Netherlands:Protests attract surveillance
01 September 1996
Local groups campaigning against new offices being built in Nijmegen have attracted the attention of the Dutch security forces. Both the Regionale Inlichtingen Dienst (Regional Information Service, RID, the Dutch equivalent of the Special Branch) and the Binnenlandse Veiligheids Dienst (Internal Security Service, BVD) have been involved in attempts to infiltrate protest movements and to recruit informants.
There have been allegations made against security services operations in Nijmegen dating back five years, which culminated in thousands of people demonstrating against the security forces. The most recent allegations, however, focus on the squatters movement as well as the campaign organised by the "Assata" information centre against plans to build luxury apartments and office space in the centre of Nijmegen.
According to Assata a 19 year old student was approached by Rob Paulis of the RID in April of this year who asked him to infiltrate "squatters and stone thrower" circles. The student refused to cooperate and instead went to the OBIV ("Onderzoeksburo Inlichtingen- en Veiligheidsdiensten" or the "Research centre into the information and security services") who proceeded to make this information public.
Following this revelation Mayor D'Hondt of Nijmegen admitted that he had instigated an investigation into the new squatters movement a month before. Assata however claim that Paulis had been seen observing squatters activities in November 1995 as well as in January of this year.
Another case then came to light in May. Plans for the city centre, which involved among other things the construction of a six-lane highway as well as the building of luxury apartments together with new car parks, had aroused the opposition of local people. Together with Assata the people affected by the plans organised a campaign against the proposals.
One of the local people who became active in the campaign was approached by an agent of the RID who was very interested in activists associated with Assata. Apart from attempting to find out who was involved with the protests from Assata and other activist groups the RID agent is also alleged to have attempted to spread disinformation about activists within the campaign claiming amongst other things that Assata were planning to sabotage construction sites.
When Assata learned of these latest infiltration attempts they asked Mayor D'Hondt, as the individual responsible for the RID in Nijmegen, for an explanation. D'Hondt claimed however that the initiative behind this latest investigation came from the national BVD. Enquiries as to the reasons behind these infiltration attempts are now being directed at the Dutch Interior Ministry. In the meantime Assata have denounced the attempt by the BVD to "exceed their authority by conducting an investigation into wholly legal joint activities between local residents and organisations supporting them."
Ravage, 9.8.96.