Al Sawt
21-01-05, 02:18
Dutch Moroccan juvenile delinquents appreciated coming to their homeland.
By Willy Oosterveld 14/01/2005 | 12:54 GMT
Last month a group of 24 young Dutch Moroccans from Amsterdam visited Morocco for charity work. Most of these youngsters aged 22 have a criminal past or were in negative contact with the police and Justice Department of Amsterdam.
Looking through an ethnic perspective, Dutch Moroccans are over-represented in juvenile delinquency. The project ‘And Now Something Positive' (ENIP) brought the youngsters to Morocco to expose them to some kind of shock with a view to helping them reassess the opportunities that the Netherlands present them.
“By exposing them to the harsh realities of their homeland we make them aware that they should treasure the opportunities given in the Netherlands,” says ENIP's President Peter Meijer. Standing between hospital beds and wheelchairs he continues: “described by the Dutch society and media as troublemakers, these youngsters now feel in Morocco what it's like to be appreciated.”
Within a ten days' working programme, the Dutch Moroccans delivered equipment to the Ibn Rochd Hospital in Casablanca, brought machines to the Oukacha youth prison in Aïn Sebaâ and handed over school books to the Tarik Lyceé in Azrou.
“We have never seen so much poverty, it's really bad,” said five of them in chorus while lifting one of the more than 30 hospital beds onto a truck. For three months this group managed to collect and repair different kinds of things in the Netherlands. Finally they could bring the material to the people in need.
On way from Complexe Mohammed V to the Ibn Rochd Hospital in Casablanca, the group sang songs in Arabic. When stopped by a policeman along the road, there was little respect for him. “We are going to snatch away your blue uniform,” they shouted at him, speaking the Dutch this time.
Yet, they were impressed by the way some people of their own age had to live in Morocco. Ahmed, 21, said he could hardly compare the Oukacha youth prison with the Dutch prisons. Recently, he was in jail for six days. “I was in a high class five star hotel, alone in a cell with clean sheets, a television and private toilet. I couldn't stay in Oukacha, it would drive me crazy. It's not a prison, but a concentration camp!” he said.
A football game was organized during their visit: some Moroccan delinquents against the boys from Amsterdam. Afterwards, 200 prisoners sang the Moroccan anthem, astonishing the Dutch Moroccans with their discipline.
Mohcine, 22, who is a student at the Higher School of Economics, was silent. “I know Morocco from summer holidays, sunset, and beautiful women. I didn't know about this side of Morocco. We are very spoiled in the Netherlands,” he said.
“This was ENIP's third trip to Morocco,” said President Meijer, adding that most of the boys, who were involved in criminal deeds, had stopped themselves from committing any crime after they had visited their homeland and witnessed the differences.
“The project is an eye-opener. These boys realized the possibilities they have in the Netherlands,” Meijer said, adding that “the project aims at offering the Dutch Moroccans a positive feeling about themselves. They have appreciated the fact the other were grateful to them.”
Afkomstig van een Engelstalige Marokkaanse nieuwswebsite!
Moroccotimes.com.
By Willy Oosterveld 14/01/2005 | 12:54 GMT
Last month a group of 24 young Dutch Moroccans from Amsterdam visited Morocco for charity work. Most of these youngsters aged 22 have a criminal past or were in negative contact with the police and Justice Department of Amsterdam.
Looking through an ethnic perspective, Dutch Moroccans are over-represented in juvenile delinquency. The project ‘And Now Something Positive' (ENIP) brought the youngsters to Morocco to expose them to some kind of shock with a view to helping them reassess the opportunities that the Netherlands present them.
“By exposing them to the harsh realities of their homeland we make them aware that they should treasure the opportunities given in the Netherlands,” says ENIP's President Peter Meijer. Standing between hospital beds and wheelchairs he continues: “described by the Dutch society and media as troublemakers, these youngsters now feel in Morocco what it's like to be appreciated.”
Within a ten days' working programme, the Dutch Moroccans delivered equipment to the Ibn Rochd Hospital in Casablanca, brought machines to the Oukacha youth prison in Aïn Sebaâ and handed over school books to the Tarik Lyceé in Azrou.
“We have never seen so much poverty, it's really bad,” said five of them in chorus while lifting one of the more than 30 hospital beds onto a truck. For three months this group managed to collect and repair different kinds of things in the Netherlands. Finally they could bring the material to the people in need.
On way from Complexe Mohammed V to the Ibn Rochd Hospital in Casablanca, the group sang songs in Arabic. When stopped by a policeman along the road, there was little respect for him. “We are going to snatch away your blue uniform,” they shouted at him, speaking the Dutch this time.
Yet, they were impressed by the way some people of their own age had to live in Morocco. Ahmed, 21, said he could hardly compare the Oukacha youth prison with the Dutch prisons. Recently, he was in jail for six days. “I was in a high class five star hotel, alone in a cell with clean sheets, a television and private toilet. I couldn't stay in Oukacha, it would drive me crazy. It's not a prison, but a concentration camp!” he said.
A football game was organized during their visit: some Moroccan delinquents against the boys from Amsterdam. Afterwards, 200 prisoners sang the Moroccan anthem, astonishing the Dutch Moroccans with their discipline.
Mohcine, 22, who is a student at the Higher School of Economics, was silent. “I know Morocco from summer holidays, sunset, and beautiful women. I didn't know about this side of Morocco. We are very spoiled in the Netherlands,” he said.
“This was ENIP's third trip to Morocco,” said President Meijer, adding that most of the boys, who were involved in criminal deeds, had stopped themselves from committing any crime after they had visited their homeland and witnessed the differences.
“The project is an eye-opener. These boys realized the possibilities they have in the Netherlands,” Meijer said, adding that “the project aims at offering the Dutch Moroccans a positive feeling about themselves. They have appreciated the fact the other were grateful to them.”
Afkomstig van een Engelstalige Marokkaanse nieuwswebsite!
Moroccotimes.com.