Sunday, February 17, 2008

 

'I don't hate Muslims. I hate Islam,' says Holland's rising political star

'I don't hate Muslims. I hate Islam,' says Holland's rising political star


Geert Wilders, the popular MP whose film on Islam has fuelled the debate on race in Holland, wants an end to mosque building and Muslim immigration. Ian Traynor met him in The Hague




Dutch politician Geert Wilders

Geert Wilders, the right-wing Dutch politician. Photograph: Jerry Lampen/Reuters



A TV addict with bleached hair who adores Maggie Thatcher and prefers kebabs to hamburgers, Geert Wilders has got nothing against Muslims. He just hates Islam. Or so he says. 'Islam is not a religion, it's an ideology,' says Wilders, a lanky Roman Catholic right-winger, 'the ideology of a retarded culture.'

The Dutch politician, who sees himself as heir to a recent string of assassinated or hounded mavericks who have turned Holland upside down, has been doing a crash course in Koranic study. Likening the Islamic sacred text to Hitler's Mein Kampf, he wants the 'fascist Koran' outlawed in Holland, the constitution rewritten to make that possible, all immigration from Muslim countries halted, Muslim immigrants paid to leave and all Muslim 'criminals' stripped of Dutch citizenship and deported 'back where they came from'. But he has nothing against Muslims. 'I have a problem with Islamic tradition, culture, ideology. Not with Muslim people.'

Wilders has been immersing himself in the suras and verse of seventh-century Arabia. The outcome of his scholarship, a short film, has Holland in a panic. He is just putting the finishing touches to the 10-minute film, he says, and talking to four TV channels about screening it.

'It's like a walk through the Koran,' he explains in a sterile conference room in the Dutch parliament in The Hague, security chaps hovering outside. 'My intention is to show the real face of Islam. I see it as a threat. I'm trying to use images to show that what's written in the Koran is giving incentives to people all over the world. On a daily basis Moroccan youths are beating up homosexuals on the streets of Amsterdam.'

Wilders is lucid and shrewd and the provactive soundbites trip easily off his tongue. He was recently voted Holland's most effective politician. If 18 months ago he sat alone in the second chamber or lower house in The Hague, his People's Party now has nine of 150 seats and is running at about 15 per cent in the polls. His Islam-bashing seems to be paying off. And not only in Holland. All across Europe, the new breed of right-wing populists are trying to revive their political fortunes by appealing to anti-Muslim prejudice.

A few months ago the Swiss People's Party of the pugnacious billionaire Christoph Blocher won a general election while simultaneously running a campaign to change the Swiss constitution to ban the building of minarets on mosques. Last month in Antwerp, far-right leaders from 15 European cities and from political parties in Belgium, Germany and Austria got together to launch a charter 'against the Islamisation of western European cities', reiterating the call for a mosque-building moratorium.

'We already have more than 6,000 mosques in Europe, which are not only a place to worship but also a symbol of radicalisation, some financed by extreme groups in Saudi Arabia or Iran,' argued Filip Dewinter, leader of Belgium's Flemish separatist party, the Vlaams Belang, who organised the Antwerp get-together. 'Its minarets are six floors high, higher than the floodlights of the Feyenoord soccer stadium,' he said of a new mosque being built in Rotterdam. 'These kinds of symbols have to stop.'

Where a few years ago the far right in Europe concentrated its fire on immigration, these days Islam is fast becoming the most popular target. It is a campaign that is having mixed results. In Switzerland, the Blocher party has been highly successful. In Holland, Wilders is thriving by constantly poking sticks in the eyes of the politically correct Dutch establishment. But when Susanne Winter ran for a seat on the local council in the Austrian city of Graz last month by branding the Prophet Muhammad a child molester, she lost her far-right Freedom Party votes.

For the mainstream centre-right in Europe, foreigner-bashing is also backfiring. Roland Koch, the German Christian Democrat once tipped as a future Chancellor, wrecked his chances a fortnight ago by forfeiting a 12-point lead in a state election after a campaign that denounced Muslim ritual slaughter practices and called for the deportation of young immigrant criminals.

Wilders echoes some of the arguments against multiculturalism that have convulsed Germany in recent years. Like many on the traditional German right, he wants the European Judaeo-Christian tradition to be formally recognised as the dominating culture, or Leitkultur. 'There is no equality between our culture and the retarded Islamic culture. Look at their views on homosexuality or women,' he says.

But if Wilders shares positions and aims with others on the far right in Europe, he is also a very specific Dutch phenomenon, viewing himself as a libertarian provocateur like the late Pim Fortuyn or Theo van Gogh, railing against 'Islamisation' as a threat to what used to be the easy-going Dutch model of tolerance.

