 |
DEMONSTRATION FOR HUMANE ASYLUM SEEKERS POLICY
Since the present prime minister Hans Peter Balkenende is in power, the image of The Netherlands changed from a tolerant and open society, into a restrictive and inward looking society. Especially the way the Dutch system treats asylum seekers has been seriously criticised by international organisations like Human right watch and the European Council, because human rights are violated. This coming Saturday, the 4th of November 2006, a nation wide demonstration is organised by different organisations that fight for the rights of refugees in The Netherlands. more
November 1, 2006
SHORT HISTORY OF RECENT DUTCH POLITICS
In The Netherlands the system of proportional representation, combined with the historical social division between Catholics, Protestants, Liberals and Socialists has resulted in a multiparty system. In 1994 the Christian democratic CDA lost nearly half its seats. For the first time in eighty years a cabinet was formed without a Christian-democratic party. In June 2006 the actual cabinet fell in the aftermath of the upheaval about the asylum procedure of Ayaan Hirsi Ali instigated by the Dutch immigration minister Verdonk. The Balkenende III care taker cabinet was formed by CDA and VVD, and the general elections were moved to 22 November 2006. more
November 1, 2006
LARGE NUMBER OF ASYLUMSEEKERS TRAUMATISED
Over 400,000 asylum-seekers have come to the Netherlands in recent decades. Many of them traumatised by war, torture, or political or ethnic persecution. These would-be immigrants often have to wait for months or even years for their asylum requests to be examined by the Dutch authorities. This long waiting period and the uncertainty about whether they will be granted refugee status only exacerbate their traumas. A 20-year-old asylum-seeker from Afghanistan: ‘I have a question for this whole world: if I cannot live in my country, if I cannot live in Europe, where should I go?’ more
September 25, 2006
DUTCH SUPPORT IRANIAN RADIO BROADCASTS
In a short period of time, two media-outlets for Iranians have been set up in the Netherlands. And more will follow, all financed by the Dutch government. The most recent development is Radio Zamaneh, broadcasting from Amsterdam and aimed at young Iranians. Zamaneh is independent and won't shy away from debating subjects like sexuality, women's rights and restrictions on clothing. more
September 25, 2006
AUTHORITIES MADE MISTAKES OVER SCHIPHOL FIRE
The death toll from a fire at a detention centre at Amsterdam Schiphol airport last year, was so high because of mistakes made by the ministries of Justice and Public Housing. That's the severe conclusion of a leaked draft report by the Dutch Investigations Board for Security. During the fire at the detention centre last October, eleven people lost their lives. Today the Cabinet rejects the conclusions of the report, and states that the involved authorities have not been negligent. Immediately after the destructive blaze the Minister of Immigration Rita Verdonk stated that her personnel had 'very adequately' dealt with the fire, during and after. more
September 8, 2006
NEW RIGHT-WING PARTIES IN NEXT DUTCH POLLS
Although this year’s Dutch parliamentary elections are still six weeks away, the battle to win voters has already begun. For those people who want to vote for a right-wing party on 22 November, the choice will be greater than ever since three new parties have been established in the past three weeks. All three regard themselves as the rightful heirs to the legacy of Pim Fortuyn, who was murdered in 2002. more
September 8, 2006
THE OTAPAN, CONTROVERSY OVER ASBESTOS SHIP
Turkey is currently refusing to let a vessel enter its territorial waters because of inaccurate information provided by the Dutch authorities about the quantity of asbestos on board. The Netherlands has been accused of carelessness in its handling of the contaminated Mexican chemical tanker, the Otapan. The fuss about the Otapan makes one almost forget that The Netherlands has all the knowledge to dismantle these kinds of contaminated ships. An insider: ‘It is not very complicated. But if you want to do it right, it is relatively expensive.’ more
September 8, 2006
DUTCH CATHOLIC BISHOP URGES CONDOM USE
Dutch Catholic bishop Tiny Muskens has a remarkable message for the people of Uganda who he's visiting this week: the Vatican may be fiercely against the use of condoms, but Bishop Muskens believes it's ok to use them. According to him - it is permissible to opt for the lesser evil of condom use to prevent the greater evil of AIDS. One in ten Ugandans is currently infected with the HIV virus. more
September 8, 2006
Cities of the future will have to be more prepared for the danger of flooding, while at the same time we have to be more efficient in the use of drinking water. The world as a whole is in dire need of sustainable water management, according to SWITCH, a joint project of the European Union and 32 partner organisations. In the Netherlands sustainable use of water is obligatory by law. The latest findings and solutions are tried out in new housing development projects. In the centre of the Netherlands, for instance, an ingenious system of ditches, canals and wadis (a retention area for rain water) is used to save the new neighbourhoods from flooding after heavy rainfall. Even dykes are removed from river beds, to give water more room. more
September 8, 2006
DUTCH COALITION FALLS AFTER RESIGNATION OF D66 MINISTERS
The Dutch coalition government collapsed this evening after one of the most bizarre days in the country's political history. Christian Democrat Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende finally had to accept that the coalition was finished, after ministers of the the smallest coalition party, the democratic D66, resigned. Balkenende is expected to tender his government's resignation to Queen Beatrix on Friday.more
June 29, 2006
TAYLOR ARRIVED FOR TRIAL
Yesterday evening, the Special Court for Sierra Leone transferred former Liberian president Charles Taylor to the detention centre of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, for the purpose of using the facilities of the ICC during his trial. Taylor is held responsible for atrocities during the civil war in neighbouring country Sierra Leone in the nineties of the last century, causing the death of around two hundred thousand people. more
June 22, 2006
NETHERLANDS MENTIONED IN ANNUAL REPORT AMNESTY
In the annual report for 2005, Amnesty International states that the Dutch treatment of asylum seekers and the stricter terrorism legislation are a reason to be worried. It is the first time since 1996, that The Netherlands reappears in the annual report of the human rights organisation. According to Amnesty International, terrorism is used as an excuse to violate human rights in many states. more
May 30, 2006
RESEARCH WAR CRIMES DARFUR FAR TOO SLOW
The Dutch Minister of Development Van Ardenne argued that the International Criminal Court in The Hague, should do a lot more to research the war crimes in Sudan. She says that the researchers of the criminal court are not visually present in Sudan and that it all takes far too long. According to the Dutch UN- delegate for Sudan, Jan Pronk, the future UN-peace mission should be carried out without white soldiers, because armed white soldiers bring back bitter remembrances of the colonial times. more
May 30, 2006
AYAAN HIRSI ALI LIED TO DUTCH AUTHORITIES
The Dutch Minister of Immigration declared yesterday that Ayaan Hirsi Ali got the Dutch nationality unlawfully. It turns out that Hirsi Ali gave a false name, a false birth date and a false story when she requested asylum in The Netherlands. Yesterday Ayaan Hirsi Magan announced that she took on a job in an American conservative think tank from the 1 of September. The ex-Dutch Minister if Immigration that stirred up the case, stated yesterday evening that Hirsi Magan might have difficulties to enter the United States when it is known that she never had the Dutch nationality. During an emotional press conference Hirsi Magan resigned. more
May 17, 2006
ASYLUM SEEKERS CHILDREN TRIAL DUTCH STATE
The Defence for Children International Nederland starts a test trial against the Dutch state, because it violates the rights of children. With the trial the initiators support the critics of the Swiss member of parliament Mrs. Zapfl-Helbling, that reports the European Board about asylum seekers policies. She stated that The Dutch are violating the international treaties for the rights of Children. Other organisations started up a web site that fights against the presence of asylum seekers children in Dutch jails and a Dutch city decided to stop waiting for a possible ‘mercy-regulation’ for the asylum seekers and will help asylum seekers with money, accompaniment and housing. more
April14, 2006
WAITING FOR MLADIC
After some excitement a few days ago, it is silent again around the arrest of Ratko Mladic, nicknamed the ‘butcher of the Balkan’. The Serbian ex-general is the most wanted suspect of the Yugoslavia Tribunal in The Hague, after the leader of the Bosnian Serbs Karadzic. Both have been accused of genocide by the tribunal more than 10 years ago. Now it is the European Union that puts pressure on the Serbs. If they do not extradite Mladic before the end of the month the negotiation about Serbia joining the European will not be held. more
March 3, 2006
ELDERLY INFANTS
After journalist Stella Braam was confronted with the fact that her father was growing demented and that he was not treated in the right way, she wrote a book called ‘I am growing demented’. The book is about the patronizing care and the wrong treatment patients get. Braam: ‘People that are growing demented are treated like elderly infants. People do not talk with them, they talk about them.’ The set of recommendations that was created by Stella and her father is adopted in many other nursing homes and even an American hospital organisation is interested. more
March 3, 2006
NETHERLANDS ORDERS POULTRY INDOORS AS BIRD FLU NEARS
