The Joys of Diversity & Cultural Enrichment (XVI)

Which Western country is getting the most out of its immigration policy? Today's contenders are Norway, the Netherlands and Britain.

1) Britain

Four people were arrested on the 11th June after a mass brawl in the Prakinson Lane area of Halifax.

The violence, described as 'the latest in a long line of gang fights' took place between two large groups which were both Asian. They attacked each other with sticks and baseball bats, leaving one man requiring hospital treatment for head injuries.

The fight was believed to be the culmination of a family dispute:

Mohammed Ilyas (Lib Dem, Park) said: "It is awful for us to have violence of this nature on our doorsteps.

"There is absolutely no place for large scale mob fighting like this and we hope police can get to the bottom of why it occurred.

"People have told me they were shocked at what they saw, especially as these men were armed.

"We need to ensure this doesn't happen again."

Four men aged 24, 22, 30 and 48 were arrested at the scene, on Tuesday, on suspicion of affray.

They have all been released on bail.

A large-scale police operation was needed to calm the violence.

It is the second gang brawl in the area in a week.

On Thursday June 4 two groups of people, thought to be Asian, were fighting in Battinson Road, Halifax, at 6pm.


2) Netherlands

The mayor of Rotterdam, Ahmed Aboutaleb (Labor), says he is shocked by the fact that Moroccan and Antillean youngsters who are arrested have been found to have a very low IQ.

“It is so low,” he said, “that one can not do very much with them.”

In addition one often finds a serious type of schizophrenia among the Moroccans.

From the PvdA website:

Rotterdam is going to work together with Minister van der Laan (Integration) to look at what the State can do about the development level, especially in relation to Antilles and Moroccan youths.

Burgemeester Ahmed Aboutaleb is very shocked by what he has heard from police circles, he said yesterday during the presentation of the Safety Index 2009. “The IQ and the mental ability of arrested youths is so low that you can’t do much with them. When they are on there own they are great, but when there are two they do the most crazy things.” What’s more, with Moroccans there is often a severe form of schizophrenia present.

Aboutaleb will also ask that the GGZ and the Ministry for Health Welfare and Sport be involved in discussions to see what can be done. “We must do everything that will help and not hinder, such as tackling leaving school early.”

3) Norway

In 2008/9, 33 Afghans with strong links to the Taliban were given residence permits entitling them to remain in Norway after claiming asylum.

Several also converted to Christianity as a last resort after their asylum claims were rejected for the final time - and Norwegian authorities accepted this despite acknowledging that they had 'no deep faith or knowledge of the Bible'.

From Islam in Europe:

Asylum seekers said they had executed prisoners, tortured or were soldiers in the Taliban, yet got to stay in Norway. 33 Afghans who say they are linked to the movement got residence on humanitarian grounds in 2008 and 2009.

One asylum seeker said he participated in executing prisoners on orders from the Taliban. Another informed on a thief who then had his arm and leg cut off. A third produced a death sentence fro the Norwegian foreign office for having committed terror attacks for the Taliban.

The UDI (Directorate of Immigration) thought the asylum seekers had no basis to stay in Norway. The UNE (Immigration Appeals Board) overruled the UDI and gave them residence on humanitarian ground, since they only had links with unstable areas in Afghanistan.

A report by the UNE Appeal Court prepared for the Minister of Labor and Social Inclusion Dag Terje Andersen shows that 33 people who said they had various connection to the Taliban got residence in Norway in 2008 and 2009. The number is much higher than previously announced. Norwegian forces regularly fight Taliban groups in Afghanistan.

The asylum seekers said they had performed very different tasks for the Taliban, everything from being an executioner, torturer and informant to being a soldier, cook or driver.

Four asylum seekers who said they were linked to the Taliban chose to convert to Christianity, and thus received residence. One Afghan said he was imprisoned because his family was charged with supporting the Taliban. After he was denied residence by the UDI, he converted to Jehovah's Witnesses. Later he was baptized in the church.

The UNE wrote in their decision that the man said he didn't have a deep Muslim faith, and gave him residence.

A minority in the UNE said he lacked knowledge of central issues in Christianity and the Bible. The conversion took place after he was finally denied asylum, and he was baptized after a very short relation with Christianity. The majority in the UNE still gave the man residence. Today the Afghan works in a mission house in the city where he lives.

None of the asylum seekers who said they had links to the Taliban received residence by the UNE for that reason. All were first denied residency by the UDI before they appealed to the UNE and received permission to stay in Norway.

- 27 asylum seekers got residence on humanitarian grounds because the UNE thought they came from unstable areas in Afghanistan
- 1 asylum seeker got residence due to "mental health" and would be vulnerable on returning.
- 1 asylum seeker got residence because he came from an "inaccessible area" as per recommendation from UNHCR.
- 4 asylum seekers got residence after converting to Christianity.

13 of the asylum seekers which got residence from the UNE, claimed they had close family members in the Taliban. 20 of the people claim they had worked for the Taliban.