In unofficially translated news from the Netherlands Trouw:
Amsterdam – Secretary de Geus of Social Affairs withdraws 200.000 euros subsidiaries from the Salvation Army. The Army refuses to hire two muslimas who are currently employed as volunteers for one of their projects. The Army only hires Christians. De Geus has, so he says, insisted in vain on a solution. “It is a pity the Salvation Army does not want to hire the women after all.”
The Army wanted to employ the muslimas elsewhere, so they could be “detached” to work on the Army project. Lieutenant-Colonel Ine Voorham of the Army was happy with this solution. “We could have helped them to get started”.
According to the director of Welfare & Health of the Salvation Army in Dordrecht, Harry de Heer, is adapting the hiring policy no option.
Secretary De Geus does not want to use the term “religious discrimination”. He does say the Salvation Army disregards the agreement that it must hire “allochtone” (not original Dutch) women per 1 July 2005. Lt.-Colonel Voorham says she will appeal against the withdrawal.