Dutch Agriculture Minister has called on owners of chickens and ducks to take measures as soon as possible to ensure their poultry do not come into contact with wild birds. A regulation making it compulsory to keep all poultry indoors comes into effect today. The new measures are a disaster for organic chickens that should walk outside all their life, but until now it was only possible for 7 weeks. The Dutch were struck by the deadly H5N1 virus in 2003 and managed in a few weeks to get the disease out of the system, by killing millions of chickens. A new outbreak of the aggressive bird flu virus will be devastating for the Dutch poultry farmers. The Dutch minister says it is only a matter of time.more
February 20, 2006
COMPLAINTS ABOUT GOVERNMENT BEING TOO SOFT ON DIFFICULT MIGRANT YOUNGSTERS
The Lower House considers that the cabinet treats the misbehaviour of young people from immigrant backgrounds with velvet gloves. A cross-party majority wants to penalise parents if they refuse to accept help in raising their children, but the government does not consider this feasible. In a meeting with the Amsterdam mayor Job Cohen, Moroccan youngsters, parents and organisations indicated that they want to deal with the annoyance themselves. more
February 20, 2006
AMSTERDAM AIRPORT SCHIPHOL NAMED WORLD'S BEST AIRPORT
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol has been named the world's Best Airport by Buying Business Travel, one of the most prestigious travel trade magazines of the United Kingdom. The Diamond Award was presented to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol executives at a gala dinner held at the prestigious Hurlingham Club in London. Schiphol is based in a very densely populated area of the world. The west of The Netherlands is overpopulated and the number of people suffering from noise nuisance and air pollution is enormous. Till what extend will profit beat social well-being? more
February 20, 2006
THE MAHARISHI IS ON A MISSION
The wood-and-glass headquarters of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is seen in front of the Franciscan monastery where he took up residence in 1990, in a little village in the Netherlands. Sleeping only two or three hours a day, he is grappling with weightier problems, his aides say – translating the theory of meditative power into a blueprint for feeding the hungry and bringing peace to the world. more
February 20, 2006
‘CREATING FEAR IS GOAL OF TERROR TRIAL’
In the anti-terror, so-called ‘Hofstad group’ trial, the lawyers made their plea. They call the charges of the Dutch public prosecutor an attack on the freedom of speech, religion and gathering of information. Most of the plea’s had an inescapable political undertone. According to the lawyers ‘a lot is at stake in this process.’ The judges will give their final verdict on the 10 th of March. more
February 14, 2006
DUTCH DECIDE TO DRILL FOR GAS IN UNIQUE NATURAL RESERVE
After many years of discussion, the Dutch parliament decided to start drilling for gas in the Dutch natural reserve the ‘Wadden’ sea, an unique area with sand flats and island. There is a danger of sinking of ground after the gas is pulled out. The authorities decided to prohibit the salt mining, since that form of mining results in grounds sinking very fast. more
February 14 , 2006
LADIES OF PLEASURE OR SEX SLAVES?
Dutch prostitution policy is meant to free female sex workers from parasitic pimps and turn them into empowered self-employed entrepreneurs. But the authorities are now asking their clients for help to tackle the problem of women being trafficked for sex. more
February 14, 2006
PLEASE SPEAK DUTCH AFTER THE TONE
From 1 March this year, people from outside the European Union hoping to come and live in the Netherlands will have to take a Dutch language test… over the telephone. The exam will be carried out using an automatic speech recognition system and has just been approved by the Dutch Parliament, but the idea also has plenty of critics. more
February 14, 2006
DUTCH TO FIGHT BIRD FLU BY MASS POULTRY VACCINATION
The Dutch government wants to vaccinate its huge poultry population against bird flu in the face of growing fears of a major European outbreak, the farm ministry said on Thursday. The deadly H5N1 avian flu virus that emerged in Asia has rapidly spread in Turkey, and now also popped up in Greece and Italy. Besides the desire to vaccinate, the Dutch decided to keep the chickens, ducks and other poultry inside the farms again as a precaution for the advancing bird flu. more
February 14 , 2006
ROTTERDAM BANS POOR PEOPLE
The Dutch city of Rotterdam wants to keep out deprived people from poor neighbourhoods. When the city council and the minister of housing agree, 20.000 houses will be blocked for people that do not have a job, after the 1 of May 2006. Since the new ‘ Rotterdam law’ is taken on, the city council of Rotterdam has a series of measures to fight the degeneration of some disadvantaged areas. more
February 14 , 2006
THOUSANDS OF ASYLUMSEEKER FAMILIES TURNED OUT IN STREETS
Dutch local authorities that help asylum seekers that did not get a residence permit, will have to report to the Minister for Immigration and Integration Rita Verdonk in the near future. The minister is fed up with the local administrators that give emergency relief which is against the Dutch law. Politicians, mayors, doctors, lawyers, teachers, relief workers and many more argue that the Dutch state is seriously violating the fundamental rights of people and children. The examples are horrific. more
January 11, 2006
JAPAN ASKS DUTCH TO STOP GREENPEACE WHALING CAMPAIGN
Japan 's fisheries ministry has asked the Netherlands to put pressure on environmental organisation Greenpeace to stop its open-sea protests against Japanese whalers. Greenpeace is using a Dutch-registered ship to carry out its campaign. At the moment a whale war is fought between environmental activists on two ships and Japanese Whalers in the Antarctic waters. more
January 11, 2006
500 MEDITATING MEN CAN MAKE TERRORISM DISAPPEAR
In an advertisement in a Dutch newspaper 500 young vital men where asked to start a one year course to make The Netherlands unconquerable. The participants will be educated in ‘total knowledge’ and in the ‘total nature law’, so they will make themselves and the The Netherlands immeasurably strong, invulnerable and invincible. All these goals where to be reached by meditation, taught by the ‘Maharishi’, the head of the international ‘transcendental meditation’ organisation that has its headquarters in a little Dutch village. more
January 11, 2006
DUTCH MIGRANTS OBLIGED TO DO NATURALISATION COURSE
The Dutch authorities decided that around half a million people will have to finish a naturalisation course successfully. The new measure effects all in habitants between 15 and 60 years that do not have the Dutch nationality. All naturalised non-natives with social security, children and people on the mental care are also obliged to do the naturalisation course. Minister Verdonk can not yet make clear how she wants to track down the people that are obliged to do the naturalisation course. more
October 19, 2005
MORE TERROR SUSPECTS HOFSTAD GROUP ARRESTED
Last Friday the Dutch police arrested seven terrorism suspects. One of the arrested is Samir A., who was cleared of a charge of the preparation of a terrorist attack earlier this year. Although Mohammed B, the killer of Theo van Gogh, is already convicted for life long imprisonment, he is also suspect in the 'Hofstad group' trial. The Dutch public prosecutor has huge difficulties to sentence people for suspected terrorism. Since the first Dutch terror-trial started in 2002, most of the lawyers have stated that the trials are useless since there is not enough evidence. They stress that the Dutch should take care that the efforts to find and convict terrorists should not undermine the Dutch constitutional state. The process of the first Hofstad group will start on the 5th of December. more
October 19, 2005
THE BROAD SCHOOL
Lately the Dutch government is researching if it possible to oblige schools to stay open longer, so the buildings can be used for before-, and after-school reception for children. This becomes more important since more an more parents are both working. The concept is not new. For years schools are already facilitating reception of children before and after school hours. It is called the ‘broad school’. The reception, upbringing and education all happen from the same viewpoint. This formula gives children more opportunities. more
October 19, 2005
INNOVATION IN DUTCH FISHING
While Europe is getting ready to decide on the new fishing quota, it becomes clear that the seas are getting emptier and that fishing becomes more expensive because of the high oil price. The branch will have to innovate. Dutch fishermen took their own responsibility. They cooperate intensively with scientists and they even decide on and check their own quota. One of the new Dutch techniques is fishing with electricity, since it is a lot cheaper and more environment friendly. Also the indoor fish farming is very innovative, since the Dutch system is totally controlled and closed, so there is no emission and there is no chance of genetically cross-breeding. more
October 12 , 2005
YOUTH SUBURBS FORM THE STRENGTH OF THE FUTURE
In France it is not the authorities, but the business community that is taking the lead in looking determinedly for contact with the future migrant personnel. Large companies like Renault see that the youth from the suburbs are the strength of the future. In The Netherlands the business community is already actively looking for personnel and marketing data in the suburbs since a long time. While the national and local politics are often afraid to touch subjects like migrant- unemployment, discrimination, school absenteeism, criminality and radicalisation, the large companies initiated all kinds of projects and experiments to involve and inform migrant youngsters. more
October 12 , 2005
DUTCH CANNABIS BRANCH HAS YEARLY TURNOVER OF €4 BILLION
After 25 years of toleration cannabis is very much anchored in Dutch society. The Dutch now managed to estimate the seize of their cannabis branch. The yearly turnover is estimated at 4 billion euros. Around 63.650 plantations harvest around 1 billion kilos of cannabis a year. A large number of Dutch mayors is in favour of starting experiments with legal cannabis cultivation. One of the coffee shop owners is desperate: ‘we provide good quality cannabis and information, we attract many tourists, we create jobs and we pay loads of tax. It is finally time for recognition’. more
Also read: 'Majority Dutch mayors want to legalise soft drugs' and 'The Cannabis Boulevard'.
