Invited by our editorialist, Marouane Bouloudhnine, a Nice city councilor within the majority and President of the new Secular Federation of Citizens of Muslim Sensibility (https://www.nicepremium.fr/article/l-edito-du-psy-mosaic-et-les-musulmans-de-nice-lancent-le-debat-sur-l-identite-nationale-.5067.html) shares his feelings on the recent Swiss vote aimed at banning minarets on Swiss territory. While “distinguishing the issue of minarets from that of mosques,” as well as the place reserved for Islam in the two countries, he mentions the debate on national identity in France, wishing that it “is not conducted without the participation of the 6 million Muslim citizens.” He recalls the commitments of Mosaïc founded on “better living together.”
Nice-Premium: What do you think of the Swiss vote on banning minarets and how do you interpret its results?
Marouane Bouloudhnine: “Every man is the master of his own home, but there are limits not to be exceeded. It should first be clarified that it is a procedure specific to a sovereign country, whose wealth has greatly accommodated the dubious origins of funds from abroad… It does not appear to be solely an urban planning issue, but rather discrimination based on religious affiliation. The subject prompts us to reflect on the causes of the stigmatization of Muslims in Switzerland. The opinion of the Swiss must be heard, analyzed, and some consequences drawn from it, even if, once again, I disagree with it. Have the authorities of all religions, as well as public authorities and journalists, failed in this country in their mission of dialogue, combating prejudice, and building a ‘better living together’? The misunderstanding which almost always stems from ignorance has always been the source of certain woes in history.
We are not here in the clash of civilizations, but rather in the clash of ignorances. This strengthens our idea that we must stop remaining silent but rather communicate who the citizens of Muslim sensibility are, as MOSAÏC strives to do. To be honest, Switzerland should ask second-class citizens, who Muslims seem to represent in its eyes, to withdraw all their assets from Swiss banks. That being said, the ban does not prevent the construction of mosques. Let’s also remember that a minaret is not an indispensable element of a mosque.”
Nice-Premium: Have you noticed any reactions within the Nice Muslim community, or even within the Mosaïc Movement that you preside over?
Marouane Bouloudhnine: Sadness, dismay, incomprehension, and a hurtful feeling of rejection, along with a tremendous desire to be recognized for who they truly are, which is as active contributors to our society. Some feel that they are welcomed only if they renounce their identity, which is humanly unacceptable. A significant part of the reality and history is entirely ignored by some, which is that Muslims are part of Europe! If a minority behaves in a way that conflicts with social life, it is unfortunate that the overwhelming majority of Muslims have to suffer for it. It’s like blaming the horrors of the fratricidal war in Belfast on all Christians! For Mosaïc, it is essential to speak about “living together” rather than conflict.”
Nice-Premium: The subject seems to be spreading in France amid a national identity debate: what significance could this have?
Marouane Bouloudhnine: The debate on National Identity also concerns this Muslim component of France. Things will no longer proceed without the participation of these 6 million citizens. In France, there are not Muslims on one side and others on the other; there is only one community. This is how it’s presented by Article 1 of our constitution. There will always be petty minds ready to leap on the slightest “affair”, but they will no longer deceive sincere people who cherish republican values. Moreover, it is the construction of minarets in Switzerland that is banned, not the construction of mosques in France or the practice of the Muslim faith.
Nice-Premium: A few months before regional elections, could this influence the results, particularly those of the National Front in the PACA region?
Marouane Bouloudhnine: The minaret issue is a Swiss problem, not a French one. The Mosaïc Federation is apolitical and does not wish to participate in electoral battles. Concerning probable political exploitation, we know the recipes that worked in the past, notably before the Second World War. Let’s ensure they don’t work any longer. It is in adversity that the values of a great country like ours are recognized. To build the Better Living Together, which is our common goal, Mosaïc believes that the debate should be oriented towards our country’s democratic foundation, its motto of liberty, equality, and fraternity, and not the stigmatization of certain religions.
Nice-Premium: Within the municipal majority to which you belong, is the theme a subject of reflection?
Marouane Bouloudhnine: I am addressing this discussion as President of the Mosaïc Federation and wish under no circumstances to mix functions.
Nice-Premium: Does the Secular Federation of Citizens of Muslim Sensibility intend to take concrete initiatives in this debate?
Marouane Bouloudhnine: Matters related to worship, such as the construction of mosques, fall under the French Council of the Muslim Faith, a respectable institutional body, complementary to the non-religious and cultural role that is the framework of Mosaïc. The only concrete initiative is to work tirelessly to build our common future, in a country we all love and which is ours, whether we have been here for a few years or for 50 generations. What unites us is more important than what divides us, and MOSAÏC will strive to make this understood through intercultural dialogue actions, in particular.
