Monday, April 23, 2007

FEATURE - Vote puts Turkish headscarf battle back in spotlight

"Vote puts Turkish headscarf battle back in spotlight
By Emma Ross-Thomas

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - The men and women stand separately but their chant is the same: 'Long live the fight for the headscarf!'

The women at this protest in Istanbul's old quarter want to wear their headscarves in school, university and parliament, but Muslim Turkey's secular system forbids that, with laws pious Muslims see as a breach of their personal and religious freedom. "

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