Press Release
Parliamentary Questioning: Modern Inquisition against the Muslim Community

In recent years, we have seen time and again that the anti-Islam policy in The Netherlands has many faces. However, with the parliamentary questioning on foreign funding of mosques and Islamic organizations a new milestone has been reached in the battle against Islam.

Islamic institutions (including mosques) are being questioned about their funding while churches, synagogues, Hindu temples, Buddhist temples or other places of worship or meditation remain unaffected. The fact that all of this is backed by the law and is being executed by one of the highest authorities of The Netherlands is without a doubt, the highest form of discrimination. The humiliating public questioning of Muslim boards that are summoned and questioned as if they were a band of criminals, makes one think about a modern form of Inquisition.

We have been saying for years that The Netherlands are consequently conducting an assimilation policy for years, which involves a vicious anti-Islam policy that is essentially divide and conquer politics. Weakening different groups within the Muslim community by turning them against each other. Simply said, “good” Muslim versus “bad” Muslim.

Many organizations (mostly mosques) considered themselves safe during this smear campaign as long as they would keep a low profile and would not interfere in sensitive public debates which involved the Muslim community deeply, are apolitical (that is; Islamically apolitical), convey a moderate message and fall within the category of the “good” Muslim.

Some of them even went as far as to knowingly or unknowingly become an extension of the oppressive policies by justifying this unjust policy using mendacious arguments. Others even call for a Dutch Islam, where Christians and Jews are welcome to speak in their mosques, while Muslims who do not believe in democracy and are against voting, are not welcome. However, their complacency has not benefited them, nor their close cooperation with the government.

The parliamentary questioning has once again confirmed that when it comes down to it no distinction is made between the “good” and the “bad” Muslims. Once a Muslim always a Muslim. As long as we do not comprehend this idea as a Muslim community and continue making concessions hoping to score points or thinking we can defend our interest through these means, we will never escape this vicious circle.

We can never emphasize enough that the fight against Islam is not only political, but it is also winning terrain within Dutch society. According to a recent poll from pijl.nl (from Maurice de Hond), 58% of the Dutch citizens are positive towards exploring the options of a government consisting of anti-Islamic parties as FVD, PVV or FVD + PVV. The percentages are at 66% and 59% when it comes to the VVD and CDA. More than a third of the D66-voters is positive towards the same idea. GroenLinks and PvdA-voters are the least positive (around 20%).

We as a Muslim community can not afford to be divided when anti-Islamic sentiments are growing. We should unite upon the basis of steadfastness towards our convictions and viewpoints, our norms as our bonding agent, without making concessions. Here lays an important responsibility for the Muslims, with an eye on the future to check whether the ones that represent us follow the right course, and replacing or correcting them when needed.

Okay Pala
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in The Netherlands