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Sat, May 25 2013
Anti-Islam Politicians on the rise in Europe
A youth shouts slogans in front of a poster of Geert Wilders during a rally outside the Dutch embassy in Jakarta April 1 2008. Indonesia's president urged his predominantly Muslim nation not to use violence in protests at a film on Islam by right-wing Dutch lawmaker Wilders, and said world leaders had a moral responsibility to take action. The poster reads, 'Death sentence for insulting Islam'.
Dutch voters go the polls Wednesday to elect a new government. The issue of immigration is playing high in the campaign, with the far-right 'Dutch Freedom Party' expected to finish in the top three. Our correspondent traveled to the Netherlands to find out whether the famously liberal Dutch society is taking a turn to the right.
A Roma band plays to the passing crowds outside the railway station in The Hague. People of every ethnic origin pass by on their way to work. It is a scene that fits with the Netherlands' image of a tolerant, multi-cultural society.
But as elsewhere in Europe, there is a backlash here against immigration - especially against Muslim immigrants.
Further north in the town of Zwolle, the Saturday market is suddenly overwhelmed with TV cameras and onlookers. Dutch Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders has arrived on the campaign trail. He is a striking figure - in his image and his words.
He calls the Koran a fascist book and wants an end to Muslim immigration and pay Muslim immigrants to leave the country.
"We propose a full stop of people from Islamic countries because we believe we have enough Islam in Holland - that is about it," said Geert Wilders. "I have nothing against Muslims, but I believe that Islam is a totalitarian ideology and it goes against our freedom. We are fighting for the freedom of the Netherlands and Europe and that is why we are proposing that."
Political parties across western Europe - and not just the far right - have taken up the issue. In France and Belgium, impending legislation would ban the full Muslim veil in public. In Switzerland, the government has banned the building of new minarets on mosques.
Sadik Hardouchi chairs the Forum Institute for Multicultural Affairs, a research group. He says the rise of anti-Muslim sentiment is rooted in recent history.
"The whole of Europe within this rapidly changing world of globalization, you see what the effects of the economic crisis are it begins with a mortgage in the United States and you lose your job here," said Sadik Hardouchi. "So people are searching for something to hold onto to, for certainty. So those are some of the reasons of the insecurity and the fear of what Mr. Geert Wilders is calling the 'Islamization' of Europe."
In 2008, Wilders released a film to warn about the so-called Islamization of the West.
The title Fitna means division; it intersperses quotations from the Koran with footage of terrorist acts. The film was banned in several countries; Wilders is still facing charges of inciting hatred and discrimination in the Netherlands.
In the town of Zwolle where Wilders recently campaigned, the authorities were staging a soccer tournament nearby for homeless people - many of them Muslim immigrants. We spoke to one of them about the rise of anti-Muslim sentiment.
"It is not a problem because it is a free country and you can live your life," he said. "Maybe the situation about Wilders - Wilders is playing a game. It is not the kind of thing the Netherlands looks like."
Even if Wilders remains popular - people here have mixed feelings.
"He takes advantage of the fear of people," said a woman. "I think it is very very silly what he does."
"Holland is full," said another. "And that is my opinion too - enough is enough."
Although many dismiss Wilders' views as extremist his party is attracting a share of the votes, as anti-Muslim feeling finds its way to the ballot box.
A Roma band plays to the passing crowds outside the railway station in The Hague. People of every ethnic origin pass by on their way to work. It is a scene that fits with the Netherlands' image of a tolerant, multi-cultural society.
But as elsewhere in Europe, there is a backlash here against immigration - especially against Muslim immigrants.
Further north in the town of Zwolle, the Saturday market is suddenly overwhelmed with TV cameras and onlookers. Dutch Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders has arrived on the campaign trail. He is a striking figure - in his image and his words.
He calls the Koran a fascist book and wants an end to Muslim immigration and pay Muslim immigrants to leave the country.
"We propose a full stop of people from Islamic countries because we believe we have enough Islam in Holland - that is about it," said Geert Wilders. "I have nothing against Muslims, but I believe that Islam is a totalitarian ideology and it goes against our freedom. We are fighting for the freedom of the Netherlands and Europe and that is why we are proposing that."
Political parties across western Europe - and not just the far right - have taken up the issue. In France and Belgium, impending legislation would ban the full Muslim veil in public. In Switzerland, the government has banned the building of new minarets on mosques.
Sadik Hardouchi chairs the Forum Institute for Multicultural Affairs, a research group. He says the rise of anti-Muslim sentiment is rooted in recent history.