September 17, 2005
GERMANS FAVOUR CREMATION IN HOLLAND
Many Dutch crematoria along the border have more and more German customers, because the rules are lot more flexible in The Netherlands. Besides that it is a lot cheaper and it is allowed to take home the urn with the ashes. The future German customers are now informed about the possibilities by means of a ‘Kaffeefahrt’ (coffee trip). A mother took along her daughter, since she does not want her to have the same heavy job she had cremating her husband in Germany. ‘It was a tragedy! I want to be cremated in Holland, maybe I will even arrive in heaven as a Dutchman’. more
September 17, 2005
FRATTINI CANNOT BLOCK NEW DUTCH CANNABIS LEGISLATION
This Friday (May 20, 2005) a special soft drugs conference will be held in Maastricht. The mayor decided to organise this international conference, since the region is flooded with European drugs tourists, drugs related criminality and because many say that new steps in the Dutch soft drugs policy will have to be taken. Since the European minister of Justice Fratinni stated that he cannot do anything when the Dutch want to start experiments with tolerated cannabis cultivation, many Dutch parties and politicians want the Dutch to use the momentum and start legalising the complete branch. A Dutch coffee shop owner is ready to do what never has been done before: show the complete system. more
Also read: 'The Cannabis boulevard'
& 'Mayor wants to tolerate Cannabis cultivation'
May 17, 2005
BELGIUM REPORTS DUTCH DRUGS ANNOYANCE IN BORDER REGIONS
The Belgian State is worried about the large amount of Dutch cannabis cultivators and XTC producers, that set-up their plantations and laboratories in their border provinces. The Belgian Minister of Justice, Mister Onkelinx, wants to have consultation with the Dutch at short notice. This month the Mayor of Maastricht is organising a special regional conference to discuss the toleration of border coffee shops to fight the annoyance of soft drugs tourists in the centre of the city. He wants to create a ‘cannabis boulevard’. It is still unclear where the future cannabis boulevard coffee shops will get their soft drugs from; Holland or Belgium? more
Also read: 'The Cannabis boulevard'
& 'Mayor wants to tolerate Cannabis cultivation'
April 1, 2005
CONSTRUCTION METRO AMSTERDAM IS LIKE TRIP TO THE MOON
Since two years the Dutch are constructing a new metro line in Amsterdam. Technically the project is extremely complicated, since the tunnel for the tube is drilled through very muddy ground with the use of unknown new techniques. There are loads of insecurities: how expensive will the project become? Will some of the 17th century Amsterdam buildings sink away? Due to technical problems, the construction under the central station came to a standstill over the last three months. Although the constructor will start again next week, the project is stil a nightmare since it is too expensive and risky to insure. The responsible alderman: 'this super complicated mega project is an adventure that can be compared with a trip to the moon.' more
April 1, 2005
MAYOR WANTS TOLERATION CANNABISCULTIVATION
The mayor of Maastricht thinks the cultivation of Dutch cannabis should be legalised. He is one of the growing group of Dutch local politicians and civil servants that emphasise the need to solve the so called backdoor problem of the coffee shop - where it is illegal to buy, but illegal to supply,- but the national authorities do nowant change in the Dutch soft drugs policy. In April 2005 Maastricht will organise a cannabis conference with the neighbouring municipalities to discuss the plan to open a cannabis boulevard near the border. more
Also read 'The Cannabis boulevard'
March 15, 2005
FEATURES 2009If you click on these links you will get to the proposals that were published on Featurez.com in 2009. more
FEATURES 2008If you click on these links you will get to the proposals that were published on Featurez.com in 2008. more
FEATURES 2007 If you click on these links you will get to the proposals that were published on Featurez.com in 2007. more
FEATURES 2003-2004If you click on these links you will get to the proposals that were published on Featurez.com in 2003 and 2004! more
|
|
|
|
EYE CATCHING NEW DUTCH PARTIES
There are quite a few eye-catching new parties participating in the upcoming Dutch elections. For example 'The Party for (the) Animals' and the 'Green Free' party. The first party was established directly after the resignation of the first Cabinet Balkenende in October 2002, out of dissatisfaction with the hostile way animals are treated in The Netherlands. The 'Groen Vrij' (Green Free) party is erected out of dissatisfaction with the actual cannabis and coffee shop policy. Some coffee shop owners state that the Green Free party is the only way to save the Dutch cannabis branch. more
November 1, 2006
MINISTERS QUIT OVER FIRE REPORT
Two Dutch government ministers have resigned following the publication of a devastating report into the fire at a cell complex at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport in which eleven illegal immigrants died. The Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner and Housing and Environment Minister Sybilla Dekker decided they could no longer stay in office. Ex-minister of Justice Ernst Hirsch Ballin replaces Donner and Pieter Winsemius becomes the temporary Housing Minister. more
September 25, 2006
VOTE OR GO TO JAIL
Stoical the Belgians await a possible increase of the popularity of the Flemish extreme right party ‘Vlaams Belang’ in the upcoming local elections. Antwerp web loggers comment on the uncommon rule that every citizen is obliged to vote. Web loger Di, ‘(…) yes, it’s good everyone has to vote but it’s really bad that it looks like their protest vote might just put the extreme right in power … this would make me sad beyond words. more
September 25, 2006
DUTCH TERROR SUSPECT CAN BE EXTRADITED TO US
For the first time in history the Dutch High Court okayed the deportation of Dutch terrorist suspect called Wessam al D. to the United States of America. For the lawyer of Al D. the judgement is incomprehensible: ‘Sadly enough the ‘’hard liners’ in the High Court still have the power.’ Al D. always insisted that he is innocent and now fears that he will not get an honest trial in the US and that he runs the risk of being tortured. more
September 8, 2006
HUGE INCREASE IN NEW PARTIES FOR DUTCH GENERAL ELECTION
There has been a massive increase in the number of parties hoping to win seats in the Dutch parliament. The Electoral Council has registered a total of 74 parties for the general election on 22 November compared with 45 in the last national poll in 2003. Several right-wing Fortuyn-inspired parties are hoping to make a breakthrough for the rest, a party for animals, a whistle-blowers Party and Tamara's Open Party. Foreigner observers will be more interested in the registration of the Brotherly Love, Freedom and Diversity Party (PNVD). The PNVD was founded a few months ago by paedophiles to push for the legalisation of sex between adults and children. more
September 8, 2006
EU DISCUSSES CONTROVERSIAL DUTCH REPORT ON ISLAM
The Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR) will present a controversial report on Islam to European Commission vice president Franco Frattini next week. Released in the Netherlands in April, it was criticised by both the Lower House and Foreign Minister Bot. According to the WRR, an unjustified fear of and aversion to Islam exists in the Netherlands. Instead of continuing to drag the name of that faith through the mud, there should be far more criticism of friendly countries such as the US, Israel and Russia. more
September 8, 2006
MEDUSA: A NATO OPERATION 'UNDER CONSTRUCTION'
Troops taking part of NATO's ISAF mission in southern Afghanistan are now engaged in their first major offensive. They're not only coming up against the Taliban, but also logistical and other - teething - problems. Although the Dutch ISAF troops are not taking part in this operation - codenamed Medusa - it is having an impact on them, too. The casualties, accidents and 'friendly fire' of the past weekend will not help remove the doubts about the mission. Much like the Dutch camp in Uruzgan, it seems that Operation Medusa may remain a mission that's still 'under construction' for a while to come. more
September 8, 2006
APPEAL TO RESTORE THE NIGHT WATCH
A Dutch artist argues that Rembrandt's Night Watch is a damaged painting which we can only fully appreciate if the missing edges are repainted. He is calling for international research to determine whether this would be feasible and desirable. Rijksmuseum's director Ronald de Leeuw is fervently opposed to the artist’s proposal. "No matter how good we might think we are," he says, "I can't see anyone capable of matching brushes with Rembrandt. more
