Netherlands: Race statistics criticised
01 March 1994
Figures produced by the police criminal intelligence service on the source of racist violence has come under strong attack. A confidential analysis by the Central Recherche Informatiedienst (CRI, Central Criminal Intelligence Service) concludes that racist provocations and violence against foreigners in Holland do not originate from organised rightwing extremism. According to the CRI, they are local and mostly unrelated incidents. The number of reported incidents over 1993 (612) has risen sharply compared to the first documented period (Jan 1992 - May 1993: 337 incidents).
Experts however have questioned the reliability and validity of the CRI's analysis. Criminology Professor and expert on policing Dr Cyrille Fijnaut (Leuven and Rotterdam universities) says that the figures are based only on published accounts and that many incidents are not included. He says their conclusion that organized right-wing extremism plays no role is not supported by hard evidence. Dr Jaap van Donselaar of Leiden University, considered to be an expert on rightwing extremism, also questions the CRI's conclusions and emphasizes that extreme right political parties make every effort to keep connections with their violent followers out of the limelight.
The Fascisme Onderzoekskollektief (FOK, Fascism Investigations Collective), which has many local correspondents throughout the Netherlands and confidential sources within extremist groups, calls the figures blatantly unreliable. "The CRI has to work on data supplied voluntarily by local police forces. They did not include in their figures at least eight serious incidents (a hostage situation involving asylum seekers, a case of arson and a number of physical assaults) in which rightwing extremists were involved." The FOK spokesperson also pointed out that a group of extremists sentenced in 1993 for violent crimes against foreigners was not considered to be organised, because during police questioning the subject was not brought up. However, five of them were card-carrying members of the CP '86 extremist party that has local councillors throughout the country. The CRI accepts that its conclusions are based on the statements of arrested perpetrators and that only in a very limited number of incidents were people arrested. "Information" from police intelligence services was not used in the analysis.