Editor,

There is a huge case that is transfixing the Dutch population and it involves Geert Wilders. Many may not have probably ever heard of him, and I too didn’t know him until a few months ago. I heard about him because of the dangerous views he, and his party spewed about Islam and Muslims.

His hard-line party, which, interestingly enough, won about twenty seats in the Dutch parliament and therefore have become kingmakers, is called, funny enough, Party for Freedom.

I don’t know whether he is pulling peoples’ legs, but I’m sure that he really doesn’t want freedom for Muslims. He called Islam a religion of violence and has attacked the hijab, the head covering traditionally worn by Muslim women.

He is so crazy that the British Home Office actually tried to ban him from entering the United Kingdom; he was only let in when he appealed the decision in court. As anyone knows, the UK will allow all sorts of people enter its territory the fact that they tried to keep him out tells us something. He’s a bad, bad man.

Well, he’s now in court being charged with inciting discrimination and hatred and with insulting a people on religious grounds, punishable with up to a year in jail and a fine. And what do I say about that? Good for the Dutch.

However, I’m very confused about this whole thing. He’s said some very strange things that have hurt people and he’s in court. Victoire Ingabire said some strange things and she is in court.

However, there hasn’t been a worldwide outcry over Mr. Wilders while there was one over Mrs. Ingabire. I always thought the outcry, especially from human rights organisations, was about ‘free speech’.

Well, I thought Wilders exercised his free speech right to say things like "if Muslims want to stay here, they must tear out half the Quran and toss it”.

Well, I guess he is having his day in court and so is Ingabire. So, why is Rwanda being accused of ‘silencing’ her while the Netherlands isn’t being accused of doing the same?

I mean, unlike Mrs. Victoire Ingabire, he was actually polled as the most popular politician in Holland. Although that is a bit of a worry. But fair is fair. Is it because we are a ‘black state’ and ‘white is right’? 

Sam Rwego
Kimihurura