September 8, 2006
LOCAL INITIATIVES TO HELP ASYLUM SEEKERS THAT WAIT FOR PERMIT
A local Dutch foundation that fights for the rights of asylum seekers that already wait for their residence permit for more than five years, decided to give an advance on the future possibility to get a status. The foundation, based in a town in the middle of the country, will offer housing, income and accompaniment until the national authorities come with a solution for this group. Sadly enough it is expected that many of the thousands of asylum seekers will end up in the streets. Often it is the authorities themselves that dump whole families in the streets, telling them to go home, which they do not do. more
June 29, 2006
FAIR COFFEE, BANANNAS AND FASHION
If you're a cotton farmer, toiling away in your small farm in the foothills of Brazil, trying to produce enough good quality cotton to be made into denim, how do you compete with that kind of marketing? The answer is, you don't. But one Dutch organisation is at least trying to give those farmers a bit of a better deal. An NGO based in The Netherlands has been promoting fair trade products, mostly coffee and bananas, for the last couple of decades. Five years ago they started to promote a new brand of fair trade jeans in The Netherlands, called Kuyichi. more
June 29, 2006
DUTCH MUSLIMS FIGHT ISLAM PHOBIA
Actual research shows that a quarter of the Dutch population is against the presence of migrants and 10% of the population name themself racist. One of the researchers: ‘Since the September 11th attacks there has been a large increase in Islam phobia in The Netherlands.’ Many Muslim- and anti-racism movements organise debates in The Netherlands to discuss the anti-Islam atmosphere. A Dutch UN-lawyer compares the actual situation in a newspaper essay, with the climate in Germany in the 1930-ties. more
June 29, 2006
NO HINDRANCE EU FOR DUTCH EXPERIMENT WITH CANNABIS CULTIVATION
During a working visit in The Netherlands, the European commissioner of Justice Franco Frattini, stated that European legislation cannot block the legal cultivation of cannabis for the supply Dutch coffee shops. The Dutch Lower House had a debate with the Minister of Justice Piet Hein Donner about the plan to experiment with cultivation of cannabis for the legal supply of coffee shops. A majority of the Dutch Lower House is in favour of such an experiment, but Donner said that he would never cooperate. Dutch farmers just started a anti-cannabis-beacon-system, to show that their fields are well checked for secret cannabis growing. more
June 21, 2006
ARRESTS IN INDIAN CHILD SMUGGLING CASE
This month Dutch police have arrested people for the disappearance of young Indian asylum seekers. Since October 2004 at least 125 single minor asylum seekers disappeared from Dutch reception centres. One of the Dutch members of Parliament leaked information from a confidential immigration office report. According to this MP the boys end up in prostitution in Europe.more
May 30, 2006
BRAVE MOTHERS FIGHT COCAINE USE OF THEIR CHILDREN
After the success of one group of mothers fighting the cocaine addiction of their children, now also in other places in The Netherlands parents organise themselves to fight the drugs problems of their children. According to one of the initiators the problems are immense. Parents that tell her that children are threatening their own parents, they leave school and they get very serious debts. Pupils from a secondary school stated that lockers are sold to dealers, so they can use them for the dealing in drugs. more
May 30, 2006
THE END OF THE STREET PROSTITUTION ZONE
After Amsterdam and Rotterdam, now also the official prostitution streetwalkers' district of The Hague is also shut down. The only street prostitution zone that is still open is the one in Utrecht. Here the organisation manages to only have the addicted girls from the Utrecht region. In the actual conservative Dutch culture it is they question for how long the Utrecht street zone for prostitution will still exist. The street prostitutes, often heavily addicted, dive underground, or reappear in other streets. Out of sight of the Dutch citizen, but also unprotected and out of reach of the organisations that are there to help them. more
April 14, 2006
TRIBUNAL WANTS TO TRY TAYLOR IN THE HAGUE
The special United Nations tribunal in Sierra Leone wants the trial of former Liberian president Charles Taylor to take place in the Netherlands to avoid unrest in the West African country. The Dutch Foreign Ministry has agreed to host the trial under a number of conditions. One of them is that the UN Security Council approves and that the former president does not serve his sentence in the Netherlands. more
April 14, 2006
THE IRANIAN OIL EURO
Some people do not believe that it is only the nuclear ambitions that’s urging the United States in taking action against Iran. On the 20th of March the Iranian Oil Exchange will open its doors and oil traders will have to do their business only and exclusively in euros. When Iraq tried to do the same three years ago they were confronted with a declaration of war. more
March 3, 2006
SERBIA ON TRIAL FOR GENOCIDE
Since the 27th of February 2006 the International Criminal Court will be occupied with the difficult question if Serbia has committed genocide in Bosnia, in the early nineties. Around 50 Bosnian widows and mothers of men that are killed in Srebrenica in 1995, arrived in The Hague last weekend. It is the first time that a state summons an other state for genocide, with the international treaty of 1948 with the goal to prevent repetition of the holocaust, as a juridical basis. more
March 3, 2006
DUTCH TOP CRIMINAL WILLEM H. ARRESTED
Dutch criminal Willem H., one of the men who kidnapped beer magnate Freddy Heineken in 1983, is now also suspected of extorting money from Dutch media tycoons Joop van der Ende and John de Mol. Detectives of the Dutch serious crime division arrested H. and 10 other suspects earlier this year for extorting money from real estate traders like Willem Endstra, who was liquidated in front of his office. more
February 20, 2006
SHELL EVACUATES STAFF DUE TO NIGERIAN UNREST
Oil company Shell has once again evacuated workers and suspended operations at a number of facilities in Nigeria. The company is concerned about unrest in the Niger delta, where nine of its foreign sub-contractors were kidnapped by rebels this morning. Shell is extracting oil in the Niger Delta since 1958. The effects on the environment, caused by leaking pipelines, chemical waste through ground- and air pollution – is substantial. more
February 20, 2006
TRADITIONAL FRISIAN EGG SEARCHING PERMITTED
Traditional Dutch Frisian egg searchers will probably get permission to search for eggs of wild birds on the first of March. Finding plover's egg’s is an old tradition in the Dutch self-willed province Friesland. Last year the egg searching was forbidden by the authorities, causing a hug row. Now the bird egg searchers are restricted to only take along a maximum of 15 plover's egg’s. In the rest of Europe, searching for eggs is forbidden. more
February 20, 2006
DUTCH BANKS ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT SMALL LOANS
A number of Dutch and foreign banks have issued a favourable report on granting small loans to people in developing countries. The study says that while small loans still play a relatively minor role in international financial institutions, they will become more accessible and profitable in the future. The so called ‘Micro credit’ program extends small loans, and other financial services such as savings, to very poor people for self-employment projects that generate income, allowing them to care for themselves and their families. more
February 20, 2006
DUTCH PROOF CHANCE FOR BIRD FLU PANDEMIC
This Thursday and Friday the European Union emergency consultations will take place, since the deadly bird flu variety H5N1 is now also detected in Greece, Italy and the future candidate state Bulgaria. Viruses are very good survivors. Also the bird flu viruses, that change their genetic appearance to get around the defence system of birds. Such a genetic change can be vital for human beings. In The Netherlands tests with cats proof that this can be the case. more
February 14, 2006
DUTCH FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFIC JAMS IS GETTING HARDER
The Dutch national traffic department stated that it is getting harder and harder for the Dutch to fight their traffic jams, because they get longer and they spread over the country. The Netherlands has the largest motorway network in the world per square kilometre. Since traffic jams became a problem Dutch ministries and specialists tried to solve the problem many times, with many different measures. Now another futuristic plan is executed: the Dutch want to build an extra first-floor-motor-way-lane. Concrete poles will be placed in the middle of the existing motor way and on top a new road will be constructed. more
