Thursday, April 06, 2006
Islamophobia - Netherlands style.
Aljazeera have a revealing article about the new entrance test for would-be immigrants to the Netherlands. But not all Dutch citizens agree with it and have condemned it as not only Islamophobic but also detrimental to the economy. The link to the Aljazeera article follows this post.
The "civic integration" test - the first of its kind in the world and part of a broader policy on immigration - came into effect last month.
It includes the compulsary viewing of a film with scenes featuring gay men kissing and a topless sunbathing woman.
Critics say the film, which forms part of a study pack, is designed to discourage applicants from Muslim countries who may be offended by its content.
Arzu Merali, spokeswoman for the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission, says the move indicates that Muslims are not welcome.
"Sadly the Dutch authorities are now openly exhibiting the type of Islamophobia that sends a very clear message to wider society.
"Muslims are not only unwelcome ... but those that are already there do not conform to a uniform idea of what should be a citizen."
But, Maud Bredero, spokeswoman for the Dutch Ministry of Justice for Integration Policy, denies such a notion. "No, this is, of course, not the case," she told Aljazeera.net.
"Everyone is welcome."
Some 54% of all non-Western foreigners living in the Netherlands are Muslim, with 95% of them originating from Turkey, Africa, Latin America and Asia, according to the Dutch Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).
The controversial film has been made available at 138 Dutch embassies in the Middle East and Asia.
Adding to concerns that the test is not friendly towards Muslims, is the fact those seeking entrance from other EU countries, the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Japan do not have to take the test.
The full Aljazeera article: Dutch Immigration Test in Dispute
Tags: Morocco Fes, Maghreb Netherlands
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2 comments:
I read that and was curious about Dutch intention - my father wouldn't pass that test and why should he, it's childish; a teenage boys club rite of admission to a seedy little group. And I would be furious if had to answer these questions to gain citizenship in any country. What has it to do with anything?
I had read that this hysteria is based on the killing of the Dutch director by a Muslim man. I do wonder if it's being given a media spin. One friend had heard that the test involved applicants having to 'say' or 'write' how viewing two men kissing or a topless would make them feel. I guess they can always lie if the need is there to have to lie.
Not that this makes it any better. It's bizarre - and before anyone twists the fact that it comes from Al Jazeera, European papers and television have already published this story.
I also heard (via television) that they Americans and Japanese won't be subject to this test because - I hope you're sitting down - they are close in culture to the Netherlands. I wonder how the Japanese took this news.
Thanks for the very interesting comment
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