[Al Arabiya Latest] The Swiss government urged voters on Thursday to reject a proposed ban on new minarets, saying it would contravene religious freedom and human rights, and could provoke extremists. "It is not a suitable means to counter religious extremism, rather it threatens to give a boost to religious fanatics," Swiss Justice Minister Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf told a news conference webcast from Berne."Better just to let them do what they want. Maybe they won't hurt us."
Switzerland will hold a referendum on Nov. 29 on banning the construction of new minarets after a group of politicians from the right-wing Swiss People's Party (SVP) and Federal Democratic Union gathered enough signatures last year to force a vote. The Alpine country is home to more than 300,000 Muslims -- about 4 percent of the population -- and has hundreds of mosques, of which only a handful have minarets.
| Supporters of a ban say minarets have no religious justification and are symbols of Islamic power which contravene Swiss constitutional rights to religious freedom. |
Some local governments have banned a poster in favour of the ban which shows the Swiss flag, a white cross on a red background, covered in missile-like minarets and a woman wearing a black chador and veil associated with strict Islam.
Am opinion poll last week showed 51 percent of Swiss opposed a ban, while 35 percent were in favor. Supporters of a ban say minarets have no religious justification and are symbols of Islamic power which contravene Swiss constitutional rights to religious freedom.