Dutch Ambassador Renée Jones-Bos Speaks At Homeland Security Policy Institute

PR Log (Press Release) – Oct 28, 2009 – The George Washington University Homeland Security Policy Institute (HSPI) welcomed Dutch Ambassador Renée Jones-Bos as part of HSPI’s ongoing Ambassadors Roundtable Series on International Collaboration to Combat Terrorism and Insurgencies.  Joining the Ambassador was Peter Slort, the police attaché at the Dutch embassy in Washington.  Frank Cilluffo, HSPI’s Director, moderated the discussion.

Ambassador Jones-Bos began her remarks with a simple, yet profound point about Dutch counterterrorism policy:  “It is all about our core values.”  This position is the product of Dutch political culture and the nature of the terror threat.  Jones-Bos noted that threats exist from the extreme right, extreme left, as well as violent Islamists.  Nevertheless, 9/11, the murder of Theo van Gogh, and the deaths of two radicalized Dutch citizens in Kashmir in 2002, served as a wake-up call concerning Islamist terrorism.  

Ambassador Jones-Bos explained that in recent years a demographic shift had occurred within the Netherlands.  As a result of immigration, six percent of the country’s population is now Muslim—just under one million people.  Although most are integrated into Dutch society, Jones-Bos argued that socio-economic factors and a polarized political debate over immigration have engendered a sense of disenfranchisement among segments of that population.  Potential radicalization of these individuals poses a threat which the Netherlands seeks to counter by means of a comprehensive strategy that aims to support local authorities, reduce discrimination, and foster a sense of inclusion among young Muslims.

Mr. Cilluffo observed “one of the most interesting aspects is that the Dutch have recognized that many of the solutions reside outside government all together.”  Cilluffo then asked what lessons the Dutch had learned from their experiences.  Jones-Bos responded that in hindsight, one mistake was having exercised early on, “tolerance that was almost a form of indifference”; and that Dutch officials should have engaged sooner with communities at the local level.

In discussing police outreach efforts, Peter Slort suggested that effective engagement requires establishing relationships and empowering voices at the local level.  Slort noted that although Dutch police provide education and training to local communities, “we don’t reach out to get intelligence— that has to be very clear, otherwise you don’t get anywhere.”  However such programs are in part designed to provide citizens with information regarding what to do should they observe something that they believe poses a potential threat to Dutch society.

When asked by the Cato Institute’s Stanley Kober whether the Ambassador was concerned that identity issues might generate societal fissures that could pose a long-term threat to the Netherlands, Jones-Bos responded that we need to work very hard “to make sure the people that live in our societies feel at home and do not have allegiance to another country or organization.”  Nonetheless, she doubted that identity issues themselves posed a long-term threat.    

See HSPI’s website for audio, video, and other resources for this event: http://www.gwumc.edu/hspi/events/netherlandsARTresource.cfm

About the Ambassadors Roundtable Series:
   
The Ambassadors Roundtable Series is designed to provide Ambassadors to the United States and their key diplomatic staff with a forum to discuss current and future counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts on a regional or country-specific basis. In an effort to draw upon various insights and experiences, the Ambassadors Roundtable Series builds upon and institutionalizes efforts over the past two years to engage in a dialogue with members of the international community, policymakers, and practitioners. For more on the series, visit: http://www.gwumc.edu/hspi/policy/program_ARTs.cfm