Rights Group Attacks Dutch Immigration Policy
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A Dutch policy of forcing some would-be immigrants to pass a language and culture test before seeking a visa is discriminatory, Human Rights Watch said Thursday.
The rights group said the test essentially targets families from developing nations—in particular, Turkey and Morocco—because citizens of the United States, Japan and other developed nations are exempt.
“The overseas integration test is discriminatory because it explicitly applies only to relatives from predominantly non-Western countries,” said Human Rights Watch’s European director Holly Cartner.
“These measures keep families apart and appear to be aimed at keeping certain kinds of people out of the Netherlands.”
While international human rights law allows countries to discriminate between citizens and non-citizens, it doesn’t allow the targeting of individual nationalities on the basis of race or religion.
“Dutch authorities would need extremely powerful reasons to justify” such discrimination, Human Rights Watch said.
The test, primarily a language exam, must be taken at Dutch embassies abroad and costs $540 per attempt. Immigrants also face visa fees amounting to hundreds of dollars per year, and permanent residency or naturalization fees that cost nearly $1,500.
“The impact . . . has fallen primarily on those wanting to join family members from two of the three largest non-Western migrant communities in the Netherlands—Moroccans and Turks,” the rights group said.
Immigration from those countries has fallen sharply since the Dutch government began cracking down in 2003 amid heavy anti-Muslim rhetoric from far-right political parties.
Government spokeswoman Gerda de Lange rejected the criticism. The legality of the policy was “debated thoroughly in parliament and by the Council of State before it was passed” in 2006, she said.
“The law is not discriminatory,” she said. “There are indeed exemptions for some countries, but that’s true of the whole of immigration law.”
All EU citizens, for example, are exempt from the test because European law forbids discrimination between members of EU states. Other countries had pre-existing treaties with the Dutch government on immigration.
She also denied that the policy discriminates against Moroccans and Turks, saying they make up only one-third of applicants.
“The law is intended to ensure that immigrants are better prepared to integrate. They will have more chance of succeeding if they know the basics of Dutch language, history and culture before they arrive,” she said.
“If their aim is to build a new life here, they should begin acquiring the knowledge they’ll need,” she said.
The test made international headlines when it was introduced because preparatory materials include a film with scenes of gay men kissing and a woman walking bare-breasted on the beach—considered an essential introduction to liberal Dutch culture.
If would-be immigrants can’t stomach such practice, no need to apply, the film implied.
(Posted on May 20, 2008)
Comments
After the murders and rapes, some of the Dutch are finally getting it.
Posted by at 4:56 PM on May 20
“materials include a film with scenes of gay men kissing and a woman walking bare-breasted on the beach—considered an essential introduction to liberal Dutch culture.”
Well if it wasn’t part of Dutch culture before, it will be after all the ‘immigration’.
Posted by Just another AmRener at 5:05 PM on May 20
“A Dutch policy of forcing some would-be immigrants to pass a language and culture test before seeking a visa is discriminatory, Human Rights Watch said Thursday”
The point has to be made clear to these Leftist international groups that the Dutch OWN their own country. It is THEIRS, to do with as they please. And as the owners, they have the right to give or withhold citizenship to (or from) anyone they choose, at their sole discretion. They OWE it to no one! And no one has the right to demand it.
These measures keep families apart and appear to be aimed at keeping certain kinds of people out of the Netherlands. The impact has fallen primarily on those wanting to join family members from two of the three largest non-Western migrant communities in the Netherlands—Moroccans and Turks”
If they wish to be with their family members, they have every right to go back to Morocco or Turkey and be with them THERE. Nobody is preventing it. In fact, it should be encouraged.
Posted by browser at 6:13 PM on May 20
just a few words to say on this story….SHIP THE WHOLE LOT OF THEM BACK TO THEIR OWN COUNTRIES!!!
Posted by lydia at 7:54 PM on May 20
What business do Turks and Morroccans even have being in the Netherlands anyways? They have their own country.
Posted by at 9:00 PM on May 20
“international human rights law allows…”
The very meaning of sovereignty is self-determination.
‘International human rights law’ means squat. It’s a Marxist wish list to control everyone and everything.