February 20, 2006
THE ROTTERDAM CODE
Last week's statement by Dutch Minister for Immigration and Integration Rita Verdonk that 'everybody should speak Dutch on the streets' caused an outcry in the Netherlands. Even some foreign media reported the statement as the latest example of Dutch intolerance towards immigrants. But what did the minister really say and where did it come from? more
February 14, 2006
EU COUNTRIES VIOLATE IMMIGRANT GUIDELINE
European commissioner Franco Frattini says most European Union countries are not respecting EU guidelines for foreign residents. According to the guidelines, immigrants from countries outside the EU who have lived in a EU country for more than five years have the right to a long-term residence permit. more
February 14, 2006
THE ORIGIN OF THE CARTOON AFFAIR
It was the idea of Kaare Bluitgen that his book about the prophet Mohammed would bring Danish people and Muslims closer together. That turned out to be a serious misconception. Bluitgen hates the fact that the cartoon affair got totally out of hand: ‘I wanted to create understanding for a new religion and culture, and it ends with Danish embassies being burned down. more
February 14 , 2006
WAR ART COLLECTION FINALLY RETURNED AFTER 70 YEARS
Sixty years after the end of the second World War the heirs of the famous ‘Goudstikker art collection’ will finally get back some of their property. The Dutch state decided to return 202 art works to the family. Inspired by the outcome of the Goudstikker case, the heirs of the Jewish art dealer Hans Sachs asked the German Museum in Berlin to return a collection of historical posters, that were confiscated by the nazi’s before the Second World War. more
February 14, 2006
BETTER EDUCATION AFTER LOVER BOY PROBLEM IS GROWING WORSE
‘Lover boys’ are still a huge problem in the Netherlands. Handsome young man pick up vulnerable and frustrated young girls and overload them with attention and presents, with the goal to force them into prostitution. Although there are campaigns and specialised reception centres already, research shows that the number of victims increases. The city council of Amsterdam decided to fight this phenomena by starting a special information campaign. more
February 14 , 2006
NEW WITNESS IN TORROR COURT CASE
The Dutch Public Prosecution has an important new witness in the case against the possible Dutch terrorist group called the ‘Hofstad group’. The witness allegedly heard in prison that Mohammed B. - the murderer of Dutch moviemaker Theo van Gogh - had told the other Hofstad group suspects that he intended to kill filmmaker Theo van Gogh. Mohammed B. stated that he wants to hold a brief for himself in court. He asked his lawyers to request an hour of speaking time on the 16th of January 2006. more
January 11, 2006
REMBRANDT BORN 400 YEARS AGO
This year it will have been 400 years ago that Rembrandt, Holland's greatest 17th-century painter, was born. The perfect occasion to put the spotlight on this Dutch master. Like no other artist, Rembrandt managed to capture light and shadows in paint. In addition, his drawings and etchings are unequalled. more
January 11, 2006
NATO URGES NETHERLANDS TO DECIDE ON AFGHANISTAN MISSION
NATO has urged the Netherlands to decide quickly on a proposed Dutch military mission to the southern Afghan province of Uruzgan. NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said he hoped the stalemate between the Dutch cabinet and the parliament would end this month. Paul Bremer III, the former US ambassador to the Netherlands, has warned that a Dutch refusal to send troops may lead to US sanctions. more
January 11, 2006
TIËSTO NUMBER ONE DJ AGAIN
DJ Tiësto has once again been named as the world's best DJ. Last month, the DJ from the Dutch city of Breda finished first in the DJ Top 100 for the third consecutive year. The Top 100 list is published every year by the leading British dance magazine DJ Mag. Many people thought that Tiësto would end up lower down the list after having won twice. DJ Tiësto also performed in front of 70,000 people during the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. more
January 11, 2006
SADDAM'S CHEMICAL SUPPLIER FACES GENOCIDE APPEAL
The Public Prosecutor's Office has lodged an appeal against the decision in December to acquit businessman Frans Van Anraat of complicity in genocide by Saddam Hussein. The trial court jailed Van Anraat in December for 15 years for complicity in war crimes in relation to poison gas attacks carried out by Saddam's forces in Iraq and Iran. The OM wants an appeal court to rule whether Van Anraat was an accomplice to genocide by providing some of the chemical compounds used to manufacture the gas. Van Anraat is also appealing against his conviction and sentence. more
January 11, 2006
INCREASE IN TRAFFIC IN CHILDREN
‘The Dutch really have to act more severely against traffic in children’, that is the conclusion of Helga Konrad, the responsible person for human trafficking of the OVSE. The organisation demands a more active approach from the Dutch. One of the things that confirms the estimations is the high number of missing children on special internet sites. The national Dutch coordinator of traffic in children: ‘Especially many Asian boys are missing. Sometimes one is found in a Chinese restaurant, but where is the rest?’ more
October 19, 2005
DISCOURAGE MENTALLY DISABLED DESIRE TO HAVE CHILDREN
The Dutch Ministry of Health wants to discourage mentally disabled the desire to have children, but specialists and social workers do not really know how to do that, because the desire is genuine and that has to be respected. A Dutch film producer and a director will teach social workers how to discourage mentally disabled the desire to have children. For this they will develop a professional method that can be implemented nationally. The Ministry of Health and one of the Dutch public broadcasters are financing the project. more
October 19, 2005
IMAM EDUCATION AND SEARCH FOR RADICAL YOUNGSTERS
The Dutch Contact Group Muslims and Authorities expressed that they want to decide themselves how and where Imams should be educated in The Netherlands, after a university got a subsidy to start education for Imams. The Dutch authorities think that the current imams do not have enough ties with society and that they are often too radical. At the same time CMO want to sent their imams into the neighbourhoods to find isolated radicalising youngsters. It is striking that especially native converted Muslims are mentioned. more
October 12, 2005
WITCH ELIGIBLE FOR RECEIVING TAX DEDUCTIONS
A Dutch witch is eligible for receiving tax deductions for her witch-education. Since the witch in question wanted to receive more tax deductions, she went to court. A witch is a wise woman or man that tries to help people. The founder of a with school: 'First I receive people for an intake meeting. Not everybody is suitable to be a witch, you know.’ more
October 12 , 2005
POSITIVE RESULTS FREE HEROIN PROGRAM
Dutch researchers just finished a research on the free supply of heroin to heavy addicts. The assumption that the free supply would save money turns out to be realistic. On a yearly basis 13.000 euro is saved per junky. A hard drugs addict that gets free heroin is a lot less criminal and gets in trouble less often with the police and with the law. According to the researches these advantages compensate the costs of the free supply easily. more
September 17, 2005
DUTCH FIGHT AGAINST TRAFFIC IN CHILDREN INADEQUATE
According to child right organisations the Dutch politicians and social workers do not have enough attention for the fight against traffic in children. For victims and potential victims not enough information, accompaniment and relief is available. A researcher concludes that the UN treaty for the rights of children became effective in The Netherlands. ‘A lot has still to happen before this treaty is reality for all children’. more
September 17, 2005
CROSSING BORDER
ONLY SALVATION ECONOMY LIMBURG
The Dutch province Limburg is not doing very well economically. Many say that the only solution lies in stimulating the so-called EU-regional economy. But many national rules and regulations form difficult obstacles for companies and personnel that are active on both sides of the border. An employee of the chamber of commerce: ‘The Limburg borders with Germany and Belgium are a lot longer than the ‘border’ with the rest of The Netherlands. This says enough. We need to develop our own strength. Our advise: cross the border!’ more
September 17, 2005
SECOND CANNABIS CONFERENCE EXPECTED
Before the end of this year a second special soft drug conference will be organised by the mayor of Maastricht. The target date
18th of November 2005, still needs to be confirmed.
