Allochtonen Weblog Roundup

Allochtonen Weblog is a Dutch language blog that collects news about the immigrant community in the Netherlands. Here’s a few interesting stories they’ve had this week.

  1. The Dutch immigrant party (Partij voor Allochtone Nederlanders,PAN) held its first congress in Delft. The party wants to develop the multicultural society in the Netherlands, force companies to employ immigrants and support Turkey’s entry into the EU. The party also supports a school uniform to stimulate a feeling of oneness and a genera pardon for all asylum seekers in the country.

  2. Immigrant parents do not busy themselves enough with their children’s education, according to the Dutch education minister. Too often they expect the school to take full responsibility. Many don’t turn up for teacher’s meetings. Many times immigrant parents don’t enable their kids to do homework since they expect the kids to do so at school.

  3. Salafist imams are trying to convince the public that they do not form a danger such as the Dutch Intelligence Services claim.

    “We do nothing but spread pure Islam in peaceful ways. An Islam that has been weeded of cultural influences and that encourages a return to the times of the Prophet Muhammad.”, says Abdel Maoula, a regular visitor to the As Soennah Mosque in The Hague.

  4. The Salafist mosque in Tilburg has printed leaflets showing that the Koran condemns suicide attacks.

    The initiator of the idea is the Secretary of the Islamic Foundation for Culture and Health, M. Mrabet, who intends to give the leaflets out to all Muslim kids in the Netherlands.

    “Due to the questions of our young visitors I’ve decided to write up the opinions of 9 great scholars. Many kids get their knowledge from the internet, that is often based on a wrong explanation of the texts.” More than 200 people, 18 to 30 years of age, go to the mosque gatherings.

    “We want to protect our belief. A good Muslim searches for the truth. We therefore do better work than the AIVD (intelligence services). We think this is also our responsibility during these chaotic times."

    [I have tried looking them up, but could not find their site]

  5. Achmed Marcouch, neighborhood president in Amsterdam, has sent urgent letters to parents of Moroccan problem youth, requiring them to come for a meeting. This step was taken after several violent incidents the past few weeks.

  6. Nabeila Marhaben from Purmerend has been chosen as Miss Morocco-Netherlands. One candidate had been disqualified from running after appearing in a bikini photo shoot. The event is organized to show Moroccan women independence in the Netherlands.

  7. The cabinet has approved Verdonk’s plan for encouraging integration of immigrant women – the plan includes financial support, as well as providing resources for other municipalities such specific municipalities for supporting integration and security.

  8. Sheikh Fawaz Jneid of the As Soennah Mosque wants the state to prosecute parliament member Geert Wilders for criticizing the Queen’s “exemplary behavior” when visiting the mosque in The Hague.

    Wilders called the Queen’s agreement not to shake men’s hands “Dhimmi behavior”. The Head of State can do no wrong and therefore cannot defend herself. The Prime Minister is responsible for all statements and actions of the Queen.

  9. Dutch Minister of Education, Van der Hoeven, called on Muslim women to sign up for imam education. This after visiting a school for female imams in Rabat.

  10. The Ulu Mosque in Oss has gone “orange crazy” for the World Cup, fixing up the mosque with hundreds of orange flags. (mosque site in Dutch)

  11. The Advice Commission for Foreigner Affairs (Adviescommissie voor vreemdelingenzaken, ACVZ) says that the Netherlands should do more for immigrant brides that are victims of forced marriages. Dutch diplomats can barely intervene today or offer assistance.

    The ACVZ says also that information over forced marriages should be part of the integration exams.

    Forced marriages are common especially in Hindu, Moroccan and Turkish communities.

    The ACVZ says that embassy personnel can sometimes tell whether a bride is forced to be married, but they can’t prevent her from coming. Also, in lands such a Turkey and Morocco women often come to embassies complaining that they’ve been left behind by their spouse without any papers. They often don’t get assistance because they either don’t hold or can’t prove that they hold Dutch citizenship.

    The ACVZ sees both forced marriages and leaving behind as a form of domestic violence.

  12. France pardons hundreds of illegal students – about 700 families have been legalized since it’s “cruel to proceed with expulsions” of kids of have been born or raised in France. This according to Minister of the Interior, Nicolas Sakozy.

    The decision was attacked from both left and right, since on the one hand it only deals with a small percentage of the kids in France, while on the other – it allows for illegals to stay.

No comments: