The title deliberately evokes the sporting language of a match poster. But, what match are we actually talking about? The one that would force a choice between a place of worship and a social service? We must clearly and firmly reject this method, which seeks—artificially—to conflate two issues to impose a decision where there will inevitably be a loser, and thus discontent.
This is the usual tactic of those who wish to set people against each other instead of uniting them around common goals, the foremost of which is living well in peace and harmony as much as possible.
Today’s municipal council is presenting resolution 5.7, which asks the Prefecture for a DUP to prevent the En-Nour association (400 members and supporters) from completing the ongoing and tacitly authorized work by the Town Hall to establish a center of worship and social facility for the Muslim community, which is estimated to be over 40,000 people in Nice.
The socialist and green opposition reiterated, yesterday morning during a press conference, its commitment to respecting a secular republic as defined since 1905 which “guarantees everyone the exercise of their freedom of conscience, freedom to believe or not to believe, and to practice any faith in strict respect for public order and the law,” and pointed out the delay Nice has compared to major cities in France on this matter.
Opposing the establishment of a worship place by invoking the resolution on constructing a daycare center is, in fact, a conceptual error. In reality, means and solutions must be found to accomplish both objectives. Especially when it is perfectly possible!
Maire-Luz Hernandez-Nicaise’s (EE-LV) comment is terse:
“This daycare is intended to anticipate the needs of a future ‘eco-district’. Let’s recall that by definition, an eco-district includes all the services its residents need: health, education, retail, and of course, child care facilities. It’s at Nice Meridia that a new daycare should be planned!”
Patrick Allemand sought to criticize Christian Estrosi’s behavior: “By stubbornly refusing to allow the Muslim community to have a mosque, we promote basement and garage Islam and thereby encourage a shift to fundamentalist Islam, while our duty as public officials is to do everything to combat and curb extremism.”
Furthermore, the initiative by the El-Nour association is taking place within the framework of private funding, as noted by its president Mahmoud Benzemia (a middle school teacher in Cagnes-sur-Mer) and the general secretary Maître Ouassini Mebarek, both French nationals, who deny any allegations of occult financing from Saudi origins (which would not necessarily indicate illegality) or anonymously (which would be a matter for Tracfin, not the Nice municipality).
According to them, even if the site owner (purchased in 2002 and from whom the association holds a renewable lease) happens to be a generous Saudi, the ongoing work is exclusively financed by donations from the Muslim community.
So why has it come to this?
Christian Estrosi, who also denies any electoral motives, knows that once this declaration of public interest is obtained, it would still take many years before being able to exercise the right of expropriation. The children who are supposed to benefit from this famous daycare would already be in secondary school!
Otherwise, the only possible outcome might be an ordinance prohibiting opening for public reasons due to excessive traffic and parking problems. But, at Allianz Riviera on match days, you might say?
So, how do we get out of this stand-off, which is useless except perhaps to stir the minds that will then need to be calmed before any slippage occurs? If Mohammed does not go to the mountain, the mountain comes to Mohammed, goes the saying. How relevant today!
The president of the En-Nour association, Mr. Benzemia (who is probably not a dangerous Salafist but simply a good believer of a religion which is not ours but simply his), requested a meeting with the mayor of Nice (who is known for his instinctive capability to recognize a winning move, a quality of Christian Estrosi) which was promptly accepted.
The result? Beyond some exaggeration in presenting this stay of hostilities (in diplomatic language, it would be called “stopping the clock”), the conflict has been defused.
Indeed, for the Mayor of Nice, “From our constructive exchanges, those involved have understood the strategic interest that this site in the heart of the Eco-Valley and Nice Meridia represents for the City of Nice and its residents. We have agreed to suspend the work pending the outcome of our negotiations to enable the creation of a daycare demanded by the families and residents of the neighborhood. The resolution that will be presented to the Municipal Council tomorrow regarding the Declaration of Public Utility will take these negotiations and a possible amicable acquisition into account. In response to the association’s leaders’ request, we’ve agreed to convene, shortly, the Muslim Worship Monitoring Committee, to which Mr. Benzamia will naturally be invited. During this meeting, the Committee will have the task of evaluating the needs in this neighborhood from the existing framework. But I reiterate that I shall ensure no foreign funding can be mobilized in this type of project.”
Mahmoud Benzemia’s response is more cautious: “The Muslims of Nice are always open to dialogue. The En-Nour association members, gathered in an extraordinary general assembly, today reviewed the mayor’s proposal this morning. To revive the dialogue between the association and the town hall, Christian Estrosi proposed to suspend the DUP. To remain open to dialogue, we also proposed to suspend the ongoing work. Also, we offer the Mayor new discussions in the coming days, after the Eid celebrations, to find a solution that suits both parties. However, we wish to clarify that the contents of Christian Estrosi’s press release only bind him.”
Well, it’s not perfect but at least there is respectful and soothing dialogue. And if it’s impossible to agree without talking, it is highly likely that by talking we can come to an agreement.
It is up to everyone to communicate this willingness to compromise, without which there is no solution, a willingness that must aim for the common good. Didn’t Saint Augustine, a doctor of the (Catholic) Church, write in his “Confessions”: “We are what we have lived, what we know, and what we will do.”
Those in charge of public interest should hold these beautiful words dear.