'My allies are not Le Pen or Haider,' he emphasises. 'We'll never join up with the fascists and Mussolinis of Italy. I'm very afraid of being linked with the wrong rightist fascist groups.' Dutch iconoclasm, Scandinavian insistence on free expression, the right to provoke are what drive him, he says.

He shrugs off anxieties that his film will trigger a fresh bout of violence of the kind that left Van Gogh stabbed to death on an Amsterdam street and his estranged colleague Ayaan Hirsi Ali in hiding, or the murderous furore over the Danish cartoons in 2005.

The Dutch government is planning emergency evacuation of its nationals and diplomats from the Middle East should the Wilders film be shown. It is alarmed about the impact on Dutch business. 'Our Prime Minister is a big coward. The government is weak,' says Wilders. 'They hate my guts and I don't like them either.'

And if people are murdered as a result of his film? 'They say that if there's bloodshed it would be the responsibility of this strange politician. It's almost a self-fulfilling prophecy. They're creating an atmosphere. I'm not responsible for using democratic means and acting within the law. I don't want Dutch people or Dutch interests to be hurt.'

But he does want to create a stir. 'Islam is something we can't afford any more in the Netherlands. I want the fascist Koran banned. We need to stop the Islamisation of the Netherlands. That means no more mosques, no more Islamic schools, no more imams... Not all Muslims are terrorists, but almost all terrorists are Muslims.'

Free speech or hate speech? 'I don't create hate. I want to be honest. I don't hate people. I don't hate Muslims. I hate their book and their ideology.'

For more than three years, Wilders has been paying for his 'honesty' by living under permanent police guard as the internet bristles with threats on his life. He has lived in army barracks, in prisons, under guard at home. 'There's no freedom, no privacy. If I said I was not afraid, I would be lying.'

There is little doubt that if Wilders's film exists - and it's shrouded in secrecy - and is broadcast, it will be construed as blasphemy in large parts of the world and may spark a new bloody crisis in relations between the West and the Muslim world.

He does not seem to care. 'People ask why don't you moderate your voice and not make this movie. If I do that and not say what I think, then the extremists who threaten me would win.'


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/17/netherlands.islam

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# posted by Let Non Arab - Muslims Live! @ 4:33 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

 

European resentment of Muslims is on the rise

European resentment of Muslims is on the rise

October 29, 2007

SHELLEY EMLING

AMSTERDAM

Ehsan Jami sees himself as the legendary Dutch boy who used his finger to plug a leaking dike.

Jami, a Dutch politician, is trying to prevent a flood of what he views as intolerant Muslim immigrants threatening to overrun the Netherlands and all of Europe.

He's not alone. In France, Germany and across Western Europe, a vigorous public debate is underway over preservation of national identities, the assimilation of minorities and tolerance of different cultures.

A former Muslim who was born in Iran, Jami is a right-wing member of the Dutch parliament who has used his position to issue strong criticism of Islam.

He's especially critical of "radical" Muslims but he also takes issue with Islam's treatment of women and homosexuals.

The harsh rhetoric has made him the most talked-about public figure in Holland and provoked physical attacks and death threats, forcing him into hiding.

"I don't mind if people are Muslim but I do mind when their values go against Western values," Jami said in a recent interview, under the watchful eye of his bodyguards. "We have to be very clear with Muslim immigrants that we will not negotiate our values."

The Netherlands has one of the largest populations of Muslims in Western Europe -- about one million, or roughly six per cent of the population, second only to France. The largest groups are people with origins in Morocco or Turkey.

The country has long taken pride in its religious, political and social tolerance, as well as its acceptance of ethnic minorities. And many in the Netherlands' new coalition government boast a pro-immigrant stance.

But the threats of terrorism and sheer demographics have started to confront traditional Dutch open-mindedness. Studies estimate that Muslims will form the majorities in the Netherlands' four biggest cities by 2020.

Many Muslims say they don't feel at home here.

"I've lived here for 40 years and I still don't feel welcome," said Atel Alireza, a taxi driver from Turkey. "But I would say things have gotten a lot worse since 9/11."

Apprehension over the growing influx of immigrants extends to many European countries. Islam is now the second-largest religion in Europe, with at least 15 million Muslims residing in Western Europe.

The French Assembly is considering legislation this month that would require DNA tests for immigrants wanting to bring family members to France. The law would also require language tests for immigrants.

In Austria, the interior minister said last week that he wants to double the time that immigrants spend in German language courses to ensure they are assimilated into Austrian society. Guenther Platter told public broadcaster ORF he thinks the current requirement of 300 hours of German instruction is not enough and should "at least be doubled."

