Moroccan nationals living in the Netherlands have faced an uncertain future in recent months, following a July decision by the Dutch government to refuse dual nationality to immigrants from nations where permanent, legal citizenship is fixed at birth.

In the latest attempt to reach a solution, Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen met with his Moroccan counterpart Taieb Fassi Fihri in Rabat on Monday (November 24th) to discuss this and other issues facing both communities.

The talks were successful on several fronts.

Under an agreement signed Monday, immigrants will no longer be forced to select their children's names from an approved Moroccan list and money transfer procedures between the two countries will be completely liberalised.

The central question of nationality, however, remains unanswered.

"We did not reach agreement on that point," said Verhagen at a press conference. "I don't understand Morocco's arguments. Every citizen is free to choose whatever nationality they want."

Fassi Fihri explained that the constitution does not allow original Moroccan identity to be lost except under exceptional circumstances, and then only by decree.

"The law does not allow nationality to be renounced except following a ruling by a committee presided over by the prime minister," he said, "according to specific criteria based on respect for ancestral religious legitimacy and political and judicial legality."

"Moreover, integration into the host country does not under any circumstances mean that their Moroccan personality has disappeared," he concluded.

In fact, permission to renounce Moroccan identity has never been granted since independence.

Back in July, Dutch Ambassador Sjoerd Leenstra was called before the Moroccan justice and foreign ministries on July 7th to hear of the sovereign's "great astonishment" and "categorical rejection of any policy, whatever its origins, motivations or purposes, which would demand that Moroccan nationals living in the Netherlands renounce their original nationality".

The original decision was made by the Dutch government after a wave of anti-Moroccan sentiment swept the European nation following the 2004 assassination of film director Theo Van Gogh by a Moroccan Islamist.

During Monday's meeting, the two officials pledged their countries' desire to improve public perception on both sides of the debate. Maxime Verhagen said his government is determined to address the education and employment needs of Moroccan Dutch citizens.

The government will never forbid Dutch citizens of Moroccan origin from cherishing their roots, he said, but it will require them to submit to their obligations under Dutch law.

Fassi Fihri said he hopes Morocco can play an important role in raising awareness, particularly on religious matters, to prevent the sort of violent incidents that provoked the backlash. The minister suggested cultivating the "tolerant, open Islam which has developed in Morocco over fourteen centuries; and which can be a useful tool for this community in building mutual respect".

Since the announcement of the ban on dual nationality, the Moroccan community living in the Netherlands has expressed its disagreement and disapproval. The intercontinental platform for Moroccan expatriates, based in the Netherlands, brought a complaint before the European Commission against the Dutch State for discrimination against Dutch citizens of Moroccan origin. The chairman of the association, Jamal Eddine Ryane, has declared that Moroccan nationality comes from the sovereignty of an independent state – in this case Morocco – which is not a member of the EU.

For his part, Abdou Mnebhi, who chairs the Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Migration and Development in Amsterdam, has been working to calm the Moroccan community.

"The justice minister who brought the draft bill before Parliament was trying to silence certain voices, particularly right-wing MPs, who see any immigrant or citizen of another nationality, particularly from a Muslim country, as a hindrance to the country’s development and a source of concern," he said.

"I don’t believe the bill will complete its course through Parliament."

According to current estimates, there are 480,000 Moroccans, residents or naturalised, living in the Netherlands.

I think the Dutch people who presented this bill to parliament need their head examined. How can they force or make the rest of the Moroccans relenquish their Moroccan Citizenship. Don't they understand that it is our birthright. If we were Zionists they would have thought twice. Where is human rights?

NO no no one is going to lose their second nationality, the propsual was to stop paying social rights to the 99.9% of imigrants in Holland claiming the sweet soft jelly from the govenement.Moroocans just happen to be the majority of jelly suckers

Thanks adds!
I do not want you to misundestand me. I am Anglo-Moroccan and proud of it. I have never been a jelly sucker as you termed it. Nor have I time for people lying about doing nothing and getting paid for it.
I do believe that one has to put something back in the system so that the system has enough to help those who really need it. Regardless of their nationality or the religous background. Ask any good Muslim and he will tell you exactly the same.
But you must admit that if one has put in the system as much as he could and became jobless or sick, don't you think that the system should look after him in the our of need.

I have always had great respect for the Dutch people and the Dutch government and I have always thought that they are the most just people in Europe as well as England. I honestly think that just people is not easy to loose, regardless of the ill minded few. I pray that the just people will triunph in the end from both sides. I also wish that people of Moroccan origin respect and love the country that has given them welcome as well as bread. To respect the people who invited you and respect their house and do not be,as you termed it a jelly sucker.
Thanks and God bless.

...even for little babies, there comes the time where we should take them off the bottle...funny enough that most babies are only fully potty trained after they have been off the bottle... Do not always fear change!...for change is always upon us and sometimes it is for the better..." La yoghayro allho ma bi 9awmin, 7atta yoghayirouna ma bi anfossihim" ...and I still just wander and wonder about what that means in essence

Hi vagabondo!
Thank you for your answer about change but I do not understand the last sentence.
Can you please clarify?
Thanks.

Quote
amzigh01
Hi vagabondo!
Thank you for your answer about change but I do not understand the last sentence.
Can you please clarify?
Thanks.

Assalomo 3alaykom!

And I beg your pardon!... cause I see that you are fully thankfull for the answer you have gotten elsewhere from Santa Claus...and I humbly gather that Santa Claus has all the answers one may need...to prosper during these purely commercial holidays but only "insha allah" ...

Sob7ana Allah! believing in GOD does not require believing in Santa Claus. BUT beliving in Santa Claus still requires believing in GOD...and most of us always seem to prefer to take detours from the shortest and straight path...just to please other creations like us...instead of pleasing the Only creator...

Indeed: "La yoghayro allaho ma bi 9awmin 7atta yoghayroun Ma bi anfousihim" and Sob7ana allah when he says: " Wa 9olou aslamna wa la to9olou amanna, wa lan to2minou 7atta yadkholo L'imano 9olobakom"...and I still just wander and wonder what that really means in essence... may be Santa Claus holds the answerto that one

Assalamo 3alykom wa rahmato allhi wa barakatouhou!