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Newsline - Dutch Muslims disappointed by Swiss minaret ban

On air: 30 November 2009 15:35

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Newsline 30 November 2009: International outrage greets a Swiss decision to ban the building of minarets; a conservative politician wins the Honduran election and the UN chief in Afghanistan says he won't resign.

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Swiss minaret ban disappoints Dutch Muslim community

The outcome of a Swiss referendum in which voters opted to ban the building of minarets on new mosques has met with condemnation from the international community. Mohammed El Aissati from the Dutch Stichting Maroc says Muslims in the Netherlands are also upset by the decision. And we hear the views of Alain Deletroz, the Swiss head of the International Crisis Group.

Honduras elects Conservative President

The conservative politician Porfirio Lobo has won an election in Honduras, angering supporters of the ousted President Manuel Zelaya. The vote was intended to end months of political crisis, but our Latin America editor Pablo Gomez says the country's problems are far from over.

UN chief in Afghanistan refuses to resign
Kai Eide, head of the UN mission in Afghanistan says he won't resign over August's elections, which were badly marred by fraud. His deputy, Robert Watkins, told us why the critics are wrong.

Discussion

bosnia 5 December 2009 - 3:15pm / Bosnia and Herzegovina
In my country there were more mosques then churches and then christians started the war, made genocide, destroyed most of old mosques so now there are more churches. I am not somewhere from Africa, i don't have dark skin, my country is European, my people are secular for last 150 years, my people make one of largest groups of muslims in Switzerland. We can't islamize our country, why would we do it to Switzerland or Holland then? We just want to be respected as who we are just like we respect others, but there is no respect for nothing that calls itself islamic in this rasist europe.
Mustafa---ch 3 December 2009 - 11:47pm / Newsline - Dutch Muslims disappointed by Swiss minaret ban
Shameful that the people accused of a tolerant and civilized as the Swiss People's extremism. To be the owner of a glorious past and a bright present positive neutrality in a people by example in Izerb Altaadip respect and coexistence. And that he exercised his right of the project and said no to Islamization and underdeveloped Mdahirha veils, the veil .. Etc., because Switzerland is a crash happening, freedom and democracy.
jasmin 2 December 2009 - 1:40pm / India
INDIA SHOWS THE WAY:September 29th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The Supreme Court Tuesday banned all unauthorised new and future construction of places of worship on public land and sought strict compliance of its order from the union and state governments. A bench of Justices Dalveer Bhandari and Mukundkam Sharma also asked various governments to decide the fate of millions of existing unauthorised places of worship on public land “on case to case basis”. The bench issued its order after Solicitor General Gopal Subramanian said the union government in consultation with state governments had evolved a consensus that no unauthorised place of worship should be allowed to be built on any public land in future. In a meeting of state chief secretaries with union Home Secretary G.K. Pillay on Sep 17, it was also decided that the government would take a decision on the fate of existing places of worship on public land and streets on a case to case basis, Subramanian told the bench. The government had convened the meeting following the apex court’s July 31 observation, asking for a complete stop to the public nuisance. “The solicitor general will file an affidavit to ensure that no temple, church, mosque or gurudwara is constructed on a public street or a public space,” the bench had demanded on July 31. It was hearing a lawsuit by the union government challenging a Gujarat High Court judgement of 2006, ordering the demolition of several places of worship of various faiths that had mushroomed illegally on thoroughfares and other public places. The high court ruling, however, had been suspended earlier by the apex court on May 2006 on an urgent lawsuit by the union government. With the bench seeking the union government’s assurance on the issue, the solicitor general had pointed out that land was a state subject. He than had assured the court that he would ask the centre to evolve a consensus on the tricky issue. The bench has also ordered district magistrates, collectors or commissioners all over the country to report compliance of its order to their respective chief secretaries, who would in turn report to the court.
Mustafa---ch 2 December 2009 - 12:57pm / Newsline - Dutch Muslims disappointed by Swiss minaret ban
People in the free world is characterized by courage, openness and face Alhakaig Maha The sensitivity of the topics. They are free in the choices first and foremost. And choose what is compatible with the free and civilized culture. The truth is that the Moslem need to prove to another that a civilized, cultured and tolerant in word and deed, and not good Bolmozn and mosques
sandrav 2 December 2009 - 12:50pm / Nederlands
