By Salama A Salama A crisis has been brewing in the Netherlands between the Muslim community and the rest of population. This crisis, which has resonated across borders, has brought into sharp focus the issue of Europe's ethnic mix. If anything, recent events show that for all their rhetoric about freedom of thought and belief the Europeans have consistently failed to allow minorities to integrate. The irony is that Europe has been lecturing us on the same topic, through the so-called dialogue of civilisations. Arab commentators stumbled into hasty judgements, revealing little beyond their own ignorance of the racist turmoil within Europe. The cinema committee of Egypt's Ministry of Culture hastily issued a statement suggesting that the Netherlands' Muslim community harboured outlaws. A Saudi journalist advised the Muslim minority to blend in or return to the countries from which they had come. The fact is, though, that relations between the European mainstream and Muslim communities have been worsening since 9/11 -- i.e. since Islam was cast as a danger to western civilisation. The Dutch debacle began when director Theo Van Gogh made a TV film , Submission , about violence against women in Muslim societies. The film shows a naked woman with Quranic verses projected on her body. After it was screened a Moroccan man murdered the director. Antagonistic approaches to religion are not helpful to women, either inside or outside Europe. And Van Gogh was an extremely controversial figure, a member of an extreme rightwing party that Muslims see as a threat to Dutch society, a party that calls Muslims a fifth column of "sheep-buggers". Since the murder mosques and Muslim schools have been attacked in the Netherlands while the Dutch government has cracked down on those it calls a terrorist threat, closing down meeting places and deporting many. It may well be the right of the Dutch director to express his opinion. But incitement to hatred can easily backfire, particularly when xenophobia is the order of the day. Most European governments have done little to help minorities fit in. Discrimination is common when ethnic minorities seek jobs, housing, schooling and other social services. As a result entire districts have been turned into Muslim ghettos, into breeding places for extremism. Immigrants went to Europe as cheap labour. There are 15 million immigrants in Europe, including five million in France, three million in Germany and one million in the Netherlands. These minorities needed help from the state, which they did not receive. More than three decades have passed since the first wave of immigration began during which the governments concerned did little to help the immigrants integrate. And now a number of emerging rightwing parties want the immigrants thrown out. The immigrants are not entirely blameless. They should have done more to integrate. But the governments' fault is worse, for it is the responsibility of the state to promote cultural and social harmony. With Islamophobia on the rise Europe wants Islam to adapt to European values, rather than for Muslims to fit in. Recent statements made by a Belgian archbishop are a case in point. No one is calling on the Jews to alter their religion. No one wants Christians of various denominations to change their beliefs. But Muslims are asked to rethink their tenets. A European, or American, Islam is the solution, we are told. And several Arab intellectuals and writers seem to agree.
