Outspoken Dutch opposition leader Geert Wilders has called the refugees flooding into Europe an “Islamic invasion.” The leader of the Dutch right wing made the statement in a debate on how the Netherlands would deal with the migrant crisis affecting all of Europe. The crisis will determine where the continent stands in the new world of assimilation and integration and many stand firmly opposed to either of these concepts.
In a debate just after EU commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker urged EU member states to share the burden of incoming refugees, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Ruttes said that the EU would be better off helping them in designated camps much closer to their native countries, in remarks that seem earlier similar to those used by the Nazi’s to justify their concentration camps.
The comments, coming from both sides of the Dutch political spectrum, highlight the deep distrust of Islamic theocracy held by many in Europe, who feel their hard won rights and freedoms stand diametrically opposed to many Islamic principles.
While Germany’s Angela Merkel said the EU states should take in more refugees and spread them out within their member states, the conservative Dutch government said they would only accept more refugees if all EU states agreed to do so.
Wilders, whose party enjoys a comfortable lead in opinion polls, called the wave of refugees and “Islamic invasion.” He said, “Masses of young men in their twenties with beards singing Allahu Akbar across Europe. It’s an invasion that threatens our prosperity, our security, our culture and identity.”
Ruttes joined his Dutch colleague in offering an alternative for opening their borders. He urged EU member states to create centers outside Europe where the refugees would be welcomed, have access to food, water, education and even jobs. He called these camps “UNHCR plus”, a reference to the UN’s refugee agency.
Ruttes said, “We want to help to relieve the problems in the region by making the existing facilities more manageable. It will take energy and money and manpower, but we can work toward a situation where there is more security in the region and we can avoid people boarding boats to Europe.”
Ruttes said the camps would be built in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan.
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