Islam in Europe

Belgium: Teachers may be banned from wearing headscarves

The French Community in Belgium may forbid teachers to wear religious, political or philosophical signs in their school network. That is the advice of the Council of State to a proposal currently in parliament.

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com

It is a proposal by MR, which was brought to the Council of State by the parliament chairman Jean-Charles Luperto (PS).

In an advice of 40 pages, the Council emphasizes the right to freedom of speech, but also brings up the fundamental principle of neutrality of public services in Belgium. Moreover the Council says that the proposal is in line with the laws of the French community, which ban educational personnel from expressing their political, philosophical and religious convictions.

"The obligation of the community to organize neutral education and to guarantee neutrality of the public services, naturally have an impact on the behavior that educators can be asked for in the public sector. As authority figures at school, it can be expected of them that they bring their behavior and conduct in line with the neutral education of which they're part," according to the advice.

The Council of State clarified that the proposal shouldn't apply to religion teachers.

Source: HLN (Dutch)

Related posts:
* Belgium: City bans headscarves, draft law to ban burka
* Belgium: French Community schools ban headscarves
* Belgium: Headscarf ban 'promotes peace and brotherhood'
* Belgium: Teacher allowed to wear headscarf

Belgium: Ethnic minorities underrepresented in elections

Seventy-four or 6.7% of the 1,104 candidates standing in Flanders in the 13 June general election come from the ethnic minorities. The figure is much lower than the share of the population as a whole that has foreign roots.

21.6% of Belgians have a foreign background.

Sociologist Jan Hertogen has analysed the figures. In order to qualify for the ethnic label candidates require at least one foreign grandparent.

The highest proportion of ethnic candidates is standing for the far left PVDA+ (18.1%). 11.6% of socialist candidates have foreign roots, while the figure for the ecologist Groen! is 8.7%. For the liberals, Christian democrats and Flemish nationalists the figure is 3.6%, while only 1.4% of candidates for the far right Vlaams Belang have foreign roots.

Mr Hertogen believes that parties are missing a chance here. Putting up ethnic candidates can boost results.

The sociologist told VRT News that ethnic candidates are not exactly the flavour of the month. He points to the Christian democrat list of candidates for the Senate that hasn't got a single member of the ethnic minorities on it.

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In other election news, former parliament member Cemal Cavdarli was recently placed third on the East-Flemish list of Lijst Dedecker (LDD, conservatives). The Ghent resident was until recently a member of the SP.A (socialists). He felt he was being pushed aside in that party.

Not an obvious move, since the ideas of the LDD and SP.A. are far apart. "I realize that too, but I believe that I can remain true to my principles at Lijst Dedecker," says Cemal Cavdarli. "I'm a social and I'm a democrat, but I've never literally been a socialist. I've been asking myself for a while if I'm really still welcome by the SP.A. By supporters also began to ask questions."

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com

When it became clear that there was no visible place for him on the SP.A. list, he moved to LDD.

The Ghent imam and religion teacher last stood for elections in the federal elections in 2007. He wasn't voted in on the senate list.

In 2005, then a Belgian parliament member, he went to Turkey to do his army duty there.

Sources: Flanders News (English), Nieuwsblad (Dutch)

Germany: Ethnic Germans and Immigrants On Better Terms Than Expected

Germany: Ethnic Germans and Immigrants On Better Terms Than Expected

Germany often comes in for flak because of its allegedly poor integration of immigrants and the existence of so-called parallel societies. But a study released this week by a new think tank refutes the country's bad reputation -- at least partially.

It is no cause for wild celebration -- but nor is there much reason to complain. According to Klaus Bade, a leading German researcher on immigration, the co-existence of ethnic Germans and immigrants is often unjustly portayed in a negative light. But a study released this week in Berlin by the immigration think tank that Bade chairs, refutes some of these criticisms. On Wednesday, the Expert Advisory Board for Integration and Migration (SVR), which was founded in 2008 by eight major foundations involved in social and political advocacy and research, released its first annual report.

The report contains what the board calls the Integration Climate Index (IKI) which basically takes the temperature of relations between ethnic Germans and immigrants. The forecast, according to the SVR? Sunny and warm.

"Despite some problematic areas, integration in Germany is a social and political success," Bade said at the launch of the report. "Compared to other nations, things are actually a lot better here than they are reputed to be inside the country."

To get these results, over 5,600 people, both from Germany and elsewhere, were surveyed for their thoughts on integration and migration. The survey focused mainly on what the former West Germany -- around 91 percent of all migrants live in the west. There around 14 million people have a migrant background, and 6 million of those still have foreign citizenship. The former East Germany was not included in the study because the number of migrants living in the east is significantly lower, just 800,000. The German capital Berlin was also excluded because high unemployment among the city's immigrants makes it a special case requiring different research methods.

