The police in the Gouda region have sworn in police officers who swore allegiance to Allah. Small Christian party SGP has demanded an explanation from the government.
Police in the Netherlands can choose between the Christian oath (‘So help me God Almighty) and the neutral vow (‘I declare and promise...’). In Gouda, it now turns out, the option has existed for years for Islamic officers to use the oath that runs: ‘In the name of Allah, the Merciful Compassionate, and he is my witness that I promise this.’ The hand must be placed on the Koran for this.
In reactions to questions put by SGP MP Van der Staaij to Home Affairs Minister Guusje ter Horst, the Gouda corps claims the Allah oath has not been used any more since six months ago. According to a spokesman, doubts arose on the legitimacy of the Islamic oath. The Council of State, the highest administrative court, ruled in 2002 that alternative oaths should not be allowed.
Van der Staaij is “very surprised” about what happened. He wants Ter Horst to prevent Islamic oaths being made again in the future. “Just as little as the SGP is in favour of the nationalisation of Islamic holidays, the SGP is equally against Islamic oaths in the Netherlands.”
According to the Gouda police corps spokesman, “regular” use was made of the Islamic variant of the oath in recent years. How many times exactly he did not know. Gouda has been much in the news in recent weeks due to the great problems caused there by Moroccan teenagers.