In Switzerland, a campaign poster of the conservative People's Party ahead of the Oct. 21 national elections depicts three white sheep kicking a black sheep.

The idea behind the poster, say members of the People's Party -- one of the fastest-growing movements in the country -- is to show support for a proposed law that would require the deportation of non-citizens convicted of crimes.

In the Netherlands, the fallout from tensions has been legislative proposals to ban the Qu'ran; make it illegal for women to wear burqas in public; and create more legal options for closing mosques known to be hotbeds of radicalism.

So far none of the proposals has gained traction. And Jami's Dutch Labour Party has distanced itself from Jami and his statements on Islam.

But immigration and Islam are issues that have held sway in Dutch politics particularly since 2002, when the right-wing anti-immigrant populist Pim Fortuyn was assassinated.

The debate intensified in November 2004 after the murder of Theo van Gogh, a filmmaker who had made a movie called Submission that featured a beaten, naked Muslim woman covered in writings from the Qu'ran.

The killer was a young radical Islamist. In retaliation, some Muslim schools and places of worship were torched.

Even Jami, who says he gave up Islam after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, doesn't paint all Muslims with the same brush.

He said he has nothing against moderate Muslims who adapt to Dutch values. "What I'm against is the creation of special rules for the Muslims," he said.

Shelley Emling writes for Cox Newspapers.

http://news.therecord.com/article/262507




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# posted by Let Non Arab - Muslims Live! @ 8:45 PM 0 comments

Monday, October 22, 2007

 

Intifada 2007 The Netherlands Violence flares again in Amsterdam [Muslim] immigrant area

Violence flares again in Amsterdam [Muslim] immigrant area
Posted Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:09am AEST

http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/21/2065252.htm?section=justin

Disturbances have erupted for a sixth successive night in an immigrant quarter of Amsterdam, with four cars set on fire, Dutch police said.

A police spokesman say the fires brought the total number of burnt cars to 11.

The unrest started last weekend after police shot dead a Moroccan who had stabbed and injured two officers.

The 22-year-old had been undergoing treatment for psychiatric problems and had in the past been questioned over contacts with Islamic militants linked to the murder of Dutch filmmaker Theo Van Gogh.

The Netherlands is home to about 1 million Muslims out of a population of 16 million. Most live in the big cities.

_________________


Amsterdam Commissioner Fears "Paris Style Riots" From Youths Of Indeterminate Religious Affiliation
Amsterdam Commissioner Fears "Paris Style Riots" From Youths Of Indeterminate Religious Affiliation [IMG What? No Car Swarm] Last Thursday we blogged a short note about what's been going on in the Netherlands. A week ago a 22 year old Muslim walked into a police station and started stabbing officers.
17 hours ago by omriceren in Mere Rhetoric
__________________

The Trouble with Islam




According to Robert Spencer, the problem with Islam is not “radical” Islam, for which an imagined “moderate” Islam is the solution, but Islam itself. While that may be true in the Islamic world, it is not what threatens us. The problem with Islam for the West is the West.


4 days ago in Dutch Concerns ·
___________________

Sounds like the Islamo Arab "unrest" intifada of Paris 2005:

parisfu6.jpg

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# posted by Let Non Arab - Muslims Live! @ 6:48 AM 0 comments

Sunday, October 21, 2007

 

Europe's fear of Muslims increases

Europe's fear of Muslims increases

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/10/20/dutch_1021.html

By SHELLEY EMLING


The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 10/21/07 Amsterdam, the Netherlands — Ehsan Jami sees himself as the legendary Dutch boy who used his finger to plug a leaking dike.Jami, a Dutch politician, is trying to prevent a flood of what he views as intolerant Muslim immigrants threatening to overrun the Netherlands and all of Europe.


AP


(ENLARGE)


Muslim women chat at a market in downtown Amsterdam. 'I've lived here for 40 years and I still don't feel welcome,' said Atel Alireza, a taxi driver from Turkey.


AP


(ENLARGE)



An Islamist killed filmmaker Theo van Gogh after his movie of a naked Muslim woman came out.

He's not alone. In France, Germany and across Western Europe, a vigorous public debate is under way over preservation of national identities, the assimilation of minorities and tolerance of different cultures.

A former Muslim who was born in Iran, Jami is a right-wing member of the Dutch parliament who has used his position to issue strong criticism of Islam.

He's especially critical of "radical" Muslims but he also takes issue with Islam's treatment of women and homosexuals.

