Posted on 02/14/2005 2:27:25 PM PST by Cornpone
AMSTERDAM — The Dutch Cabinet has promised it will act quickly to protect seriously threatened immigrant women, many of whom are Islamic and living in fear of an "honour killing".
The cabinet partially met an impassioned plea from Liberal VVD MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali, who threatened during an emotional parliamentary debate on Thursday to lodge a "motion of sadness" against Justice Minister Piet Hein Donner.
Hirsi Ali, an outspoken critic of Islam, said Donner was not doing enough to protect Islamic women. In fact, she claimed the Christian Democrat CDA minister had never woken up from fairytale land, news service NOS reported.
But the motion against Donner was not tabled because the VVD faction thought such an emotionally-charged move was too extreme.
During the quickly-convened emergency debate, Donner said he would contact as soon as possible the Shelter Federation and municipal councils. The federation claims about 100 women in shelters are still in danger.
The Dutch Parliament demanded the debate after Donner and Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk refused to carry out a motion lodged with the Lower House last year. That motion had called on authorities to take extra measures to protect threatened women.
But the refusal eventually proved to be a misunderstanding after Verdonk confessed she refused to carry out the motion because she wrongly thought it had not been approved by MPs last year. She apologised to the parliament, while Donner said he had not had enough time to examine the motion in depth.
Hirsi Ali's actions led to a tense meeting between Donner, Verdonk and VVD parliamentary leader Jozias van Aartsen in The Hague. Van Aartsen said the friction between the cabinet and Hirsi Ali could have been prevented if both the cabinet and the parliament had been clearer.
But Hirsi Ali also drew criticism from VVD MPs, some of whom felt her emotional response to the matter placed the cabinet's future at threat.
A motion of sadness is not as strong a motion of no confidence, but if passed, it would have represented a very sensitive rap over the knuckles for Donner.
Nevertheless, other political parties also believe that the cabinet needs to crack down on honour killings and violence carried out by Islamic men hoping to cleanse a family's honour. Wives, daughters and sisters are primarily the victims.
A 37-year-old man who shot and killed his 32-year-old wife in front of a refuge for battered women in Koog aan de Zaan, near Zaandam, was sentenced to a nine-year jail term and indefinite psychiatric detention by Haarlem Court last December.
But the court dismissed claims the murder was an "honour killing". Nevertheless, the woman was killed on 12 March after seeking shelter at the house due to domestic abuse. The man, G. B., of Apeldoorn, tracked her down via the internet and shot her from a passing car.
Muslim honor.
This is right up there with the female circumcision.
God,what's happened to Holland?
Where are the tulips and the little wooden shoes?
I heard an interview this weekend with the Mayor of Amsterdam. This Van Gogh shooting was a real wake-up call for them. The very permissive and "progressive" Dutch society now considering restrictions to improve national security. Welcome to reality!
Actually, the female circumcision thing is from North Africa and is not strictly a Muslim tradition. It was adapted as a means to encourage previously animist Africans into the Muslim faith...I'm starting to unravel this mystery...hopefully.
They are smoking a joint in a coffee shop waiting for their appointment at the local brothel.
True but neither practice shows much respect towards women.
I've said before Europe is faced with a birth dirth and needs to consider allowing immigration from South America, Mexico and other nations that are impoverished and have a European and Christian cultural background until Islam sorts its very disheveled house into order and Europe also adjusts its own culture to foster a climate of procreation and life.
The Islamists are doing the genital mutilation thing. I suspect the revisionists are trying to claim it is not Muslim. They should cease this abomination.
I should make the distinction it is not an 'Arabic' Muslim tradition.
Let's not get too holier than thou over this. American culture isn't exactly perfect in regards to respect towards women either.
What the hell is that? Is that like Candle Light Vigil"
How the hell does a Motion of Sadness do anything to bring a halt to barbarians murdering women?
Absolutely asinine...
How's that?
I guess a "hate crime" is like the opposite of an "honor killing". One makes the crime worse; the other makes it better.
Good analogy.
American culture mistreats men much more than it does women. This country caters to women while treating men as the disposable sex.
Though I have not explored this issue beyond my own personal experience I have some inclination to agree. As someone who faced divorce at one time with two small children I am very familiar with the court's bias against a father's custody of the children. Regardless of how much evidence I produced to suggest the mother should not have custody it was all ignored by the court. It is a precedent that hails back to the days of Lord Byron in England. Although I finally got custody of my children, it wasn't a matter of who would make the better parent. I just bought the mother off. Great justice right?
This is why I'm a masculinist. As far as I know, I'm the only woman on this forum who makes that claim.
From the context, I am guessing that "motion of sadness" is a form of censure for Justice Minister who has not acted.
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