Village Journals
Resonate your identity with Naseeb journals. Express your opinions, share your thoughts, post your writings and connect with like minded people through the power of expression.
Resonate your identity with Naseeb journals. Express your opinions, share your thoughts, post your writings and connect with like minded people through the power of expression.
Swiss Vote to Ban New Mosque Minarets
Europe displayed the latest sign of clashing with the growing Muslim population on the continent as Swiss voters passed a referendum to ban construction of mosque minarets in the land of chalets.
"Opinion polls in recent months had indicated that a majority of voters would reject the measure, fearful of an impact on the country's reputation and ability to do business in the Muslim world. But official results on Sunday showed a surprisingly strong 57.5 percent of those voting endorsed it, against 42.5 percent who opposed.
...The Swiss federal council said four existing minarets would not be affected by the vote, and it specified that Muslim residents of the tiny Alpine country would still be allowed to build mosques and practice their religion. But construction of new minarets, the towers alongside mosques from which Muslims are called to prayer by Koranic chants, 'is forbidden in Switzerland from now on,' it said in a communique.
...The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland estimated recently that the country has as many as 400,000 Muslims among its population of 7.6 million. An official census in 2000 put the number at 311,000.
The federal government and a majority in parliament had campaigned strongly against the measure, which was sponsored by the Swiss People's Party, a large populist party, and the Federal Democratic Union, a right-wing Christian party. In addition, major religious groups -- some Christian, as well as Muslim ones -- had urged their faithful to vote no."
Source www.guardian.co.uk
"Opinion polls in recent months had indicated that a majority of voters would reject the measure, fearful of an impact on the country's reputation and ability to do business in the Muslim world. But official results on Sunday showed a surprisingly strong 57.5 percent of those voting endorsed it, against 42.5 percent who opposed.
...The Swiss federal council said four existing minarets would not be affected by the vote, and it specified that Muslim residents of the tiny Alpine country would still be allowed to build mosques and practice their religion. But construction of new minarets, the towers alongside mosques from which Muslims are called to prayer by Koranic chants, 'is forbidden in Switzerland from now on,' it said in a communique.
...The Federation of Islamic Organizations in Switzerland estimated recently that the country has as many as 400,000 Muslims among its population of 7.6 million. An official census in 2000 put the number at 311,000.
The federal government and a majority in parliament had campaigned strongly against the measure, which was sponsored by the Swiss People's Party, a large populist party, and the Federal Democratic Union, a right-wing Christian party. In addition, major religious groups -- some Christian, as well as Muslim ones -- had urged their faithful to vote no."
Source www.guardian.co.uk