THE
HAGUE, December 29 (IslamOnline.net) – The best way to sum up the
dying year of 2004 for Dutch Muslims is to speak about religious
discrimination, xenophobes, bigotry, last but not least, racist attacks
on their places of worship.
Even
before the November killing of anti-Islam filmmaker Theo Van Gogh,
following his insulting documentary about Islam, Dutch Muslims have been
targeted by the extremist agenda of the influential right-wing parties.
The
xenophobia and extremism cancer prompted Queen Beatrix to dedicate her
annual address to the nation Saturday, December 25, to national unity
and the importance of tolerance and moderation for the welfare of Dutch
society.
“We
must make sure that there is no room in our society for bigotry, racism,
killing, violence and [religious] hatred to face up to the daunting
challenges ahead,” the Queen said. “All Dutch people should work for
the common good.”
The
Queen felt that her people were in danger of descending into a deadly
civil war especially after 20 mosques and Islamic schools had come under
arson attacks linked to the murder of Van Gogh by a Dutchman of Moroccan
origin.
The
Muslim community was indeed quick to condemn the killing of the
filmmaker.
“I
abhor his views on Islam and find them hurtful for the Islamic
community, but there is no motive that can justify a murder,” Ayhan
Tonca, of the Dutch organ for contact between Muslims and government,
had said in an earlier interview.
Right-wingers
 |
|
Observers
say right-wingers like Fortuyn are to blame for feelings of
frustrations among the Muslim community.
|
Observers
said some one million Dutch Muslims felt really hard done-by because of
their religion, holding the right-wing and media accountable.
What
added insult to injury is that extremist right-wing politician Pim
Fortuyn, who was killed in May 2002, was declared the greatest Dutchman
of all times in a recent nationwide survey.
“The
anti-Muslim agenda of the ruling coalition of right-wing parties has, in
effect, given rise to Muslim extremists and is a breeding ground for
recruiting frustrated young Muslims,” Ali Kurkamaz, a Dutch political
analyst told IslamOnline.net Wednesday, December 29.
“This
extremist agenda has given minority communities a real hard time.”
The
right-wing government is now mulling imposing new restrictions on
Muslims, including monitoring mosques and curbing their number,
censoring sermons, editing Islamic curricula, placing Islamic charities
under close scrutiny and constricting visas for imams and Muslim
immigrants.
In
November, the right-wing Leefbaar Rotterdam (Livable Rogtterdam) party
submitted a petition to Rotterdam’s Local Council, asking it to deny
the Muslim community in the city (around 100,000 people) licenses to
build more mosques.
It
was also pressing for keeping minarets below 35 meters and censoring
sermons and religious classes in the city’s 25 mosques.
There
are more than 300 mosques in the Netherlands, 1000 Islamic cultural
centers, two Islamic universities and 42 preparatory schools.
Dutch
Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk faced a heated discussion over her new
plans in parliament on December 12, though a decision is not expected
for several weeks.
The
Netherlands already makes integration classes mandatory for newcomers as
laws have been changed to oblige all new immigrants and accepted asylum
seekers to take classes in Dutch language and culture.
Integrating
immigrants has been the subject of much debate in the Netherlands since
the emergence of right-wing politicians such as Fortuyn.
Xenophobic
Media
Aref
Yaksir, an official with the largest Turkish Dianat organization in the
Netherlands, heaped blame on Dutch media for its xenophobic approach.
He
told IOL that some media portrayed Islam as a nightmare and a serious
threat to the country.
“It
seems [through media coverage] as if the country was abounding with
Muslim extremists and inundated by terrorist operations,” he said.
Mohammad
Sharif, a journalist of Kurdish origin, gave Muslims some good advice
for 2005.
“Refuse
to be provoked. Let the right wingers miss the golden opportunity of
enacting fresh anti-immigrants laws and justifying unfair measures.”