Posted by at 10:56 PM on May 20
So have the Dutch learned a lesson after experimenting with diversity? Can their government admit that diversty will ruin their culture and country? Everyone knows that the great Nederlanders love everything from which they can prosper, but when they have to pay dearly…now that’s another story for a tiny nation threatened by “global warming” flooding. You need to take care of yourself, first. Everyone learns that with airline drop-down oxygen.
Posted by VanderGeest at 11:01 PM on May 20
Well if it wasn’t part of Dutch culture before, it will be after all the ‘immigration’.
Posted by Just another AmRener at 5:05 PM on May 20
This is a little funny because The Netherlands have long before the current problem been a Mecca (excuse the pun) for all varities of deviant sexual lifestyles and once the Muslims take over, that will be stopped. So if you’re feeling that Muslims will bring some sort of sexual decadence, better review the subject a bit. In fact, some Christians on the face of it, seem to prefer a society more like Arabia’s or Iran’s than America, let alone The Netherlands!
Posted by Whiteplight at 1:14 AM on May 21
Aanpassen of Terugkeren! (Adapt or Go Back). On second thought, just go back. Houzee!
Posted by Voorpost Virginia at 10:22 AM on May 21
If the Dutch had any sense, they would throw the immigrants out. Not grant them citizenship under any circumstances. I have been to the Netherlands a few times. The native Dutch are a wonderful, polite, intelligent attractive people. They always went out of their way to help when asked. Like most all European people. However, I was mugged by one of those wonderful immigrants in an alley. The odds of the non white immigrants being a scamster or there to take advantage of white generoisty and apathy is VERY high. The only times I ever felt unsafe in Europe was when I found myself around non whites, and for good reason.
Posted by at 1:49 PM on May 21
God is on the Dutch side this time. When the barbarians are sent packing I will drink a Heineken to toast my brethren.
Posted by Lars at 8:59 PM on May 21
Why is there even a Dutch immigration policy in the first place. This was not an “immigrant country”. The Netherlands is a very small and densely settled state. It doesn’t need any more people, even if they fit in, which these Muslims don’t.
Posted by at 8:14 AM on May 22
“Why is there even a Dutch immigration policy in the first place. This was not an “immigrant country”. The Netherlands is a very small and densely settled state. It doesn’t need any more people, even if they fit in…”
…………………..
That’s an excellent question, and I’m sure there is no reasonable answer to it. But someone should put it to the Dutch government — and then see them squirm.
The Netherlands is one of the most densely populated pieces of real estate on the face of the earth. Perhaps THE most. Seen from the air, there are houses and buildings and human activities closely packed everywhere — a sight unfamiliar to American eyes, even to those of us from our densest urban areas such as New York or Los Angeles. From the air, one Dutch town merges into another and another, like one huge urban conglomeration that goes on and on. Given this, there is the additional fact that it is painfully recovered land, retrieved from the sea at great cost and toil over many centuries, land always subject to flooding, which must constantly be pumped dry to keep it from reverting to the sea. In addition to that, the brave Dutch have fought many wars over the centuries, not only against Nature, but against their larger neighbors, to retain the independence of the prosperous, happy little country which they literally created.
Now, after all this cost in blood and toil, to create (and then defend) a country out of nothing — out of land that was once water — the present generation (or their politicians) have betrayed the labors of their ancestors by simply giving away their precious little country to unappreciative alien strangers whom they have brought in to share the wealth. They - like us - have invited the world to come and help themselves to the great national give-away.
It’s like the entire Western World is busy liquidating itself in a great fire sale. But it’s worse than that. Even in a sale, there is a price demanded in return for the goods. Here, it is all being given away for free! Come and help yourself! Is there any explanation for this lemming-like behavior? The whole West is currently intent upon committing suicide. And in some countries, it’s forbidden even to mention that! Otherwise, you’ll find yourself stripped of your wealth and position, and in a prison cell for defending the land created and bequeathed to you by your ancestors.
Posted by ghw at 11:18 AM on May 22
ghw;
Brilliant post. I couldn’t agree more. Since it makes no logical sense I must infer it makes conspiratorial sense. Someone is pulling our strings in pursuit of their own agenda.
Posted by at 11:21 PM on May 25
“Since it makes no logical sense, I must infer it makes conspiratorial sense.”
———-
That says it in a nutshell.
There is obviously more going on there than just immigration and love for minorities.
Posted by voter at 3:59 PM on May 28