Since the capital of the Dutch province Limburg is confronted with a huge wave of drugs tourists, the enormous demand for soft drugs lead to sales outside of the regular channels. Apart from mayor Leers also mayors of national and international adjoining municipalities like Liège and Achen will participate. Even some ministers of the involved countries are expected to attend the conference. more
September 17, 2005
COMPANIES SUPPORT MOROCCANS YOUNGSTERS
Through the fact that the murderer of movie director Van Gogh was born and raised in the West of Amsterdam and since there were riots, the neighbourhood and especially the majority of Moroccan inhabitants got quite a bad name. Now different local projects are initiated by Dutch multinationals and the Dutch Moroccans themselves. The goals:
fight the negative view on the Moroccan youngsters; help the large numbers of Moroccans without a future; taking care that there will be enough Dutch Moroccan workforce in the future and to fight the option that unhappy Dutch Muslims might become terrorists. more
May 17, 2005
EUTHANASIA FOR PATIENTS THAT GROW DEMENTED
Since 1998 the number of reported euthanasia cases increased for the first time. Now also euthanasia of patients that grew demented was reported. Since the doctor complied with the euthanasia rules there will be no prosecution. Euthanasia for people that grow demented is still a very sensitive and complicated matter in the Dutch euthanasia practice. The euthanasia has to be carried out while the patient is still able to consciously express the wish to get euthanasia. The checking commissions for euthanasia cases agree to the fact that Alzheimer patients that understand their progress of their disease can suffer unbearably. more
September 17, 2005
MODERN SLAVERY IN THE NETHERLANDS
This weekend one of the Dutch TV news programs reported that modern slavery is quite common in The Netherlands. Especially in West Africa thousands of people are recruited to do illegal dirty work for a very low salary in The Netherlands. The recruiters, criminal gangs from Nigeria and Ghana earn millions from the exploitation of illegal workers. They take two third of the wages, usually leaving only 2 euro per hour for the illegal worker. The work conditions are usually very bad. more
March 14, 2005
THE MAASTRICHT CANNABIS BOULEVARD
The town council of Maastricht wants to move ten from the 16 coffee shops from the centre to the outskirts of the town or even to the neighbouring city of Eijsden, right at the Belgian border. The mayor of Maastricht wants to organise a cannabis conference for the region as soon as possible, to persuade the neighbouring municipalities in The Netherlands, Belgium and Germany to agree to the new plan. By auctioning the new locations on the ‘cannabis boulevard‘ he hopes the plan will not cost the city anything. more
March 8, 2005
ART WORK OF DUTCH FORGER GIVEN BACK
This week the Dutch master art forger Geert Jan Jansen will organise the transport of some of the art works that were seized by the French justice department 10 years ago, after he was arrested. This ends a long struggle about the collection. One and a half year ago the court of Orleans released part of the art works of Jansen. Also his diaries, agenda's and photo equipment will be handed over. Geert Jan Jansen does not know which art works will be given back. The French decided to only hand over the art works from which it is sure that they are not forged. Jansen: 'I do not rule out that I might receive art work at which it will be impossible to suppress a light smile.' more
Also read: 'Art Mafia'
March 8, 2005
WAVE OF INITIATIVES TO BRING THE DUTCH TOGETHER AGAIN
After the swing to the right of Dutch politics and the attacks on populist Pim Fortuyn and the provocative filmmaker Theo van Gogh, the Dutch discovered that tolerance does not automatically bring the different cultures together. The national authorities started an initiative to bridge the gaps between the natives and the migrants by organising a gathering of politicians and welfare workers. Already before the authorities came into action to fight segregation, numerous initiatives were taken by individuals and local organisations. In this article a selection of some of the initiatives. One initiative is called 'Hallo neighbour (buuf)'. more
March 8, 2005
|
|
|
|
DUTCH PREPARE FOR ELECTIONS
Twenty six political parties will join the national elections on the 22 of November. It seems that it will be a race between the sitting prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende of the Christian democrat CDA, and the leader of the Dutch social democrat party the PvdA, Wouter Bos. It was expected that Bos would have an easy job after a few years of conservative and often populist politics, and a few scandals, including the resignation of quite a few Ministers. Instead it now turns out that it will be a neck to neck race. more
November 1, 2006
ASYLUM CHILDREN START TRIAL AGAINST DUTCH STATE
On the 14th of July 2006, the Dutch child right organisation ‘Defence for Children International’ and the association of asylum seekers children called ‘We want to stay’, summoned the Dutch state to appear in court. The organisations accuse the Dutch state of unlawful actions, because they do not grant legal residency to children that are rooted in the Dutch society. The case will be opened on the 1 of December 2006, in the court of The Hague. more
November 1, 2006
BRUSSELS WANTS RELIGION-FREE ELECTIONS
A Brussels regional government's PM has issued a ban on the wearing of religious symbols during the forthcoming local elections on 8 October. Ministry's guidelines have provoked angry reactions. The measure is clearly stated on the notification card that has been sent to the polling stations chairmen and assistant-chairmen. These have been told not to wear any conspicuous religious symbols or clothes that could manifest their faith. The ban also applies to head scarves. more
September 25, 2006
THE GOLDEN CAGE
In 1999 ‘De Gouden Kooi’ (The Golden Cage) used to be the original concept and working title for the famous first reality TV program Big Brother. In 2006 it has been turned into another Dutch format of reality television by producer John de Mol for his new TV channel Talpa. The concept has been heavily criticized. Because there are no nominations or possibilities to vote the candidates out, which is the case in Big Brother, psychologists assume that harassment and bullying will be the only ways of getting rid of one's rivals and obtaining the reward. The contestants could stay in the villa for years. The candidates enter the villa on the 1 of October. more
September 25, 2006
DEMONSTRATION LOCALS HELPING AYLUM SEEKERS
Since the 1 of July 2006, the organisation 'Our Pardon' and locals help fifty asylum seekers that are already staying in The Netherlands for a long time, as a full advance on the possible 'Pardon arrangement' after the national elections on the 22 of November 2006. The Board of Europe, the UN-committee and Human rights Watch indicated that the present Dutch policy for the 'old law people' are violating human rights. Our Pardon celebrates the successful start of the initiative on the 16th of September. Members of parliament will come to speak about the chances of a general 'pardon'. more
September 8, 2006
NO BOMBS BUT BREAD IN SOUTH AFGHANISTAN
The Taliban are popular again in the South of Afghanistan. According to Senils Council, the Afghani people feel abandoned and left out by the international community. ‘Often inhabitants of a village have to guess why and by whom they were bombed. The results are pretty clear: many civilians killed and injured. The conclusion of the population in the South of Afghanistan is short and simple, Bombs instead of bread’, a researcher states. more
September 8, 2006
MIGRANT WOMEN CARRY ECONOMY
Yearly more than 95 million emigrated women transfer around 232 billion dollars to their country of origin. Surprisingly it is a serious economical factor, because the women play an important role in supporting the economy of their country of origin. Sadly enough the hard working women do not have many labour rights, and they are often victim of exploitation and sexual abuse. This is the conclusion of the World population report of the United Nations, published this week. Next week the UN debate about ‘migration’. more
September 8, 2006
HOW DUTCH MUSLIMS BECOME RADICALISED
The critical climate towards Islam in the Netherlands has significantly contributed to radicalisation among Dutch Muslim youth. That is the conclusion reached by the authors of a report about the worldviews of radical and democratic Muslims in the Netherlands, commissioned by Dutch Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk. One of the researchers: 'The negative image of Islam communicated by Dutch politicians and journalists has forced young second generation Muslims to make a choice. Many have concluded that as Muslims they are no longer allowed to identify with the Netherlands. This has led to a quest whereby Salafism became an attractive option.' more
September 8, 2006
SECOND-CHANCE FASHION
Both women and clothing get a second chance at the Ami E Toi fashion label. This brand new Dutch label produces haute couture garments which are all partly made out of second-hand clothing and are all produced by women who've had it tough and are willing to give a new direction to their lives. The brand's first fashion show is planned to hit the catwalks by 2007. more
