7 May 2008

THE NETHERLANDS - Today's De Telegraaf reports that Amsterdam Labour Party councillor Peggy Burke says that many groups (in the city) are the victims of the focus on Islam.

She argues that the exaggerated focus on Moroccan problem youths means that the problems of many other citizens are being ignored.

Burke says she is really annoyed that so much energy is put into fighting problems among Muslim youths.

She is especially angry about the notion that their problems are linked to their faith.
"I get really tired of talking about religion all the time. We are babbling too much. That's not what I went into politics for."

As an example, Burke mentions a report from the city's housing department, which shows that the most urgent problems occur in the north, west and southeast of Amsterdam, but the focus is almost exclusively on Moroccan problem youths in western Amsterdam.

The Labour councillor has called on her party to take off its blinkers and start focussing on problem youths in general instead of on Muslim youths.

"Those boys in the west of the city don't cause problems because of their religion, but because of the situation they are in. Most of them are not all that religious anyway."

[Radio Netherlands / Georg Schreuder Hes / Expatica]