The final result of the survey in western Germany, though, was cautious optimism. On a scale of zero (very bad) to four (very good) the ethnic German populace's attitude toward integration registered at 2.77 for 2009. The immigrant population's attitude registered higher, at 2.93.

Additionally every second non-migrant person surveyed felt that integration policies had improved over the past five years. Those with an immigrant background felt similarly, with around 48.2 percent believing there had been improvement. Around half of all of those surveyed (both immigrant and ethnic German) expected things to continue to improve.

(...)

One of the more interesting findings of the survey dealt with how much migrants and Germans trusted one another. Migrants trusted ethnic Germans more they trusted one another, with 62 percent having faith in the locals but only 54 percent of the ethnic Germans trusting each other. Also interesting: Up to 93 percent of ethnic Germans thought living in Germany was good, while up to 95 percent of immigrants did.

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This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com

Source: Spiegel (English)

Netherlands: 'I prefer my wife not take a taxi.. the driver might be Moroccan'

Netherlands: 'I prefer my wife not take a taxi.. the driver might be Moroccan'

Guido van Woerkom, the director of the ANWB (the Dutch automobile association), mentioned he prefers his wife doesn't take a taxi, since there's a chance that the driver is a Moroccan.

Van Woerkom made this statement during a speech mostly for car park owners. They responded with irritation. At first they thought it was a joke, and that Van Woerkom would continue. That didn't happen.

Van Woerkom gave in his speech an exampel about the price of mobility. He said that his wife only drives 4,000 km a year, and that she thus has to pay less than somebody who drive 100,000 km. Somebody in the hall suggested that in that case she better take a taxi, at which point Van Woerkom answered that he preferred she didn't, because the driver might be a Moroccan.

The Dutch Moroccan alliance (SMN) is considering lodging a complaint at the discrimination hotline against Van Woerkom. The SMN is "outraged and offended," said the organization.

SMN-chairman Faris Azarkan was very surprised at the statement. "You don't actually believe that, do you? A top executive from the world of social organization who makes such denigrating and discriminating statements. Van Woerkom really lost the way."

The director regrets his statements, ANWB announced Thursday in a statement. He didn't mean to 'offend drivers from different cultures', but only wanted in response to a question from the public 'to raise the difference in the quality of taxi transport in the Netherlands'.

The statement caused quite a stir in the conference. Many of the audience were appalled. The ANWB refrained from further comment. The union has about 4 million members. Until now the affair didn't cost the union any members.

Sources: Telegraaf, Trouw (Dutch)

Sweden: Arson suspect suffers from burns

Sweden: Arson suspect suffers from burns

Anas Khalifa is a radical preacher, who made world-wide headlines when Memri translated a sermon of his in which he said "if we line up the Jews in one row and spat on them, they would faint".

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They were driven by hatred against Lars Vilks. But the arson attack against the artist's house almost cost one of them their life.

Yesterday Mentor Alija (21) and Mensur Alija (19) from Landskrona were remanded into custody on suspicions of attempted arson against Lars Vilks' house Saturday evening.

(Mentor and Mensur)

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com

But only Mentor Alija was physically able to appear in the secure hall at Helsingborg court. His brother Mensur Alija is still being treated for serious burns in the Helsingborg hospital

After the attack on Vilks house a jacket was found in Vilks yard belonging to Mentor Alija, as well as several liquid filled plastic bottles.

Lawyer Johan Sederholm says that the evidence is in part troublesome for his client.

The police also found many news sites about Lars Vilks in Mentor Alijas computer.

His younger brother is suspected of having gotten his burns in Vilks' yard. The burns are believed to have been the reason the attack was broken off, and the brothers were forced to seek treatment at Helsingborg's hospital.

Prosecutor Charlotte Österlund confirms that Mensur Alija was arrested in Helsingborg's hospital the day after the attack. "He's been interrogated by the police, but can't be moved due to his injuries," she says.

Despite the evidence, the two brothers deny the crime. Neither are known for serious crimes in the past.

Both brothers reportedly turned to a radical faith recently. Mensur Alija openly declared his hatred of Lars Vilks.

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Kvällsposten spoke with members of Landskrona's Islamic community, who confirmed that the brothers' religious commitment increased in recent years.

"I've met them in the community [mosque]. They started visiting it several years ago," said a community member who wished to remain anonymous.

In the past year Mensur Alija sympathized with a very orthodox branch of Islam, and even joined an internet group whose followers have a very hateful attitude towards the State of Israel.

The parents are believing Muslims, but neighbors and schoolmates say they didn't seem them as extreme.

"On the contrary, they were very nice and friendly," says a former neighbor in Landskrona.

