Congo Bans Full-Face Islamic Veil, Seeing it as Tool for Terrorists to Conceal their Identity
Terrorists can no longer hide under a full-face Islamic veil in the Congo Republic after the Central African imposed a ban on the wearing of the veil in public as part of security measures to prevent terrorism.
Djibril Abdoulaye Bopaka, head of Congo's Islamic Council, said the nation's Islamic community, which he said is comprised of some 800,000 people, has agreed to the rule amid reports that individuals are using the veil to carry out illegal acts.
"The government took this step based on what was happening in the neighboring countries and the rest of the world," Bopaka said. "We regard this as a legitimate step for the security of the country."
"Together with authorities, we recognized that there were non-Muslims and badly intentioned people making use of the veil to carry out unauthorized acts," he told Radio France International.
The Congo government told Bopaka about the veil ban last April 23. He asked for a two-week delay on the implementation of the veil ban for him to disseminate the information to the nation's Muslim community.
Under the rule, women can wear the full-face veil in their homes or in mosques but not in public places including markets.
Not covered by the ban are veils that do not cover the face.
Many of the Muslim populace in the Central African country come from West Africa or Arab nations, Reuters reported. Less than 10 percent of Congo's 5 million citizens are Muslim.
Thousands of refugees have fled to Congo from neighboring Cameroon after attacks were committed by the Islamic militant group Boko Haram.
Last month, Boko Haram militants killed at least 10 people in two villages in Cameroon, according to Reuters.
"There were consecutive attacks by Boko Haram in Bia and Blaberi in the district of Kolofata in the early morning," said one Cameroon officer.
Boko Haram has killed thousands with the intent of establishing an Islamic state in Nigeria. Its fighters have also attacked neighboring countries in the hope of widening its influence in Africa.