Comments on: Addressing Xenophobic Violence in Wake of International Migrants Day http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/2011/12/20/addressing-xenophobic-violence-in-wake-of-international-migrants-day/ Human Rights First builds respect for human rights and the rule of law to help ensure the dignity to which everyone is entitled and to stem intolerance, tyranny, and violence. Mon, 17 Jun 2013 17:20:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: eslaporte http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/2011/12/20/addressing-xenophobic-violence-in-wake-of-international-migrants-day/#comment-73366 eslaporte Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:27:09 +0000 http://www.humanrightsfirst.org/?p=16430#comment-73366 A problem that we face is that violence and potential terrorism against immigrant and Muslims communities is simply not being taken seriously. What we have instead is an excessive amount of resourses being mobilized against the almost non-existent “Islamist and jihadist terrorist ,threat.” As a result, Muslim communities especially, are view as “potential terrorist communities” and not potiental victim communities. There is also the notion that these communities are less deserving of police and security services than other communities. The reality is that leaders of European governments give propaganda points to right wing extremists when they make irresponsible statements, “like Muslims do not belong in Germany” and “multiculturalism has failed.” The burka and hijab bans are also not helpful and provide affirmation to right wing extremists. The arguments that use words like “assimilation and integration” only feed into the notion that immigrant (largely Muslim communities) have no place in the fabric of the country. Some of these arguments on “assimilation and integration” appear to mean that Muslim immigrants should abandon their Islamic faith, eating certain foods and wearing certain clothes. We should be outraged, but we call it “freedom of speech!” It is NOT “freedom of speech” for political leaders to promote hateful myths about immigrants and Muslim communities and talk as if these communities are dangerous and threatening! I am aware of what is going on the Netherlands, mainly, and know about how intelligence and security services use frameworks that are openly anti-Muslim. I have heard that the intelligence and security services of the country have been deployed to spy on immigrant (Muslim) youth who hang out at parks and festivals. At the same time there have been numerous attacks over the past few years against mosques, which include threatening letters, to arson, to an attempted bomb attack. The big “security threat” is a small group called Sharia4Holland that has no support from anybody. What should be investigated in the Netherlands is how anti-terrorism laws and practices are applied, as they appear to be openly biased toward Muslims (such as using religious criteria to determine who is “radicalized” and when to apply anti-terrorism enhancement penalties) in terms of respect for human rights of all groups in the Netherlands. Life in Western democratic nations requires a certain amount of tolerance for difference of religious and expression. This must be acknowledged by European leaders. What also is required for democratic nations is the NO person should be viewed as a “deserving victim” or not worthy of police and security protection because of their religious or ethnic background. All communities should be protected from terrorism and violence, including Muslim communities, as this is a requirement for the rule of law to prevail in a democratic society. A problem that we face is that violence and potential terrorism against immigrant and Muslims communities is simply not being taken seriously. What we have instead is an excessive amount of resourses being mobilized against the almost non-existent “Islamist and jihadist terrorist ,threat.” As a result, Muslim communities especially, are view as “potential terrorist communities” and not potiental victim communities. There is also the notion that these communities are less deserving of police and security services than other communities.

The reality is that leaders of European governments give propaganda points to right wing extremists when they make irresponsible statements, “like Muslims do not belong in Germany” and “multiculturalism has failed.” The burka and hijab bans are also not helpful and provide affirmation to right wing extremists. The arguments that use words like “assimilation and integration” only feed into the notion that immigrant (largely Muslim communities) have no place in the fabric of the country. Some of these arguments on “assimilation and integration” appear to mean that Muslim immigrants should abandon their Islamic faith, eating certain foods and wearing certain clothes. We should be outraged, but we call it “freedom of speech!” It is NOT “freedom of speech” for political leaders to promote hateful myths about immigrants and Muslim communities and talk as if these communities are dangerous and threatening!

I am aware of what is going on the Netherlands, mainly, and know about how intelligence and security services use frameworks that are openly anti-Muslim. I have heard that the intelligence and security services of the country have been deployed to spy on immigrant (Muslim) youth who hang out at parks and festivals. At the same time there have been numerous attacks over the past few years against mosques, which include threatening letters, to arson, to an attempted bomb attack. The big “security threat” is a small group called Sharia4Holland that has no support from anybody. What should be investigated in the Netherlands is how anti-terrorism laws and practices are applied, as they appear to be openly biased toward Muslims (such as using religious criteria to determine who is “radicalized” and when to apply anti-terrorism enhancement penalties) in terms of respect for human rights of all groups in the Netherlands.

Life in Western democratic nations requires a certain amount of tolerance for difference of religious and expression. This must be acknowledged by European leaders. What also is required for democratic nations is the NO person should be viewed as a “deserving victim” or not worthy of police and security protection because of their religious or ethnic background. All communities should be protected from terrorism and violence, including Muslim communities, as this is a requirement for the rule of law to prevail in a democratic society.

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