Kyrgyzstan President Almazbek Atambayev wants women to wear mini skirts instead of burqas as it makes them less like to become terrorists.
Around 80 percent of people in Kyrgyzstan — a Central Asian republic of around 6 million people — are Muslim and a recent debate has formed on how women dress. Atambayev and his government launched a campaign during the spring to dissuade women from wearing Muslim outfits — such as the hijab, niqab and burqa — when German Chancellor Angela Merkel came on a state visit in mid-July.
Banners put up across the country showed traditional Kyrgyz women next Muslim women, with the caption: “Where are we heading to?” The banners offended many Muslims, but Atambayev defended the campaign during a press conference earlier in August.
“When we erected banners some smart people appeared and started pointing at miniskirts,” he said as he addressed the nation, according to BBC. “Our women have been wearing miniskirts since 1950s, and they never thought about wearing an explosive belt.”
The country’s president argues that the way one dresses has a direct impact on the way they think.
Atambayev further told sympathizers of terrorist organizations to leave the country, and he even offered to pay for their traveling expenses.
“If you do not like Kyrgyzstan you can leave our country and go wherever you want,” he said. “We can pay your travel expenses, even to Syria.”
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