Dutch parliament debates measures against Islamists

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Dutch legislators spent overnight Friday in a heated debate about Islam, promising a lively new parliamentary year.

A call by the liberal-rightist Freedom Party (PVV) to ban the Koran in the Netherlands was not accepted by the other parties.

However, PVV party leader Geert Wilders did manage to prompt the Liberal Party (VVD) to propose tougher measures against radical Islam.

The VVD party asked the government to enact new legislation enabling the Dutch authorities to deport Muslim spiritual leaders if convicted of inciting people to violence.

The VVD party also said it wanted legal options to close mosques known to be hotbeds of radicalism. Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin of the Christian Democratic Party (CDA) replied that closing radical mosques was already legally possible.

The minister added he was preparing a bill that would prohibit spiritual leaders from working in their profession once they had been convicted of inciting people to hatred and violence.

A second measure Ballin said he was considering was to specify the activities for which Muslim communities could use their mosques. This would enable the authorities to act against activities that violated Dutch law.

Ballin agreed with the Liberals that the state should have the option of deporting radical Muslims who reject fundamental Dutch values.

He said he was investigating the option of stripping people of their Dutch citizenship if they committed high treason against the Netherlands.

Renouncing or rejecting the Dutch constitution, as several radical Muslim leaders in the Netherlands have done, would fall under the definition of high treason.

The justice minister added that, due to international conventions signed by the Netherlands, the state could only strip someone of citizenship provided the person did not become stateless as a consequence.

Meanwhile the rightist PVV party continued to garner support from the VVD party on other Muslim-related issues.

PVV leader Geert Wilders criticized statements Integration Minister Ella Vogelaar (Labour) made earlier this summer about Dutch society.

Vogelaar had said Dutch culture would eventually become a Jewish- Christian-Islamic tradition.

Wilders referred to Vogelaar as "raving mad" Thursday and demanded that she withraw her statements.

Vogelaar responded that she would "not be provoked" by Wilders, adding she felt "no need to stop the Islamisation" in the Netherlands.

Wilders did not require further encouragement and filed a motion against her, hoping to receive support from the Liberals.

During the debate that followed, Halbe Zijlstra (Liberals) said Vogelaar's expressions about the future of Dutch culture made people "fear the worst."

Zijlstra said he had expected the minister first and foremost to take a strong stand on protecting personal freedom in the Netherlands.

Despite strong Liberal support of the PVV's criticism of Vogelaar, the VVD party ultimately declined from voting in favour of the motion.

Legislator Jeroen Dijsselbloem (Labour) stressed the need to balance freedom of expression and religion, with existing rights and freedom in the Netherlands.

"Achievements like equal rights for gays and women are currently under pressure. Self-evident freedoms are no longer self-evident," said Dijsselbloem, adding the need to demarcate clear borders.

The Labour legislator also thought the Dutch government was "fooling itself" in thinking ongoing contacts with various Muslim organisations was the proper way to forge bonds with the Dutch Muslim community.

More than half of the Muslims never enter any mosque, Dijsselbloem said, but the Dutch government only maintains contact with religious Muslim leaders and representatives of mosques. He referred to both as "self-appointed conservative leaders."

Integration minister Vogelaar responded that the government recently requested that Muslim organizations send delegates who are more representative of the whole Muslim community.

The government wanted a more varied representation of age groups and gender among the Muslim delegates, she said.

Prime minister Jan-Peter Balkenende stressed the need to moderate the tone of the debate about Islam.

Critizing Freedom Party leader Geert Wilders for calling Minister Vogelaar names, the prime minister said "an approach that increases estrangement is not constructive."

"We should not think in terms of "they" and "us" and disqualify people because of their faith. Many Muslims contribute to society. They deserve our respect and solidarity," he said.

Balkenende also added the Netherlands guarantees freedom of religion and expression, but will react very firmly when confronted with violence, incitement and threats.

"Everyone who undermines the constitutional state will find themselves opposed by the government," Balkenende said. dpa rl fs sc