International

The SP wants the national parliament in The Hague to organise an official hearing with Turkish-Dutch organisations over how they can contribute to reducing tensions in the Dutch-Turkish population in the wake of the failed coup d’état in their country of origin. Social Affairs Minister Lodewijk Asscher has for some time been conducting an enquiry into the management and influence on integration of a number of organisations which have close links to the Turkish government. However, while tensions between certain groups of Turkish-Dutch people are on the rise, there can be no question of a change in integration policy. “In our view the government must end any association with organisations which are extensions of Turkish politics,” says Sadet Karabulut.’

In Karabulut’s opinion the government should be working to reduce tensions between groups within Dutch society. Since the failed coup in Turkey, Turkish-Dutch residents of the Netherlands have been subject to threats while a number of buildings used by Turkish-Dutch associations have been destroyed. “This is absolutely unacceptable,” says Karabulut. Perpetrators must be dealt with and victims protected. The Turkish government can’t export its domestic problems to the Netherlands. And organisations in the Netherlands should not have to worry about democracy, about living side by side, or about freedom for all. The starting point for integration policy should be self-determination, and combatting segregation and discrimination. So the government shouldn’t be leaving integration to Turkish organisations, but tackling segregating itself.”