The family came to Sweden in October 2001 from then Yugoslavia. Two months later they moved to central Landskrona.

Mentor Alija was then 12, and Mensur Alija was 11.

A few years later the picture changed. Mentor Alija and a friend were suspect of trying to break into a car. When their father moved, life split apart. The family moved to Markaryd.

In 2008, the mother and Mensur moved back to Landskrona. Shortly afterward, Mentor Alija also moved back.

Kvällsposten reports that Mensur is a close friend of the extreme Muslim preacher Anas Khalifa, who has preached in mosques about martyrdom and holy war. [Apparently Kvällsposten later removed the article].

Source: Kvällsposten 1, 2 (Swedish), TV2 Nyhetene (Norwegian)

Marseille: Work begins on Grand Mosque

French Muslims celebrated a milestone on Thursday when work began to build a Grand Mosque in Marseille, the country's biggest and a potent symbol of Islam's place in modern France.

A day after the French government approved a bill banning the full Islamic veil, Muslim leaders and local politicians hailed as "historic" the laying of the mosque's cornerstone at a dusty construction site in northern Marseille.

France's second city is home to 250,000 Muslims, many of whom flock to makeshift prayer houses in basements, rented rooms and dingy garages to worship.

With a minaret soaring 25 metres (82 feet) high, the Grand Mosque will hold up to 7,000 people in its prayer room and the complex will also boast a Koranic school, library, restaurant and tea room when it opens in 2012.

Muslims in Marseille have long campaigned for a mega-mosque as a prominent gathering place that would bring Islam out of the basements and allow it to thrive under the Mediterranean sun.

(more)

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com

Source: France24 (English)

* Marseilles: Grand Mosque plans
* Marseilles: Building of Great Mosque
* Marseille: Grand Mosque financed by Algeria
* Marseille: "I'm going to bomb it when it opens"

Netherlands: "Draw Mohammed Day"

Netherlands: "Draw Mohammed Day"

Kurt Westergaard, the famous Danish Mohammed cartoonist, says the Facebook "Draw Mohammed Day" initiative is good for freedom of speech. "the initiative is seen as a protest for freedom of speech, where Mohammed and my cartoon have become icons for this culture battle," he told the Journalisten magazine. He says there's a risk that it can inspire terrorism, but that this isn't something that should repress us. (DA)

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In Rotterdam, Mohammed cartoons were posted in various public places:

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Mohammed Mohandis, PvdA (Dutch Labor Party) candidate for parliament, removed a parody of the Danish Mohammed cartoon with his face from the Jonge Socialisten (Young Socialists) Amsterdam site.

In the context of the international "Draw Mohammed Day", held in solidarity with cartoonist who are threatened for their cartoons of the Islamic prophet, the Amsterdam youth division of the PvdA put an edited portrait of Mohandis on the site.

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com

Mohandis wore a turban, just like the prophet in the famous Kurt Westergaard cartoon. In place of a fuse there was a PvdA rose in the bomb. The text on the turban was changed for the Arabic word for love and above it said "On June 9th you can vote for our prophet Mohamed."

"We think that everybody worldwide has the right to express his or her vision on anything by means of ridicule or satire," said the accompanying text. "To quote the words of our chairman Mohammed Mohandis: "Offense belongs to freedom of speech, and that is a great thing."

But the image wasn't there long before Mohandis, the national chairman of the Jonge Socialisten, asked it be removed. He explains: "This was an initiative of the Jonge Socialisten Amsterdam. Previously I was contacted and I said in a sort of intoxication draw what you want. But this goes too far. I'm for freedom of speech, but I am personally depicted. I hadn't seen that in advance, and I think it shouldn't have been submitted to me."

"I have no interest in being portrayed like that. It should be about freedom of speech, about the issue, and not about me." Mosselman had asked Mohandis via Twitter for a photo for 'Draw Mohammed Day", and he had pointed to a photo [of himself] on his website.

the initiator and board member of the Jonge Socialisten in Amsterdam Arne Mosselman responded with deep disappointment. "It was a playful manner to say: Mohandis is our prophet, vote for him. And with the rose and the word love our message was: it's possible." Mosselmen wasn't only called by Mohandis, but got various calls from the 'heart of the PvdA, from the campaign' saying that the picture should be removed. It would be harmful to the campaign.

"I think it was good for the campaign," says Mosselman. "Anybody who is not a fundamentalist, thought it was great. And fundamentalists aren't going to vote for you."

Mosselman does admit that portraying Mohandis this way bears a security risk. "I think that's most regrettable. That leads to censorship. And we're doing that too now."

Mosselman is now considering voting for Femke Halsema of GroenLinks. "That party does too little for integration, but at least has principles."

