Following the arrest of four imams accused of having links to Boko Haram terrorist group, Senegal plans to ban women from wearing the full-face Islamic veil in public in an attempt to curb terrorism.
The move announced on Tuesday, November 17, by Interior Minister Abdoulaye Daouda, prohibits women from wearing burqas where only their eyes can be seen. Daouda says the law is not anti-Islamic as Senegal is a Muslim majority nation instead he says it’s a question of national security.
If the plan becomes law, Senegal will be the fifth African state to restrict the wearing of the full-face veil. Chad, Gabon and Congo-Brazzaville have announced similar bans, while Cameroon introduced it in July in its Far North region. All of them are former colonies of France, which caused an uproar in 2011 when it became the first European country to ban the full-face veil from being worn in public places.
Chad and Cameroon have been targeted by suicide bombers, linked to the Nigeria-based Boko Haram group, whose militants sometimes wear the full-face veil as a cover to enter heavily populated areas. Senegal has not been attacked so far by militant Islamists.
Boko Haram has used suicide bombers hiding their explosives beneath loose clothing to carry out scores of attacks in Cameroon, Chad and Nigeria. An estimated 92% of Senegal’s population is Muslim. Although the country has not suffered a terrorist attack recently, authorities are concerned that the Islamic militant group Boko Haram may be trying to extend its range.
Mr Daouda said the plan to ban the full-face veil was in the interest of national security. Last week, Mr Sall said the full-face veil was not
compatible with Senegalese culture and the tolerant Islam practiced by Muslims in the West African state. Only a tiny minority of Senegalese women wear veils and most also do not cover their hair.
In another move to curb militant Islamist activity, Senegal has set a 30 November deadline for the registration of all mobile phone Sim cards. Otherwise, they will be deactivated.
In Nigeria, Africa’s biggest telecom firm, MTN, is facing a $5.2bn (£3.4bn) fine for failing to cut off unregistered mobile users.
Nigerian officials believe that Boko Haram has used unregistered mobile phones to organise its activities.