September 8, 2006
DUTCH FUND DEVELOPMENT OF HIV VACCINE
Last week Amsterdam was playing host to a major AIDS conference on the development of a vaccine against HIV. Dutch Public Health Minister Hoogervorst used the occasion to announce that the Dutch government is to make 130 million euros available for an institute that will conduct research into a vaccine. Princess Mabel also spoke at the opening of the conference. She is critical of policymakers who don't always take the people who suffer most from the AIDS pandemic into account when making their decisions. 'As a result, people are dying who could have been saved, and there are children who've been left orphaned who could have grown up with their parents.' more
September 8, 2006
LEGAL DUTCH SEX BRANCH IS ABOUT TO COLLAPSE
The director of the association of Dutch brothel owners is ringing the alarm bell because the tax office will come with an additional sky-high collection of income taxes. In a press release he writes, ‘The authorities now institute bankruptcy proceedings of many brothel, while they consciously gave the prostitutes a self-employed position during the legalisation of the sector in 2000.' A brothel owner states that employing women for prostitution is practically impossible, since it is forbidden by law to give orders to prostitutes. ‘She is the boss of her own body.’ more
June 29, 2006
INCOME DEMANDS FOR ROTTERDAM HOUSE HUNTER PERMITTED
The Dutch Minister of Housing Sybilla Dekker gave Rotterdam permission to use income demands for people that look for a house in a few Rotterdam neighbourhoods and streets. A specialised Rotterdam lawyer has several clients that are affected by the Rotterdam Law. He states that the new law is violating basic human rights laid down in the European treaties, and that selection on the basis of income is indirect discrimination. more
June 29, 2006
NO CHILD SHOULD BE IN JAIL
Today the ex-minister of Internal Affairs and ex-mayor of Amsterdam, Ed van Thijn, published an essay in one of the Dutch newspapers. He states that 'international treaties declare that authorities should never jail children innocently. But The Netherlands is not keeping its promise.' On the 27th of June 2006, the Board of Europe will discuss a report about the rights of “illegal” children, written by Ed van Thijn himself. more
June 21, 2006
PROTEST INHABITANTS LIVING NEAR AMSTERDAM AIRPORT
People living in the area of the Amsterdam airport Schiphol are organising demonstrations against the new airport policy from the Dutch cabinet. The neighbouring people are furious since the government has the intention to allow the airport to grow again. One of the inhabitant platforms developed a system to measure noise annoyance around the main port Schiphol. A trustable system to measure annoyance might be a start to be able to fine noisy airplanes or even prohibit airplanes to come back to Schiphol airport .more
May 30, 2006
COCAINE SMUGGLING MORE PROFESSIONAL
Although the special ‘Hit And Run Container Team (HARC-team) is very successful, the drugs shipments in the Rotterdam harbour are getting bigger in size every year. The mega-drugs-transports are often entirely organised in South-America. They are extremely wealthy and prepare the transports extremely well. Often the organisation of drugs transports take years. Although the Rotterdam harbour HARC-team is very successful, around 90% of the drugs get into the Netherlands and into Europe unnoticed. more
May 17, 2006
POLITICIANS HELPED BY CITIZEN-BUDDIES
Some Dutch politicians, managers and civil servants already make use of the ‘citizen-buddy’, a ‘citizen friend’ adopts the politician or civil servant. The initiator Elena is the ‘citizen-buddy’ of one of the Dutch ministers. She rolls through the office of the minister in a red jogging suit, she bakes brownies for him, but also advises him how to sell his policy to the people. more
May 17, 2006
'THE NETHERLANDS BECOMES CRIMINAL FREE STATE'
Today a group of Dutch criminologists state that the authorities do not manage to fight the growing power of criminal organisations. The crime world seriously penetrates the real world, mainly through investing criminal money into real estate. Especially through the long series of unsolved liquidations in the Dutch criminal scene, The Netherlands is in danger to become a free state for criminals. ‘If the constitutional state does not manage to act effectively, the confidence in the same constitutional state can be totally lost.’ more
April 14, 2006
INNOVATION AGAINST VIOLENCE ON SCHOOLS
Lately German teachers, working on schools with a large percentage of pupils of migrant descent, searched for publicity to express their cry of distress about the tense working conditions. The pupils are very violent, come to school when they want and vandalism is the order of the day. Most of the pupils show a demonstrative lack of interest and a serious hatred against everything that is German. In The Netherlands ´black´ schools are a phenomena that is already known since a while. Dutch organisations and schools developed innovative forms of education to fight violence and segregation on schools and to prepare pupils for the future multi ethnic society. more
April 14, 2006
DUTCH MAYOR AND MINISTER SING ABOUT CANNABIS POLICY
After some Dutch members of parliament and the mayor of Maastricht Gerd Leers signed and presented their manifesto for the regulation of the cultivation of cannabis, the responsible Dutch and Belgian ministers had a meting and concluded that there is no possibility to tolerate controlled supply of coffee shops. German colleagues even used tougher terms. In reaction to the initiative of mayor Gerd Leers to make a song about his toleration idea’s, Minister Piet Hein Donner also made a rap expressing his ideas about the Dutch soft drugs policy. more
March 3, 2006
CITY HALLS REVOLT AGAINST EFFECTS IMMIGRANTION POLICY
In more than 45 Dutch municipalities mayors and elderman undersigned a manifesto that summons not to cooperate with the rock-hard effects of the actual Dutch asylum seekers policy. In fact administrators are asked to turn asylum seekers that did not get a residence permit out into the street, because there is no perspective to travel back to the home land. The responsible ministers Verdonk and Remkes of Internal Affairs will ask the municipalities to give account. more
March 3 , 2006
GIVE AWAY STORES AND FOOD BANKS
In the ‘give away’ store in a neighbourhood in The Hague everything can be taken along for free. The goods are no jumbles of poor quality, the desks, printers, clothing, toys and electronics are in good condition. The initiator of the shop explains: ‘People that have quality affairs that they do not use anymore, can phone us and we pick it up for free. We can than give it to other people that do not have money.’ Throughout Europe initiatives like ‘give away’ stores and ‘food banks’ are established, to help the growing army of poor. In Holland 22 food banks serve around 5000 families. more
March 3, 2006
DUTCH PREPARE WHILE BIRD FLU CONTINUES TO SPREAD
New cases of bird flu are being reported around the world. In central France, a dead duck has been found which was almost certainly infected with the deadly H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus. Other European countries where cases have been reported include Germany, Italy, Austria, Greece, Slovenia, Romania and Hungary. Agriculture Minister Cees Veerman says it is only a matter of time before the deadly H5N1 strain of bird flu reaches the Netherlands. more
February 20, 2006
GROWING PROBLEM OF ANNOYANCE CAUSED BY ELDERLY GANGS
On different places in The Netherlands a new phenomena is coming up: the annoyance of elderly people that hang around in city centres. Besides the annoyance usually caused by youngsters, now also the elderly seem to exceed the limit. Some city councils have imposed a ban on elderly that hang around in city centres. At the same time the social democrats ask for the erection of elderly hang-out’s. more
February 20, 2006
REAL FRANS HALS PAINTING FOR SALE ON TEFAF ART FAIR
A portrait painting that lately has been attributed to the Dutch painter Frans Hals will be offered for sale at the famous TEFAF Art fair in The Netherlands. That’s not according to the agreement with the Frans Hals museum that has the painting on loan. An employee of the gallery that offers the painting states that the painting will be offered for sale. From March 10th till the 19th 2006 Maastricht will once again host the TEFAF art fair, the greatest art and antiques fair in the world. more
February 20, 2006
MAYOR SINGS PRO CANNABIS SONG WHILE ANTI CANNABIS SIGNS ARE STOLEN
The mayor of Maastricht Gerd Leers is very much in favour of the regulation of cannabis cultivation in The Netherlands. Apart from signing a pro-regulation manifesto and a plan to move the coffee shops to the side of the city to the ‘cannabis boulevard’, Leers now made a pro cannabis song and video clip with a rock band. At the same time an Amsterdam neighbourhood council produced an anti-cannabis smoking sign, to fight the annoyance of youngsters hanging around smoking. more
February 14, 2006
DUTCH LOCAL ELECTIONS: FOUR YEARS AFTER PIM OFRTUYN
