Split Loyalty Still an Issue

Geert Wilders seems to have nothing better to do than attack Muslim MPs. This week it was the turn of Khadija Arib, who has been a member of the Dutch parliament since May 1998, and acts as a paid advisor to the Moroccan government on human rights issues, particularly those relating to Moroccan migrants.

Mr Wilders demanded that she either give up the paid position for a foreign government or give up her position of MP.

If Mr. Wilders is really interesting in a healthy integrated Dutch society he should applaud Ms Arib's work, if he's really worried about split loyalty because an MP has a paid function with another government he should be condemning Mr. Van Baalen, who has a paid consultant position with the Taiwan government, with the same energy that he condemns Khadija Arib.

A fuller report on the debate was published by the Dutchnews website, and it seems clear that other Dutch MPs are frustrated by Mr. Wilders attacks.

I suppose in a way it's better to have the debate, but it is funded by my taxes, and I resent paying for Mr. Wilders to promote his own Islamophobic views.

In any case, since I can't vote I have written a letter of support to Ms Arib. I want her to know that someone far removed from the situation values both roles she plays.