The bishops of France have announced their opposition to Prime Minister Francois Fillon's proposal to ban the wearing of burqas in public institutions. An estimated 1,900 women in France currently wear the veils, which allow only the area around the eyes to be visible.

"The French, including the Catholics among them, should not let themselves be gripped by fear or a ‘clash of civilizations' theory," said Bishop Michel Santier of Créteil. "If we want Christian minorities in Muslim majority countries to enjoy all their rights, we should in our country respect the rights of all believers to practice their faith. A dialogue in truth among believers will help us go beyond mutual mistrust. The path will be long and hard."

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