Syria relaxes veil ban for teachers

WEDNESDAY, 06 APRIL 2011 19:48

Guardian

Bashar al-Assad also orders closure of Syria's only casino in bid to appease Muslims ahead of proposed anti-regime protests

Associated Press in Cairo

Syria has closed the country's only casino and reversed a ban on teachers wearing the Islamic veil - moves seen as an attempt to reach out to conservative Muslims ahead of calls for pro-democracy demonstrations.

Syrian activists have urged protesters to take to the streets on Wednesday and the following two days to honour more than 80 people who were killed in a crackdown on demonstrations that erupted nearly three weeks ago.

President Bashar al-Assad's decisions on Wednesday were unusual concessions to religious concern in Syria, which promotes a strictly secular identity.

The recent protests, however, have brought sectarian tensions into the open with thousands of people taking to the streets calling for democracy in a country where Alawites - followers of a branch of Shia Islam who represent just 11% of the population - have been in power for nearly 40 years. The country is overwhelmingly Sunni Muslim.

Assad banned the niqab, the full Islamic face veil that reveals only a the wearer's eyes, in July. Hundreds of primary school teachers who were wearing the niqab at government-run schools were transferred in June to administrative jobs in a move that angered many conservative Muslims.

On Wednesday, Ali Saad, the education minister in Syria's temporary government, said the teachers were now allowed to return to their jobs, according to the state-run news agency, Sana. He added that the ministry would discuss any new application by teachers willing to go back to work.

Wearing the niqab - a billowing black robe - is not widespread in Syria, although it has become more common recently - a trend that has not gone unnoticed by the secular regime.

The Syrian state-run Tishrin newspaper reported that the Casino Damascus had been closed because the practices of the club's owners "violate laws and regulations". It did not elaborate further.

Many Muslims consider casino betting, lottery participation and sports betting to be particularly unIslamic.

On Wednesday, Human Rights Watch called on Assad to order Syrian security forces to stop using "unjustified lethal force against anti-government protesters".

"For three weeks, Syria's security forces have been firing on largely peaceful protesters in various parts of Syria," said Sarah Leah Whitson, its Middle East director. "Instead of investigating those responsible for the shootings, Syria's officials try to deflect responsibility by accusing unknown 'armed groups'.