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Belgian prof: ‘Muslims feel discriminated against’

Jul 12, 2005 9:51 am By Robert Spencer

Some interesting observations from Cid Martel:

Here’s some more disingenuous claptrap, this time coming from Belgian professor (international politics) and “˜terror-expert” Rik Coolsaet. Rik is working at the University of Gent and he is the director of the Royal Institute for International Relations. This is from an interview he gave with the PC Dutch newspaper Volkskrant:

Don’t mention “˜Muslim terrorism” to professor Coolsaet. “I hate that word! In Holland everyone uses it. In Belgium we call it “˜jihad extremism”. It has nothing to do with being a Muslim. That wording, it started with Pim Fortuyn, is part of the problem, not of the solution. You”re implying something you should not imply.”

So, according to Coolsaet, Jihad is not a central duty of every Muslim. This sounds like an attempt to whitewash Islam and Islamic history. In my opinion it would be a part of the solution if Muslims acknowledged that violent Jihad is a central part of Islam, that it has always been a part of Islam, and that it has to be eradicated if they want to stop fellow Muslims from killing people in the name of Islam.

There’s more: Coolsaet also blames the West for these attacks, saying that Muslims feel discriminated against.

The Royal Institute for International Relations concluded that the “˜root causes” on the ground may vary. In Palestine it’s the Israeli occupation. In Egypt it’s the bad social-economic situation young people find themselves in.

Coolsaet: “So it’s very different from Belgium and the Netherlands. The second and third generation is mostly from North-Africa. Young Muslims can’t identify with the country from their ancestors but at the same time they”re being shunned for having a strange sounding name. Unlike their peers they”re being discriminated against, like on the work floor. A small part radicalises because of that and an even smaller part resorts to violence.

Now wait a second. Chinese immigrants and children of Chinese immigrants have “˜strange sounding” names, and they”re not being discriminated against. The same goes for Hindus. And if they are being discriminated against, why are there no Chinese and Hindu radicals trying to kill people and blow stuff up?

Coolsaet paints himself into a corner. In the same interview he says that these terrorists commit terror to “˜free the ummah”. He says there’s this “˜feeling” among Muslims that they”re being threatened and humiliated by the West. How does that explain attacks in the Middle East, in India, in Thailand, in Indonesia? How does that explain Beslan? Yes, “˜root causes” may very (Amir Taheri calls them “˜strategic goals” in his article in the Times Online) but at the basis of this struggle lies Jihad. It’s a struggle against “˜unbelief”, against anything that doesn’t submit or conform to Islam. It’s a struggle against anything that stands in the way of the spread of Islam.

And this struggle is central to a Muslim’s life. It’s that doctrine of Jihad that is passed onto the Muslims living in Europe. It’s that doctrine that needs to be fought and eradicated. And this is a battle Muslims have to fight. Coolsaet is looking for excuses outside of Islam, and he’s not doing anyone a favour.

Indeed.

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