Moderate Muslim preachers are leaving the Netherlands and being replaced by more extreme clerics, senior Dutch Muslim officials have warned.
Nasr Joemann of the Netherlands' Muslim Contact Group (CMO) said imams felt discriminated against and were leaving for France and Spain.
Of 450 Dutch mosques, 180 had no imam, leaving a vacuum that uncertified clerics were filling, he told BBC News.
The Dutch government said it had planned a meeting on the matter.
The CMO will be among the organisations present at the talks on 31 January with Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk.
...There are about one million Muslims in the Netherlands - about 6% of the population.
'Situation Critical'
The Deputy Chairman of the Association of Dutch Imams, Mohamed Ousalah, has accused the government of doing little to remedy the situation.
"The situation is critical. In Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht dozens of imams have left," he told the Dutch newspaper de Telegraaf.
He said imams were becoming disillusioned and leaving because since the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US, they were increasingly being linked to terrorism and facing discrimination.
"People speak in a very abusive way about Muslims in Holland" Nasr Joemann, Muslim Contact Group.
Mr Joemann explained that while the Netherlands' Turkish community could recruit imams from Turkey, because of agreements between the Dutch and Turkish governments, there were much tighter restrictions on Moroccan imams.
...While the government had helped set up a scheme to train Dutch-born Muslims to be imams, it would be some years before the graduates could be posted to mosques, he said.
In the meantime he urged the government to relax restrictions on imams coming from Morocco, but said the government "has not responded positively yet".
Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6279785.stm
SEE ALSO
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Country profile: The Netherlands 25 Jul 06 Country profiles
RELATED BBC LINKS
In Depth: Muslims in Europe
RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Dutch parliament
CMO
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Nasr Joemann of the Netherlands' Muslim Contact Group (CMO) said imams felt discriminated against and were leaving for France and Spain.
Of 450 Dutch mosques, 180 had no imam, leaving a vacuum that uncertified clerics were filling, he told BBC News.
The Dutch government said it had planned a meeting on the matter.
The CMO will be among the organisations present at the talks on 31 January with Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk.
...There are about one million Muslims in the Netherlands - about 6% of the population.
'Situation Critical'
The Deputy Chairman of the Association of Dutch Imams, Mohamed Ousalah, has accused the government of doing little to remedy the situation.
"The situation is critical. In Amsterdam, The Hague and Utrecht dozens of imams have left," he told the Dutch newspaper de Telegraaf.
He said imams were becoming disillusioned and leaving because since the 11 September 2001 attacks on the US, they were increasingly being linked to terrorism and facing discrimination.
"People speak in a very abusive way about Muslims in Holland" Nasr Joemann, Muslim Contact Group.
Mr Joemann explained that while the Netherlands' Turkish community could recruit imams from Turkey, because of agreements between the Dutch and Turkish governments, there were much tighter restrictions on Moroccan imams.
...While the government had helped set up a scheme to train Dutch-born Muslims to be imams, it would be some years before the graduates could be posted to mosques, he said.
In the meantime he urged the government to relax restrictions on imams coming from Morocco, but said the government "has not responded positively yet".
Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6279785.stm
SEE ALSO
Dutch Muslims seek a fresh start 21 Nov 06 Europe
Dutch Muslims condemn burqa ban 18 Nov 06 Europe
Germany pushes Muslim integration 12 Jan 07 Europe
Muslim alienation risk in Europe 18 Dec 06 Europe
French classes for Europe's imams 24 Dec 04 Europe
Country profile: The Netherlands 25 Jul 06 Country profiles
RELATED BBC LINKS
In Depth: Muslims in Europe
RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Dutch parliament
CMO
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
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