The Implications Of Dutch Counter-Terrorism Policies On Minority Groups

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to examine the effect of the preventive counter-terrorism policies and measures on minority groups in the Netherlands. The main focus of this thesis will be to determine the deficiency of the counter-terrorism policies and measures and to give suggestions for future studies, which can improve the current position of minority groups in the Netherlands and the counter-terrorism policies and measures. The main argument of this thesis is that the current Dutch preventive counter-terrorism approach is discriminating and violating the human rights of ethnic minorities in the Netherlands. This thesis is organised into four parts. Part one provides an insight on how terrorism and counter-terrorism can be understood and defined. Part two elaborates the current Dutch preventive counter-terrorism strategy and approach. The third part gives an in-depth analysis on the effect of counter-terrorism on minority groups and human right violations by counter-terrorism. The last part highlights the negative effect of the current counter-terrorism policies and measures being used in the Netherlands. The conclusion that comes out of this thesis argues that the current preventive counterterrorism policies and measures do violate human rights of minority groups and are rather discriminating based on ethnic, race and religion. The Dutch government have allowed stigmatising of minorities as the ‘others’. In order to improve the position of minority groups in the Netherlands, this thesis gives a few suggestions for future studies, in order for everyone to exercise their human rights and the improvement of the current counter-terrorism policies and measures