anonymous and de, you are a couple of ignorant fools and I hope one day RNW gets the courage to throw you off of here because you only spread hate and lies on here! How dare you insult my fellow Dutch citizens who happen to believe in the freedom of religion and also my friendly Americans who some happen to have the Islamic faith! What does middle eastern country laws have to do with Western Muslims in Europe,? or United states and Canada? American Muslims are AMERICAN, Dutch Muslims are DUTCH, so what the hell does the middle east laws have to do with freedom of religion right here in the West? Why do you keep bringing up middle eastern laws for the Muslims that are citizens in the Western countries? I don´t care what laws they have in the middle east, that is their business! My concern is right here in the West, where we have all faiths and are under the international treaty act that all of EU, United states and Canada are suppose to follow those laws, for all their citizens, no matter what religion or color of their skin! The swiss vote restricted religious freedom and violated Switzerland's international treaty obligations as would any other country who would try to follow Switzerlands poor choice under that international treaty obligations!
de 2 December 2009 - 9:00pm / id
sandrav, you dont read my post at all...I dont spread hate and lies. You MUST read a lot more to know more. Btw, I dont care at all if nl is full with minarets and lose its identity because of them.
anonymous 1 December 2009 - 9:49am / globe
George, RNW reporters will never report, what you tell us.For them it is not news!
George 1 December 2009 - 4:42am / The Netherlands
Christians in Egypt in Farshot city call for help. A CALL FOR HELP Christians in Egypt in Farshot city, and in the cities Abu Tesht , Abu Shusha , Al-Arki , Al-Dahsa, Al-khawalid and Al-Kom Al-Ahmar, call on all societies and international human rights organizations for help. We are Christians living in these cities mentioned above are calling for help, since we were brutally attacked from Muslims who resides with us in the same cities. As a result of this attack, damages estimated at five million Egyptian pounds which are equivalent to one million U.S. dollars. On Saturday, November 21,2009 in the morning , we were surprised to see Muslim people , arranged in groups and distributed all-over the entire city of Farshot. They beat every Christian going in the street, whether was a man or a woman or a child. The Muslims were shouting Islamic slogans as if in Muslim invasions. They attacked the shops of Christians, broke the doors and stole every thing they found inside, then they set fire on these shops. Not a one was saved, all the shops owned by Christians, more than 40 shops had been destroyed while the attackers shouting Islamic verses. All of that was happening in front of the police without the least objection. The police forces did not stop any one of the terrorist attackers, but gave them a way to escape, as if the police mission is to help and protect the terrorists to carry out their plan safely and successfully... Some Christian families were forced to leave their homes to the street to be attacked and beaten from a Muslim group and another group steals their home properties. The Coptic Orthodox Assembly which helps poor Muslims and Christians in this town and neighboring towns, was founded officially before 30 years under the supervision of the Ministry of Social Affairs, aims to help people to learn a career and establish their own projects with some loan or credit. But those Muslims had broke into the Coptic Orthodox Assembly, robbed and vandalized it. What is written here is a little of what actually happened to us as Christian citizens of these towns. We have all documents, videos and photos which prove what happened, Anba Kerelos Bishop of Diocese of Nag Hammadi has all documents and is ready to submit them for investigation. We call for help and assistance in this crisis, since we did not find any help or protection from our Egyptian police. We appeal to international human rights organizations to intervene and take the necessary action to help us get our rights and live in peace in our homeland, This terrorist attack is a plan to evacuate these places from Christians after destroying them economically. Such terrorist attacks are repetitive all round the country and became as our daily bread. Attacking Christians and burning their homes, destroying their cars and shops, attacking churches, and kidnapping Christian girls, raping them and forcing them to change their religion to Islam - and government took no action. Although, human rights committees have reported these offenses and scandals, but the Egyptian government is totally negative.
de 30 November 2009 - 7:15pm / Indonesia
I wonder what those people who are not happy with the Swiss minaret ban would say about the forbidden of building church in countries with Muslim majority...
anonymous 30 November 2009 - 4:20pm / globe
How caring is RNW for Dutch muslims. Just ask the Dutch muslims, how many non-muslim religious places are there in the country of their origin, and why do they not feel upset when the minorities in those countries are discriminated against.I do not see any article on RNW about abuse of minoritie's right to practice their religion in muslim countries! Or is RNW standing only for the rights of muslims!

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