18 March 2011 The Swedish Church has hired an Imam – Othman Al-Tawalbeh – to work with interreligious dialogue. The decision has been debated during the last week, especially amongst members of the church, but also in Muslim communities. While some are positive towards the collaboration, some Muslims have criticized as well the church as…
March 10 2011 The Volkskrant reports that the Dutch coalition government will not allow opposition parliamentarians to see its calculations to halve the number of non-western immigrants to the country. The plans follow anti-Islam party PVV’s support for the current minority government, which was conditional upon halving non-western immigration to the country. Previous documents showed…
March 14 2011 Turkish Dutch students should learn about domestic violence and honor murder in elementary school, according to Turkish labour union HTIB and Chairman Mustafa Ayranci. According to the Telegraaf, the chairman suggested this education would lead to changing “the mentality among all Turks”. Amsterdam alderman for Diversity and Integration Andree van Es commented…
March 14 2011 Geert Wilders’ trial on inciting hatred and discrimination of Muslims, Moroccans and non-western immigrants resumed on March 14, after halting in October due to irregularities. The trial opens with a new panel of three judges. On March 16 Wilders’ lawyer made an opening statement suggesting that Wilders should not be required to…
March 15 2011 Parliamentarian Jeanine Hennis, member of the right wing liberal VVD, currently the country’s largest party in government, wants to ban public servants working in town halls from wearing hijab. During an interview with De Pers Hennis motioned for “an open discussion on the separation between church and state” on the matter, adding…
