Racist threats triggering Moslem woman resignation denounced in Belgium
Morocco-Belgium, Local, 3/4/2005

Belgian political leaders and human rights organisations representatives denounced in Brussels Thursday racist threats that forced Belgian-Moroccan Naima Amzil to resign to put an end to the pressure on her boss to fire her.

Belgian Premier, Guy Verhofstadt, said the investigation on the death threats, sent to the employer of the woman, are going on to find and punish the perpetrators. In spite of several death threats an extreme right group has reportedly sent to Rik Vannieuwenhuyse and his employee, Moslem Amzil, who wears a scarf on work, the two resisted the blackmail that started last December.

ON Wednesday, however, Vannieuwenhuyse got a seventh death letter containing two bullets, which made Naima Amzil decide to resign, in spite of her boss protests.

Green "Ecolo" and centrist CDH parties announced they intend to ask the justice minister at hearing in the parliament on the progress made by the investigators.

Ecolo said it was "outraged by the nightmare" of Naima Amzil and her employer, for the "situation is humanly unacceptable and is a serious breach to democracy basics."

It is "intolerable and inhumane that an employee that wears a veil and who is lauded by society for her daily work, be forced to resign following a series of threats targeting her and her boss," the CDH said in a press release.

The center for equality and opportunities and the fight of racism also stressed the seriousness of the situation, calling for mobilisation to face racist and intolerance forces.

The threats to Rik Vannieuwenhuyse, owner of the Courtrai-based company (Flanders), have been claimed by an unknown organisation calling itself "Nouvelle Flandre libre." Other enterprises employing Moslems also received threats.

Naima Amzil, a Moroccan-born Belgian, has resigned from her job to save the life of her employer who received death threats urging him to fire the veiled employee. This case has prompted a wave of solidarity in Flanders. Thousands of people have signed a petition to express support to Amzil.

HM King Albert II of Belgium had received last January Naima Amzil and the company manager, and lauded their courage, urging them not to give in to the blackmail.

Previous Stories:
  Veiled Moroccan-born Belgian resigns amid death threats   (3/3/2005)
  Moroccans, Turks most-hardly hit by unemployment in Belgium, study   (12/9/2004)
  Princess Lalla Salma, Queen Paola visit 'Solidarite Feminine' association   (10/8/2004)

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