The harsh rhetoric has made him the most talked-about public figure in Holland and provoked physical attacks and death threats, forcing him into hiding.

"I don't mind if people are Muslim, but I do mind when their values go against Western values," Jami said in a recent interview, under the watchful eye of his bodyguards. "We have to be very clear with Muslim immigrants that we will not negotiate our values."

The Netherlands has one of the largest populations of Muslims in Western Europe — about 1 million, roughly 6 percent of the population, second only to France. The largest groups are people with origins in Morocco or Turkey.

The country has long taken pride in its religious, political and social tolerance, as well as its acceptance of ethnic minorities. And many in the Netherlands' new coalition government boast a pro-immigrant stance.

But the threats of terrorism and sheer demographics are challenging traditional Dutch open-mindedness. Studies estimate that Muslims will form the majorities in the Netherlands' four biggest cities by 2020.

Many Muslims say they don't feel at home here.

"I've lived here for 40 years and I still don't feel welcome," said Atel Alireza, a taxi driver from Turkey. "But I would say things have gotten a lot worse since 9/11.

"People around here look at you more suspiciously then they used to," he said. "People look at all Muslims like they are about to do something bad."

The tensions have spawned legislative proposals to ban the Quran, make it illegal for women to wear burkas in public and create more legal options for closing mosques known to be hotbeds of radicalism.

So far none of the proposals has gained traction. And Jami's Dutch Labor Party has distanced itself from Jami and his statements on Islam.

But immigration and Islam are issues that have held sway in Dutch politics particularly since 2002, when the right-wing anti-immigrant populist Pim Fortuyn was assassinated.

The debate intensified in November 2004 after the murder of Theo van Gogh, a filmmaker who had made a movie called "Submission" that featured a beaten, naked Muslim woman covered in writings from the Quran.

The killer was a young radical Islamist. In retaliation, some Muslim schools and places of worship were torched.

Tensions also have been exacerbated by the plight of Somali-born Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a former Dutch member of parliament who has criticized the repression of women in Muslim culture.

She was given special security protection in 2004 and was forced to flee to the United States after receiving death threats. She recently returned to the Netherlands.

Marcel Maussen, an expert on immigration at the Institute of Migration and Ethnic Studies in Amsterdam, said there's been an "overfocus" on Muslims in the Netherlands ever since the murders of Fortuyn and van Gogh.

Gregory Maniatis, an expert on immigrant integration issues at the Migration Policy Institute in Washington, D.C., said the coalition government formed earlier this year has signaled it will take a softer approach to immigration than the previous government.

For example, Maniatis pointed to the amnesty for illegal immigrants approved in June by the Dutch government that will benefit up to 30,000 people.

"I think this is a sign that they're moving from a fortress Europe mentality to a more pro-immigrant sentiment," he said. "There is still a backdrop of outspokenness that exists in the Netherlands. But they are realizing that immigration is an important part of Europe's future."

Even Jami, who says he gave up Islam after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, doesn't paint all Muslims with the same brush.

He said there is only a small group of Muslims — perhaps 20,000 to 30,000 — that he'd call "radical." He said he has nothing against moderate Muslims who adapt to Dutch values.

"What I'm against is the creation of special rules for the Muslims," he said.
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# posted by Let Non Arab - Muslims Live! @ 3:30 PM 0 comments

Thursday, August 16, 2007

 

Dutch Worry about Islam - Muslims in Europe call to ‘oppress, kill non Muslims, rape women, establish Islamic state by force’

Muslims in Europe call to ‘oppress, kill non Muslims, rape women, establish Islamic state by force’
CNS ^ August 16, 2007

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewForeignBureaus.asp?Page=/ForeignBureaus/archive/200708/INT20070816a.html

Dutch Reject Call to Ban Koran But Worry About Islam

(CNSNews.com) - Three out of four citizens of the Netherlands reject a populist lawmaker’s call for the Koran to be banned, according to a poll that also indicates a deep level of concern about the role of Islam in their country. Geert Wilders of the anti-immigration Freedom Party (PVV) last week called publicly for the Koran to be banned. The subject continues to stir debate, and the Dutch ANP news agency reported that authorities have received “scores” of complaints from around the country. In an open letter published in a Dutch newspaper, Wilders said some of the text’s verses instruct Muslims “to oppress, persecute or kill Christians, Jews, dissidents and non-believers, to beat and rape women and to establish an Islamic state by force.” Meanwhile, Wilders says he plans to press criminal charges against a Dutch-Moroccan rapper who calls himself Appa, after the rapper told a newspaper that “if someone were to put a bullet in his [Wilders’] head, I wouldn’t mind.”…

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