Deutsch
English
FrançaisSub menu: Home
Home / Index of Authors
Boom, Joeri
Subscribe to receive the texts of "Boom, Joeri" as RSS feeds
2 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Netherlands turn immigrants into criminals
The Dutch government wants to tighten its immigrant laws, making illegal residency in the country a punishable offence. A populist and counterproductive measure, writes the left-leaning weekly De Groene Amsterdammer: "With illegal residency it's the same as with soft drugs, pornography and alcohol: bans are impossible to implement and result in excesses. ... There are an estimated 100,000 people living illegally in the Netherlands. From the most recent study dating from 2002 (!) we know that they behave in an exemplary manner to avoid problems. ... Back then it was the increasing repression of illegal immigrants that was discovered to lead to 'survival criminality'. Petty theft to make a living. Precisely this counterproductive side-effect can set an entire process in motion: the more such offences are committed the louder the calls for tougher measures become. This won't help matters. There will always be illegal immigrants as long as the economy has room for them."
» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » Domestic Policy, » Crime, » Netherlands
Misrata is Libya's Sarajevo
The embattled city of Misrata highlights the awkwardness of Nato's position in Libya, writes the weekly paper De Groene Amsterdammer: "Misrata brings back painful memories of a surrounded Sarajevo that for four years was a symbol of international failure and cynical war policy. ... The Bosnian authorities were reluctant to open up an escape route for the starving population because this would have meant losing a moral trump card for forcing the international community to help them. ... The suffering in Misrata could help the rebels force Nato to intervene. ... What was presented as rapid humanitarian aid threatens to degenerate into a dirty war with an uncertain outcome. For we still know only nine of the 31 rebel leaders by name, and there is still no clear Nato strategy."
» full article (external link, Dutch)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Libya
© 2005-2012