Switzerland bans minarets

While we were worried about the Afghanistan war, the dangers of pirates in the Indian Ocean, or the swine flu, a country we always though as being quiet and civilized surprised the world yesterday. Switzerland, the country of great mountains, chocolate, watches and beautiful countryside but also a country which likes to think is a neutral guardian of human rights, a country where the Red Cross was established and the Geneva convention was passed, voted in a referendum whose results brought fear among Muslims ans shocked the Swiss government. The referendum was about whether to allow minarets to be build in Switzerland. While there were enough signatures to bring the question to a referendum, something that the unique Swiss plebiscitary system allows, there was not a believe in the passing of the ban on minarets among the government. And yet 22 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons voted in favor of the ban. Two French speaking cantons, Neuchâtel and Vaud, as well as the city cantons of Geneva and Basel, rejected the proposal. A proposal which topped the 57 per cent mark.
The Swiss government obliged by law to accept the result of the referendum said: “The government respects this decision. Consequently the construction of new minarets in Switzerland is no longer permitted.” To this the Swiss Justice Minister said the decision was “not a rejection of the Muslim community, religion or culture.” It is quite likely that minarets will continue to be built in the country as opponents of the move in the government, churches and human rights organizations had argued a ban on them would infringe fundamental liberties and freedom of religion. The European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg is sure to take on the case, as the ban could be seen as a violation of freedom of religion and a clear case of discrimination. Nevertheless, the damage has been done among the Muslims and Switzerland can suffer a backlash with the Swiss banks and the Swiss economy, which have close ties with economies around the world, suffering as a result.