On the 7th of March the first local elections are held in The Netherlands, since the populist local party of the late Pim Fortuyn, Leefbaar Rotterdam, had a devastating victory in 2002. Fortuyn never had the chance to experience his second victory, since he was killed just before the national elections were held. Surveys show that the Rotterdam population will make the social democratic party PvdA the biggest party again. Migrants will massively go to the polls again. There is even a large chance for a left wing coalition. What’s left of the populism of Pim Fortuyn? more
February 14, 2006
DUTCH GIVE HOMELESS A ROOF
Six years ago the city of Utrecht decided that every homeless person should be known to them and should be helped. The approach became a huge success. Now the four major Dutch cities decided to take over the formula. In four years most of the homeless people should have a roof above their head. more
February 14 , 2006
WHILE REGULATION OF CANNABIS CULTIVATION IS WANTED, SMOKING IN THE STREETS IS FOBIDDEN
The mayor of Maastricht Gerd Leers is very much in favour of finally starting with an experiment to regulate the cultivation of Dutch cannabis cultivation. Last month the Maastricht city council sided unanimously behind the coffee shop and soft drugs policy of the mayor. Besides the need for a next step, it seems that there is also a tendency of a more severe Dutch soft drugs policy. In some coffee shops clients have to identify themselves or even have to be registered. Some Dutch local authorities forbid smoking soft drugs in the streets or in a park, since the penetrating smell of Dutch cannabis is degenerating the atmosphere. more
January 11, 2006
IRAN RENEWS NUCLEAR RESEARCH WITH TECHNIQUE STOLEN FROM NETHERLANDS
Iran 's decision to resume its nuclear research as of today has met with almost unanimous criticism. The ultracentrifuge equipment in the research facility are build with the help of the Pakistani atom spy Abdul Qadeer Kahn who stole the information in The Netherlands in the 70ties of the last century. A former Dutch colleague of Kahn felt so misused and dishonoured, that he started an internet site where all the info about the dangerous spying scandal can be found. Another Dutch colleague of Kahn turned into the supplier of the needed equipment. A few weeks ago he gave his first interview on Dutch TV about the matter. more
January 11, 2006
NEW SCHOOL SYSTEM: PUPILS DECIDE WHAT TO LEARN WHEN
On Dutch private so called ‘iederwijs’ (everybody wise) schools children can decide themselves what they want to learn when. It is the most free form of education there is. Usually the schools are funded by parents that think that the traditional education does not give children enough freedom to develop. The children only get lessons or coaching when they ask for it. Although the first ‘iederwijs’ school only exists for five years, the new free educational system gets a lot of attention from media and politics. The Ministry of Education quickly organised a control to see if the ‘iederwijs’ schools comply with the law. more
January 11, 2006
DUTCH BIRD FLU EXPERTISE
The atmosphere amongst the Dutch the poultry farmers, authorities and specialists is extremely tense. Everybody is afraid that The Netherlands will be again struck by the aggressive form of bird flu that is now ravaging in the South of Europe. In 2003 the deadly virus for birds resulted in the necessity to actively clear and kill more than 30 million chickens. In this way the Dutch managed to get rid of the virus in a few weeks. more
October 19, 2005
SYMPOSIUM ON RESULTS NEW EU POLLUTION SATTELITE
On the 7th of November 2005 the symposium 'Attention for environment and climate', will be held in The Hague. During the symposium the very detailed data from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) satellite will be discussed. The OMI satellite was launched by the European Union last year. From the data it becomes very clear that the Dutch are living in one of the most polluted areas in the world. more
October 19 , 2005
DUTCH PRINCES RECEIVES BOOK ON MICROFINANCE
On the 27th of October The Dutch princes Maxima will receive the first copy of a book about microfinance from the developing aid organisation Cordaid. Microfinance is a new form of aid, where small loans give individuals in third world countries the possibility to start of a small company. This form of aid is playing a larger and increasing role in the building up of local societies and developing countries. The Netherlands is front runner in the field of microfinance. more
October 19 , 2005
MOROCCANS SET-UP SUCCESSFUL COURSE FOR TROUBELED YOUNGSTERS
After an incident and some minor riots in the west of Amsterdam, local Dutch Moroccans originated a special project called 'And now something positive'. Collectively it was decided that the youngsters should voluntarily restore and repair goods, so that these goods could be used as relief supplies in Morocco. In this way the youngsters can get work experience, learn how to work in a group, show the positive side of themselves and help people in Morocco that badly need it. The initiative is a huge success and now more Dutch neighbourhoods and cities want to implement the ENIP system. more
October 12 , 2005
LOVERBOYS DEBATE
Although news about the phenomena 'Lover boy' is appearing in the Dutch media for a few years now, it is still a huge problem for young girls and women in The Netherlands. Several special organisations were established to help the victims, special prevention campaigns were and websites designed and even book and plays are written about the phenomena. The 10th of March 2005 a special 'Lover boys' debate is organised. more
October 12 , 2005
SUCCESSFUL MINIMAL CARE FOR PEOPLE GROWING DEMENTED
In an age where large groups in the western society are ageing and greying, Dutch nursing homes come up with experiments for the groups of people growing demented. In a nursing home in the city of Haarlem ‘acting normal’ and doing things independently are the key words. The nursing home became world famous with this special approach. The costs of the minimal care system are not higher than in normal nursing homes. There is one thing that is surely more expensive: the people live longer. more
September 17, 2005
FACE-RECOGNITION-CAMERA AGAINST SHOP LIFTERS
In The Netherlands the new solution in the fight against shoplifting is the face-recognition-camera. According to the supporters of the new system notorious shop-lifters will have no place to go anymore. In a medium-sized Dutch city seven shop owners, the city hall and the police will cooperate in a face-recognition-camera-experiment of three months. A new step in the growing powers of ‘big brother’? more
September 17, 2005
MULTI-MILLIONAIRE LAUNCHES 911 TRUTH EUROPEAN MEGA-TOUR
Multi-Millionaire Jimmy Walter has launched advertising campaigns in the most prominent American newspapers and magazines, like Business Week, Forbes, Newsweek, the New York Times and the Washington Post. The campaign was entitled ‘Are We Safer Now?’ According to Mr. Walter, ‘the 9/11 Report has been published, but some very troubling questions remain unanswered.’ The upcoming weeks Mr. Walter organised a special 9/11 Truth Tour in Europe. more
May 19, 2005
ACTIVE SUPPORT SUICIDE PUNISHABLE
On the 5th of April 2001 one of the members of the De Einder Foundation helped an 81 year old woman to commit suicide. Last Tuesday the Dutch highest court of justice decided that the consultants of the De Einder foundation, that help people to commit suicide, are only allowed to be passively present at a suicide. They are only allowed to give moral support. The lawyer of the condemned man argued that only the doings that are in direct relation with the suicide, like feeding the medicines, are punishable. The judge did not agree. more
Also read: 'Advice on suicide legal' & 'Increase of illegal euthanasia'.
April 1, 2005
SMUGGLER SHIVERS FOR SNAKE HEADS
The Chinese ‘snake heads’, the organisers of people smuggling are still very active in The Netherlands. Since two weeks eleven Chinese and one Pakistani are on trial for transporting at least 60 Chinese illegal aliens to England. These kinds of trips cost around 25.000 euro. During every stop the smuggled people stay in ‘safe houses’ and are usually maltreated. Often they have to sleep standing up. The journey can take around one and a half year. The Netherlands turns out to be the turn-table for smuggling illegal Chinese to England. more
April 1, 2005
PROFESSOR WARNS FOR WEAK DUTCH COAST
The force of the waves on the North Sea is grossly underestimated. This leads to a far higher risk of floods and it increases the necessity to deal with the weak points in the Dutch seawall. This is the analysis of a Dutch professor in coastal waters engineering in a special dossier that is just published. According to the professor the North Sea batters on the Dutch costal area with one fourth more energy than anticipated. Combined with the rising of the sea level it makes the reinforcement of the coastal protection urgently necessary. Also new forms of housing are developed. Huge floating villas are constructed. The Dutch become more and more interested inliving on water. more
March 8, 2005
BACK TO INDEX PAGE
If you click on these links you will go
back to the Featurez 'Index' story page! more
|
|
