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30-year experiment in multiculturalism a failure?
Posted on: February 17th, 2004 , 9:51pm
Dutch to kick out failed asylum seekers
By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard in Brussels
(Filed: 18/02/2004 )
http://www.etches.net/cgi-bin/talkon/Blah.cgi?b=INews,m=1077083499
The Dutch parliament voted yesterday for Europe 's first mass expulsion of failed asylum seekers, defying a storm of protest from human rights groups.
Children reared in Holland and settled refugees with stable jobs will be uprooted and deported as the centre-Right government attempts to clear the asylum backlog in one "clean sweep".
Mehdy Kavousi protests against the proposed laws
Dutch Church groups decried the end of Holland 's tradition as a haven for oppressed minorities, while a leading Iranian refugee stitched his eye lids and lips together in protest.
The law goes beyond the rhetoric of Pim Fortuyn, who argued before his assassination two years ago that foreigners already living in the country should be allowed to stay.
Human Rights Watch denounced the policy as a breach of international law, fearing that it could prompt copycat measures across Europe .
In a letter to Rita Verdonk, the immigration minister, it said the move "would signal a serious departure from the Netherlands ' historic role as a leader in human rights protection in Europe ".
It added: "The Dutch government claims that the proposals are safe and humane. But sending people back to places where they could be in danger not only jeopardises their safety, it is illegal."
The government has granted an amnesty for 2,300 high-risk asylum cases, far fewer than the 8,000 demanded by the Labour opposition.
About 26,000 will be stripped of their asylum benefits and ultimately put on aircraft back home. These include Afghans, Somalis and Chechens facing civil wars or regions where there is no functioning government.
The law applies to asylum seekers who arrived before April 1, 2001 , and have exhausted their appeals. While rejected applicants are already being deported from Holland the new move ushers in expulsion on an "industrial scale".
HRW accused Holland of failing to take "evidence of integration" into account and violating the convention on the rights of the child.
The Dutch Council of State ruled two years ago that the convention does not apply to children of immigrants who have no right to residence in Holland , a move widely branded a "dangerous precedent".
The Christian-Democrat/Liberal coalition was in no mood to back down yesterday, blocking all moves to soften the law. While the mass deportation has horrified the soft-Left enclaves of Amsterdam and Utrecht , it has gone down well in working-class areas most threatened by the rising unemployment.
Critics said the new law would prove unenforceable since international rules stopped states deporting refugees who had no documents, or who lied about their origin.
The Justice Ministry admitted that many would have to be let loose on Dutch streets if they refused to accept a free flight home and a repatriation cash bonus after spending a two-month stint in a deportation centre.
"They will become illegal immigrants without any right to benefits. There is nothing else we can do," said a spokesman, acknowledging that they could be drawn into the criminal underworld.
New asylum applications have already fallen steeply from 43,560 in 2000 to an estimated 10,000 last year, but the scale of past immigration - mostly through family reunion - has stirred fears that Dutch society is spiralling out of control.
A parliamentary report last month concluded that the country's 30-year experiment in tolerant multiculturalism had been a failure, ending in sink schools, violence, and ethnic ghettoes that shun inter-marriage with the Dutch.
It found that 70-80 per cent of third-generation Dutch-born immigrants brought in their spouse from their "home" countries, mostly Turkey and Morocco .
The consequences of this were brought home after September 11, 2001 when the intelligence service discovered that al-Qa'eda was "stealthily taking root in Dutch society".
Immigrants already make up almost 50 per cent of Rotterdam . Once a Labour stronghold, it became the launching pad for Mr Fortuyn's mass movement, which drew from both Left and Right warning that radical Islam posed a threat to Holland 's easy-going liberal values.
Secret Agent 1812 will reject out of hand any marriage proposal from Joey! 
Jetsam Posted on: February 18th, 2004 , 2:17pm
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Yes, you can call me Jet!
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And where did you get this article, Zoof?
“ Quoted Text ”
A parliamentary report last month concluded that the country's 30-year experiment in tolerant multiculturalism had been a failure, ending in sink schools, violence, and ethnic ghettoes that shun inter-marriage with the Dutch.
Oh? Where is this report? If I have to go dig it up myself, I will. I'm sure it's on the Net somewhere and I'm sure it says nothing as explicit as:
the country's 30-year experiment in tolerant multiculturalism had been a failure,
“ Quoted Text ”
It found that 70-80 per cent of third-generation Dutch-born immigrants brought in their spouse from their "home" countries, mostly Turkey and Morocco .