Sources: De Pers , NU.nl (Dutch), h/t NRP

Brussels: Municipality doesn't allow veil ban protest

The Muslim organization 'Muslim Rise' is calling on Muslims all over Europe to come Saturday to the Brussels Stock Exchange to protest against the burka ban. The city of Brussels is not allowing it, also because the Zinneke Parade will be marching through the city at the same time.

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com

The Muslim organization say they want to express their dissatisfaction in a peaceful manner. The demonstrators will go out into the streets to "allow the next generation a life with Islamic dress."

Similar demonstrations will take place at the same time in the UK and Ireland, where demonstrators will stand by the Belgian embassy.

A spokesperson for the city of Brussels told brusselnieuws.be that the demonstrations can't take place.

"We made this decision on the basis of three criteria. On the application there's no official name, but rather an Islamic pseudonym. Moreover, 40,000 people will be coming Saturday to the Zinneke Parade, a family party. Finally, the police also gave negative advice, since the chance for a counter-protest is too great."

The organization was asked to stop all advertisements. the police will also warn all possible demonstrators Saturday that the demonstration has been canceled.

"Safety first," the spokesperson concluded. "A number of years ago we canceled a protest of the extreme right for the very same reasons. The nature of the protest has nothing to do with the decision to cancel the demonstration."

According to the organizers, there is no ban, and the protest will take place. The protest was planned for Saturday by the stock exchange, starting at 2pm. The police will call in extra manpower to guarantee safety.

Source: brusselnieuws.be (Dutch)

Netherlands: Non-Western immigration costs 7.2 billion euro a year

Slightly more than a month ago, Wilders published the initial findings (to Nyfer's annoyance), saying that Non-Western immigration costs 6-10 billion euro a year

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Non-Western immigration costs Dutch society 7.2 billion euro a year, according to a study published Wednesday by economic research agency Nyfer for the PVV fraction in parliament.

Nyfer bases their calculations on a yearly net-flow of 25,000 immigrants and the same number of descendants. According to the researchers, these immigration make use of more collective services and pay less taxes and premium than the average Dutch. they're also more often on social welfare and have disability insurance and unemployment benefits more often. They're also overrepresented in crime, which leads to additional costs.

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com

PVV leader Geert Wilders said the results of the study were shocking. he had asked Nyfer to study the costs of immigration when last fall then integration minister Eberhard van der Laan responded unsatisfactorily to Wilder's question on the subject. The PVV is happy that the taxpayer finally knows what is happening with his money, says Wilders.

The PVV leader says that ten years of unmodified immigration policy means a bill costing society 72 billion euro. "The fact that mass immigration is also disastrous financially, confirms the need for measures which the PVV wants, such as an immigration stop for people from Muslim countries, a reduction of the remaining immigration and asylum flows, and excluding new immigrants from benefits for ten years."

Nfer says the study confirms the conclusions of a similar study of the CPB (Central Planning Bureau) from 2003. CPB's sum would now come out to 6 billion euro, says Nyfer. According to the Nyfer researchers, the difference between their findings (7.2 billion euro) could mostly be explained by the fact that they're more pessimistic about the rate at which the second generation will catch up in the job market.

Accordingto Statistics Netherlands (CBS), non-Western immigrants are those born in Africa, Latin America, Asia or Turkey, or have at least one parent born in those countries. Most come from Turkey, Morocco, Suriname, the Dutch Antilles and Aruba.

In response, the anti-racism organization Nederland Bekent Kleur (Netherlands recognizes color) called the ideas of the PVV "your own people first politics". They say that the PVV discriminates by wanting to shut the borders exclusively to people coming from countries with a certain religion. This measure in the elections platform is one of the many proposals with which the PVV discriminates against Muslims.

Source: Telegraaf (Dutch)

Sweden: Proposal for immigrant orientation

Sweden: Proposal for immigrant orientation

All newly arrived immigrants should undergo courses in core societal values and be taught about how Swedish society works with municipalities obliged to offer 60 hours of teaching, a government inquiry has proposed.

"Without knowledge of fundamental societal values an important prerequisite to be able to live and work in Sweden is lacking," writes Erik Amnå, who led the government inquiry, in a debate article in the Dagens Nyheter daily.

Amnå, whose proposal has been presented to the integration minister Nyamko Sabuni, suggests that the courses should be divided into three key areas - values (the constitutional foundations), the welfare state (public institutions), and everyday life (practical applied knowledge of how the welfare state works).

Erik Amnå proposes that municipalities be instructed to offer 60 hours of schooling to each new immigrant and advises against dividing up new arrivals according to traditional categories such as ethnicity or religious identity.

(more)

This article was prepared by the Islam in Europe blog - islamineurope.blogspot.com

Source: The Local (English)

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