"The whole of Europe within this rapidly changing world of globalization, you see what the effects of the economic crisis are it begins with a mortgage in the United States and you lose your job here," said Sadik Hardouchi. "So people are searching for something to hold onto to, for certainty. So those are some of the reasons of the insecurity and the fear of what Mr. Geert Wilders is calling the 'Islamization' of Europe."
In 2008, Wilders released a film to warn about the so-called Islamization of the West.
The title Fitna means division; it intersperses quotations from the Koran with footage of terrorist acts. The film was banned in several countries; Wilders is still facing charges of inciting hatred and discrimination in the Netherlands.
In the town of Zwolle where Wilders recently campaigned, the authorities were staging a soccer tournament nearby for homeless people - many of them Muslim immigrants. We spoke to one of them about the rise of anti-Muslim sentiment.
"It is not a problem because it is a free country and you can live your life," he said. "Maybe the situation about Wilders - Wilders is playing a game. It is not the kind of thing the Netherlands looks like."
Even if Wilders remains popular - people here have mixed feelings.
"He takes advantage of the fear of people," said a woman. "I think it is very very silly what he does."
"Holland is full," said another. "And that is my opinion too - enough is enough."
Although many dismiss Wilders' views as extremist his party is attracting a share of the votes, as anti-Muslim feeling finds its way to the ballot box.
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French national assembly approves burqa ban
Critics claim the government is unfairly targeting members of the Muslim faith who choose to wear the garment. They say it violates the French constitution, and have vowed to take the issue to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
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The French National Assembly is expected to spend the next two or three days debating the proposed legislation. A week ago, the European Parliament said it opposed laws prohibiting certain types of dress. Belgium is considering similar legislation to ban the burqa in public.
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This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained foul, abusive or discriminating language
This is no different than what the Nazi govt did against the Jews.
They first convinced its public that Jews are responsible for everything that is bad.
Then they spent millions in propaganda against the Jews.
Finally, they justified killing of Jews.
This case is no different. This is just the beginning of it.
For the sake of European culture and law, exile the Muslims. If they gain foothold in the government, they will allow Sharia Law like they tried to do in Canada (they are still fighting Islamify Canada's law). Sharia law is against women's rights and health. Please do not let them take over the courts! You are fighting for my rights as a woman, and I stand by you.
NN is correct in that Communism and Fascism are essentially institution based ideologies and as opposed to Islam which is Clan base. Back in the 1830s Alexix de Tocqieville saw the weakness of centralized (organized) societies, in that their institutions, which make them strong, are also their Achilles hill and susceptible to subversion.
A clan ideology is impossible to subvert because it has no address or centralized representative, such as the Reich cancellary or the Kremlin as well as Hitler or Stalin... Similarly one ever hears of the Ba'ath Party in Iraq anymore. De-Ba'ath-ification not unlike [...]
Read the full comment the de-Nazification in Germany is very achievable compare to de-Islamification... so yeah, Islam is far more dangerous.
about time for Europe to wake up islam presents far greater danger to the liberal european values than communism and fashism combined
Geert Wilders has a very large part of the Dutch population behind him. He has the government open the books on the expenses of immigrants from OUTSITE Europe. This turned out to be over € 7.000.000.000 for the next few years. It is only logic to close the boarders for people that do not belong in Europe. This means open boarders for eastern Europe BUT TIL THE BOSPORUS and no inch further.
It is true Holland has had always open boarders for those who participate in the culture and economy. It is really time to close [...]
Read the full comment the European boarders. It is completely crazy to give free housing and over € 1.000 a month to a family from Africa that does nothing but bagging. In stead of that the boarders should be opened for Bulgarian and Romanian citizens. And if there are some Muslims amongst them ok.
As to fundamentalists, we have enough of them in Holland. They force their “Christian” laws on everybody. Not allowing female members of their party to be in the government, closing swimming pools on Sundays. Having their own fundamentalist schools. And this already for centuries. So why not have some Muslims from Bulgaria come to Holland? At least they are tolerant.
A good example of the narrow-minded people in the neighbourhood that I live in. (close to the German boarder) Our neighbour was born in the village where is family lives, his wife came from the next village, only 5 km away, she is considered import. Our 3 sons were born in hospital 7 km away and lived all their life in our village. They also are considered import.
So never tell me Holland is a tolerant country. It is a “Christian” country with at least 75 different churches competing for the very few that are not sick of them.
The so-called 'backlash' against Muslims is happening for a reason.
It is no coincidence that resistance is beginning against their behaviour in more than one country.
Bulgarians should know why more than most.
This comment has been removed by the moderator because it contained foul, abusive or discriminating language