Now that would be a failure in assimiliation practises, rather than the choice to marry within a culturally acceptable mien. For all these Dutch folks who prefer spouses of Turkish and Morrocan ancestry, there are Dutch who prefer spouses of Double Dutch ancestry. I believe the Netherlands still has a royal family that even has a bit of a history of choosing acceptable European (not African, or Middle Eastern or even Asian royalty) for their Royals to wed.
“ Quoted Text ”
The consequences of this were brought home after September 11, 2001 when the
intelligence service discovered that al-Qa'eda was "stealthily taking root in Dutch society".
Oh, a perfect quote to reword to make it sound like the bigotry it is ...
The Hysterical Fear Mongering of this were brought home after September 11, 2001 when the (American) intelligence service discovered that al-Qa'eda was "stealthily taking root in Dutch society" and gave the right wing Dutch politicians the information as soon as possible. [/i]
“ Quoted Text ”
Immigrants already make up almost 50 per cent of Rotterdam .
Ah, show me a port city that isn't made up of a great number of 'immigrants' at least for a transient period in their immigration process. This is no great news.
“ Quoted Text ”
Once a Labour stronghold, it became the launching pad for Mr Fortuyn's mass movement, which drew from both Left and Right warning that radical Islam posed a threat to Holland 's easy-going liberal values.
So this whole 'movement' started in Rotterdam ? This article talks about 'assylum seekers' which seems to me to include what we call 'refugee' claims.
“ Quoted Text ”
Organizations that help refugees in the Netherlands are stunned by the severity of the new legislation. Ahmed Pouri is a spokesman for the refugee assistance organization Prime.
"I think the Dutch policy is unfair, negligent, and merciless. Human beings are the victims of this policy, but there is no correction for the policy. The Dutch government sticks to the policy while they know that people have been put in jail after returning [home], or even have been killed," Pouri said.
The Dutch government says all asylum applications are carefully vetted before being rejected. Some 2,300 applicants whose cases have been judged to be especially serious will be allowed to remain in Holland and will be granted residency.
But it's not just Fortuyn's speeches that pushed this issue:
The Dutch crackdown comes at a time when migration -- legal and illegal -- is a hot topic throughout Europe . A number of Western European states, including such liberal bastions as Sweden , Norway , and the Netherlands , have erected temporary barriers to the free movement of labor from the 10 states joining the European Union in May.
Given the familiarity and proximity between the new and old members of the EU, the outlook for refugees from countries farther away must be considered dim.
http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2004/2/17502340-DA4E-4379-9982-AED6C77B315D.html
Since the article has only passed the Lower House, it will be interesting to see if the upper House in Dutch Parliament sends the motion through.
The Undutchables! LMAO! I love the sarcasm here a play on the Indian Caste system for sure! But practical advice for those who may end up getting 'in Dutch' with the federal or local authorities on certain issues, such as taxes.
http://www.undutchables.nl/
Look at that, there are OTHER things in the Dutch News other than this immigration thing:
http://www.hollandnews.nl/
And how easy is it to visit Holland ?
Do I need a visa or other papers to enter Holland ?
Answer
Usually a valid passport is all you need to enter Holland . However, there might be circumstances in which you will need a visa. Check with the Dutch Embassy or Consulate in your own country whether you need a visa.
They also have the necessary forms you have to complete. You will find the addresses of the Dutch embassies and consulates on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
You do not need vaccinations.
http://www2.holland.com/global.....y/1008839800302.html
Pretty Easy
Here's the Dutch Government site and it offers translations in three or four langauges, including English:
http://www.minbuza.nl/default.asp?CMS_ITEM=MBZ311185
But, *EWG* not in Turkish or Morrocan.
I guess I'll withhold my comment on the peircing since I'm sure Juan or someone else can say something more fitting.
Personally, I think the Dutch, now that they've sold KLM to France are going to have to find a really cheap way to transport all those assylum seekers back to where they were born.
Now watch what you say
They'll be calling you a radical, liberal,
Fanatical, criminal.
Won't you sign up your name?
We'd like to feel you're acceptable, respectable,
Presentable, a vegetable.
Supertramp: The Logical Song, Breakfast in America (1979)
