Netherlands: Far-right strengthen links
01 January 1991
Netherlands: Far-right strengthen links
artdoc March=1993
The various extreme-right parties in Holland have reached an
agreement with the Belgian Vlaams Blok to bring out a joint
manifesto in 1994 for the European elections. Apparently, regular
meetings with the Vlaams Blok are now taking place. (De
Volkskrant 29.9.92)
Prosecutions
A Netherlands district court has stopped a Belgian right-wing
group from distributing two leaflets that dismiss the Holocaust
as a lie. (Guardian 5.11.92) And 29 skinheads were arrested and
found in possession of nazi literature on their way to a concert
of the British neo-nazi band, No Remorse, in Rotterdam. (De
Volkskrant 28.9.92)
Meanwhile, 14 Rotterdam Feyenoord football supporters have been
arrested following a fixture with an Israeli team. Six of those
arrested were carrying banners with racist slogans and the others
were charged with carrying weapons and fireworks. (De Volkskrant
21. 9.92)
Official view - no more immigration
According to De Volkskrant(23.9.92), the Ministry of justice is
currently considering ways of halting family reunification.
Official government thinking states that `Holland as a country
of immigration is now full'.
The government is also considering procedures to deal with
unaccompanied young people applying for asylum, most of whom come
from Somalia and Ethiopia and are aged between 12 and 17.
Requests will now, it seems, be considered within six months to
determine whether the young people can be returned to their
parents in their country of origin. Alternatively, if there is
no possibility of return within six months, a conditional `stay
permit' will be issued. If no solution can be found within three
years, the immigration authorities will issue papers for
permanent stay.
In 1989 there were 2,000 individual youngsters; in 1990, 455;
in 1991, 149 applications were made. (De Volkskrant 23.9.92)
Asylum -seekers' fights violated at Schipol Airport
The organisation `Refugee Work' has accused the immigration
officers at Schipol Airport of violating the rights of asylum
seekers, detailing 19 cases of officer violations from May 1991
to July 1992 to the Ministry of Justice.
A Refugee Work spokesperson claims that, in some incidents,
asylum seekers have been deported handcuffed and with their
mouths sealed with tape. The reason given is that the immigration
officers fear being bitten and running the risk, therefore, of
contracting AIDS! (De Volkskrant 25.9.92)
Refugees immigration
IRR European Race Audit no 1 1992
Contact: Liz Fekete Institute of Race Relations, 2-6 Leeke
Street, London WC1X 9HS. Tel: ++ 071 837 0041