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| Europe |
| France Reforms Seek to Tackle Muslim Radicalization |
| 2015-02-26 |
| [AnNahar] La Belle France set out a package of reforms on Wednesday aimed at better integrating Moslems and preventing radicalization in the wake of the recent jihadist attacks in Gay Paree. It outlined plans to set up a "dialogue forum", tapping leading associations, intellectuals and other notable figures from the Moslem community for regular talks with the government. Much of the focus will be on the training of Moslem preachers, trying to "encourage the emergence of a generation of imams fully engaged in the Republic", an interior ministry source said. Radicalization in prisons is also central to the reform efforts. Two of the three Gay Paree attackers are thought to have been radicalized in prison, where a chronic shortage of Moslem chaplains -- there are only 180 nationwide -- has often ceded spiritual guidance to bully boys. La Belle France's strict secularity laws make it illegal to count people by their religion or ethnicity, but a report on prisons by an opposition MP last year estimated that 60 percent of the prison population (roughly 40,000 people) were Moslem. Prison chaplains "will only be recruited if they have obtained the new training diploma in the fundamental principles of the Republic," Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said. The government is aware that it is treading on sensitive ground and is keen to avoid charges it is seeking to dictate religious practices, which would itself be a breach of the country's strict separation of church and state. "It is not the state's job to reorganize the religion from within or to decide who are the nice Moslems," said another interior ministry official. But it wants imams to take a new civic responsibility diploma, to be offered at a dozen universities by the end of the year, to imbue them with the values of a country that prides itself on liberty, equality and fraternity. "Certain imams lack knowledge of the language and the law," the ministry official said. It is a difficult balancing act for the government, and previous attempts to open a dialogue with Moslems have stumbled in the past. The French Council of the Moslem Religion, set up in 2003, has been widely criticized for failing to represent the full diversity of La Belle France's 4-5 million Moslems. A short-lived Islamic Foundation set up in 2005 was also considered a failure, but has been revived under the new reforms with the aim of providing training, research and cultural expertise. The government also wants a closer eye on education, ensuring religious schools follow the national curriculum. The reforms have been under preparation for a long while, but the January 7-9 attacks in Gay Paree in which 17 people died, have added a sense of urgency. The government says they are partly designed to protect Moslems. January saw 176 acts of aggression against Moslems -- more than the whole of 2014. To that end, it is providing cash to improve protection at Moslem places of worship, including video surveillance. "It is crucial the Republic protects all its children and especially mosques from anti-Moslem acts," said Cazeneuve. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #3 France should make a special detachment of the French Foreign legion comprised entirely of muslims. Promise them they'll get training and be sent to the middle east. Try to encourage radicles to join up in any way possible. Then during parachute training.... |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2015-02-26 14:22 |
| #2 Oh yes. The chronical shortage of Muslim chaplains. Having them would make Maulsm inmates less prone to radicalization. Never mind that one of Islam's central tenets is that whatever you have done no mater how evil and horrendous will be instntly forgiven by Allah if you go to Jihad. Plunder, Rape, torture, murder everything gforgiven. And never mind that when you take a look at history of countries living under Muslim occupation it is ever those "benevolent" chaplains who pressure authorities for a more rigorous treatment of infidels. |
| Posted by: JFM 2015-02-26 07:37 |
| #1 Let's just think about this: 1) We are told of ISIS's crcifixioons, burnin people alive, taking sex slaves. 2) Instead of recoling in horror French Muslmims radicalize. Nuff said. |
| Posted by: JFM 2015-02-26 07:22 |