Islamic Cemetery to Be Established in Amsterdam

The city administration in Amsterdam, where Muslims total ten percent of the population, is planning to establish an Islamic cemetery. Michael Arntz reports on current efforts towards integration in the Dutch capital

Spring has arrived at Amsterdam's De Nieuwe Ooster cemetery, bringing with it significant changes to the large area in the city's Watergraafsmeer district.

Here, on a two-hectare expanse, is the site chosen for the first Islamic burial grounds in Amsterdam. Marie-Louise Meuris, director of the cemetery, discusses the long-considered plans.

"There have been many inquiries over the years, including those by the Islamic foundation 'Stichting Welzijn Moslim.' These people wanted to set up an Islamic cemetery for quite some time. It soon became apparent, however, that they only represented a small group of Muslims. They demanded that no burial rights should be granted to Shiites, women, or homosexuals. Of course, this was impossible, and we realized that it was time for the city to take responsibility in the matter."

Amsterdam reacted. A commission led by former Interior Minister Ed van Thijn invited representatives of the various Islamic communities in Amsterdam for discussions. The "Welzijn Moslim Foundation" stuck to its exclusive standpoint and abandoned the commission.

All other groups agreed to a plan that envisaged the opening of a new Islamic resting place in 2007 on the grounds of the "De Nieuwe Ooster" cemetery. It will serve all those who regard themselves as Moslems.

The Netherlands as a new home

According to commission member Ahmed Marcouch, spokesman for the Association of Moroccan Mosques, "only in the past few years has an Islamic cemetery in Holland really become necessary. Many Muslims from the first generation of migrants took out an insurance policy stipulating that in case of death, their body would be transported to their country of origin and buried there. Things have since changed. The second and third Muslim generations regard the Netherlands as their home and want their own cemetery here. When family members die, they want to be able to bury them here and be able to visit their graves at any time."

Ahmed Marcouch arrived in the Netherlands in 1979. He successfully ran as a candidate for the social democratic "Partij van de Arbeid" in the March 7th local elections. When the coalition negotiations are completed as expected, Marchouch will be the first Dutch city council chairman of Moroccan origin. Marcouch is a tangible example of the growing political integration and participation of Muslims in the Netherlands.

Jean Tillie from the University of Amsterdam Institute for Migration comments on the situation. "We have conducted studies in Amsterdam and Berlin, and at first sight the results appear to be paradoxical. They show that the greater the Muslim infrastructure a city possesses, the greater is the participation of Muslims in social life in general. This is related to the democratic learning process. The fear of parallel societies is completely unfounded. Muslims have fostered a truly democratic outlook."

Construction of a new mosque

An important step in the development of Muslim infrastructure in Amsterdam, besides the initiative for the Islamic cemetery, is the construction of a new mosque, the Westermoskee, in the city's De Baarsjes district. For years the cause of much controversy, this mosque is intended to bridge the gap between cultures.

At the cornerstone ceremony, for example, not only were imams present, but Christian and Jewish religious representatives were also there to give their blessings to the building project. Even a Turkish-Dutch rap group was invited.

The mosque intentionally bears a Western name. The Westermoskee is being built with red Dutch bricks, and the design by Breitman, a Paris-based architectural firm, is based on the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul. The project should be completed by 2009 and will mark an important step in the integration process in the Netherlands.

Michael Arntz

Translated from the German by John Bergeron

Qantara.de

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