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Dutch parliament supports Cabinet’s decision on Hirsi Ali
by Political Editor Rutger van Santen*
10-10-2007
The Dutch cabinet says it will no longer pay for the protection of former MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali outside the country.
The former Dutch politician of Somali origin has been repeatedly threatened because of her outspoken pronouncements against Muslim extremism and her views on the role of women in Islamic society.
The Hague says that since Ms Hirsi Ali recently obtained a residence permit in the United States – where she is employed by the conservative think tank the American Enterprise Institute – she should find sponsors to pay for her own security.
During a parliamentary debate on the issue it became clear that a majority of the Dutch parliament supports the Cabinet’s decision. Ayaan Hirsi Ali returned to the Netherlands on 1st October because the Dutch government had stopped paying for her security.
Fierce criticism
While Ms Hirsi Ali remains in hiding, her supporters in the Netherlands have been criticising the government, which they say is willing to let her be killed out of pure stinginess.
The government has denied her lawyer’s claim that it had promised to pay for her security outside the country for an unlimited period. The Hague says that she was notified several times that it would stop paying for her protection and that it extended the payments for two one-month periods. The government says an opinion poll shows that 90 percent of the Dutch population supports its decision not to pay for her protection.
Confidential
Ms Hirsi Ali’s lawyer, Britta Böhler, sent a number of “confidential” documents to parliament in order to support her case. Several parties said the documents were classified and that Ms Hirsi Ali’s behaviour was “scandalous”. However Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin refused to comment on the issue, which played no role in the debate.
MPs from Ms Hirsi Ali’s former party, the conservative VVD, disagree about whether or not she should raise funds for her own security. Ms Hirsi Ali says that she couldn’t do this before because she only recently obtained a US Green Card, which allows her to work and live in the country on a permanent basis. However, Minister Hirsch Ballin says her employer, the American Enterprise Institute, could also pay for her protection.
Pointless motion
At the end of the parliamentary debate several MPs submitted a motion calling on the government to pay for Ms Hirsi Ali’s protection for “a reasonable period”. However, there is not enough support for the motion since a majority says the government has done its share.
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On the same day, an article co-written by the Indian-British author Salman Rushdie and US writer Sam Harris appeared in
The Los Angeles Times. Salman Rushdie, who enjoys British protection because of a death threat (fatwa) issued by former Iranian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomenei following publication of his book ‘The Satanic Verses’, condemned the Dutch authorities for not offering Ayaan Hirsi Ali the same protection he receives. He says the Dutch government is delivering Ms Hirsi Ali to Muslim fanatics. However, a large majority in the Dutch parliament does not seem to be worried about the effect its decision could have on the country’s image abroad.
* RNW translation (fs)
Tags:
Ayaan Hirsi Ali,
Death Threats,
Dutch conservatives,
Dutch Parliament,
Salman Rushdie,
VVD
Marc,
15-10-2007
- RSA
Please, lets not pretend this is complicated! Ms Hirsi Ali must now foot the bill for her own protection, particularly since she makes a living from antagonising the very people who make such protection necessary. On the matter of asylum seekers in general, they are not automatically entitled to anything until they have conclusively proved their claim is valid. After that, whatever laws apply have to be abided by. Any other protections that would be afforded a Hollander in Holland flow from citizenship and the national interest. This is not unlike anywhere else. You can't gate crash a party, then whine about the food and service.
Rob Willems,
11-10-2007
- The Netherlands
This is not a simple issue and the Netherlands certainly is not the worst place to live as so many political and economical refugees have already become Dutch citizens. Ayaan Hirsi Ali has been able to go to university in Leiden as a Dutch citizen although she did not tell the full story about her past, to put it mildly. In my opinion Ayaan has many good qualities but she also shows the behaviour of a survivor and enjoys a life of luxury.
Now in my opinion, Ayaan being an intelligent academic with many rich friends in the US, should be able to pay for her expenses and stop asking for government money! :-)))))
Sharmake,
11-10-2007
- U.S.A
The Dutch government is the worst government of the Western civilized countries. They colonize people who request protection; Holland is the only country where asylum seekers live even without permission to work for more than 10 years. Hoplland does not respect any law except Dutch extreme far right laws. American people do not have respect for the Dutch government and I do not have respect for the Dutch government, either.
