet French Ambassador on Ban Issue 1/13/04 SGPC Sikhs to Hold Protest Outside French Offices on Ban Issue Tarlochan Singh, NCM Chairman, Addresses France Relgiious Ban UK Sikh Organizations Welcome Motion by Parliment on France Ban Issue 1/12/04 How About Us? French Sikhs Ask 1/09/04 US Muslims Meet with French Ambassador OP-ED: There's Enough Room Under the Burqua for Personal Choice 1/08/04 Sikhs Slam French Plan to Ban Headscarves Sikh Council Writes to Chirac on Turban Issue 1/07/04 French Turban Ban Gets Sikh Group into Action 1/05/04 Sikhs Launch World-Wide Petition Drive on Proposed French Ban French Sikhs Urge India to Intervene on Turban Ban 12/31/03 SGPC To Discuss French Legislation on Turban 12/18/03 Chirac: Ban Turbans, Headscarves in School 12/12/03 France Considers Banning Turbans, Headscarves in School 12/06/03 France to Ban Turbans, Religious Symbols in French Schools