Ondiep asserts itself

Ondiep residents and friends of the Mulder family held a "silent march" yesterday, to commemorate Rini Mulder, the man who was killed by the police. Two thousand people joined in the march. The neighbourhood organised their own protection group ("Dutch") to secure the marchers. The protection group("ordedienst") was put together by a mr. Gradus Kwarten.

The Ondiep neighbourhood is still cordoned off by riot police by day and by night. The police has installed surveillance cameras on masts in order to control the residents. The Ondiep neighbourhood has been intimidated by groups of Turkish youth for a long time. The pleas for protection went unheeded. Rini Mulder himself called the police more than 30 times. But the police seems unable or unwilling to protect Ethnic Dutch citizens against the Turks.

Writers such as Martin van Creveld and William Lind have pointed out that states are increasingly unable to protect their citizens. Citizens in turn are seeking ways to find security. Their loyalty is moving away from the state to other social units. Elite created supra national organisations such as the EU and NATO are not looking out for the security of the Middle and Lower class. By hiring security companies and forming well off private individuals seek to secure their living and business environment.

Working class people will not be able to raise the money for a private security firm. So they have to form their own security groups. Since their taxes are supposed to go to police protection, they should demand a hefty discount on their taxes. Another idea to finance reimbursing the guards is by registering the groups as a company and receiving a budget from the municipality.

It is unacceptable that the political class gets away with hollowing out the security of the people, without having them relinquisch some control over the lives of the people they are failing to protect.

I wish Mr. Gradus Kwarten and his men of the Ondiep Ordedienst all success in his undertaking.