International

SP Member of Parliament Sadet Karabulut yesterday won the legislature’s support for her proposal to put a stop to undue influence being brought to bear on Dutch nationals by the governments of Turkey and Morocco. Parliament’s adoption of the motion means that Home Affairs Minister Piet Hein Donner will be obliged to take effective action.

The governments of Turkey and Morocco make constant attempts to exert control over Dutch citizens whose origins lie in those countries,” says Karabulut. “After thirty years of immigration it’s time an end was put to this. It must be made clear to the governments of their countries of origin that these people are part of the Netherlands and that they must stop unduly influencing them, impeding and complicating integration. Donner must come up with an action plan, and quickly.”

Turkey still maintains conscription for Dutch citizens whose origins lie in that country. In Karabulut’s view it is senseless that young people born and raised in the Netherlands are expected to perform compulsory military service in Turkey. “To do this they have to interrupt their careers and incur significant expense, a totally outmoded notion that serves only to fill the Turkish state’s coffers. Or take the Moroccan king who says that Moroccans cannot renounce their nationality. Thousands of Dutch citizens of Moroccan origin have major problems with this. The king should give them the freedom to choose for themselves what nationality they wish to have.”