Dutch treatment, Libya and doctors - your comments
This is a new exercise in multi-tasking. I'm going to follow your comments for the blog and try to read them out on air as well. We're starting in the Netherlands talking about the case of Ayaan Hersi Ali, a controversial MP there. after admitting lying on her asylum application.
That's just the beginning, and the programme isn't complete without your comments. Have your say now.
Ms Hersi Ali's parlimentary colleague and fellow party member Bibi de Vries said:
If anything happens to Ayaan Hersi, some in our liberal group will have blood on their hands
Pam Evenhuis, a member of Ms Hersi Ali's party and one of her supporters, called this 'legal assassination'.
One of callers, Dave in the UK, said that a lot of comments on the Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú website had blamed this on Islam, on religion. Dave said that this had little to do with religion. But he said that the Dutch immigration minister had taken a tough stand on immigration. The immigration minister left herself with very little room.
Muhammad, a Dutch Muslim living in the US, accused Ms Hersi Ali of not wanting to reform Islam but inciting a response. There are reports that she is planning to relocate to the US to work for the American Enterprise Institute. Muhammad said:
Living in the US, I don't want her to come here. I living here. Regardless of 9/11, things are good here for Muslims, but I have seen the detoriation in the Netherlands. The last thing I want is for her to come here and stir things up.
Mr Evenhuis defended Ms Hershi Ali's right to take have her own views and take part in the debate.
But Muhammad responded: "You don't conduct a debate by spitting in someone's face."
We had this text message from Ed in Sierra Leone;
Europeans like stories of persecution. Most africans give ridiculous stories for asylum
And we had this anonymous text message:
The Somali Dutch MP started on the wrong footing but her efforts to support muslim women is commendable
And Robert Alu, Dar es Salaam in Tanzania texted us this message:
How can the US accept a liar whose passport's been revoked by the Dutch authorities?
And Arno in Veldhoven called and had this to say:
This is completely about party politics. In my opinion, every refugee has to lie to get into this country.
Gaya Zubah sent us this text message comment from Liberia:
The scraping of the citizenship of the dutch mp is timely and just, it will deter other economic migrants from lying .The truth can't hide.
Libya reacts to normalised relations with the US
World Have Your Say editor Mark Sandell wanted to know what ordinary Libyans were saying. Â鶹¹ÙÍøÊ×Ò³Èë¿Ú reporter Rana Jawad went out and spoke to a few Libyans Monday night. They saw the lifting of the sanctions as a good step, but some Libyan businessmen thought US businesses would benefit more than Libyan business.
Rana told us that it would be impossible to get live voices out of Libya. She said that even in getting the interviews she did, she was stopped by authorities.
But how else to get ordinary voices? I spoke with a Libyan blogger. She blogs anonymously and would not allow me to record the interview.
She told me that ordinary Libyans would be pleased by this normalisation of relations. She said: Libyans have been waiting for this final step in normalisation of relations because it will make their lives easier.
She said that Libyans viewed it as a big step being removed from the United States' list of state sponsors of terrorism.
It will allows investment by US business, and Libyans hope that this will bring increased job opportunities. Despite strained relations between the US and Libya, she said it was her impression that Libyans have a love-love relationship with the US. Many Libyans studied in the US in the 1970s and they came back with positive views of the US. They passed these on to their children.
But she also stressed that regardless of the sanctions, Libya is not so isolated as people think. It is on the mediterranean, and it was easy for Libyans to get TV, especially via satellite, and other information from abroad. Libyans travel a lot, and she told me that Libyans have lots of contact with the outside world.
Idris Dangalan, from Kano Nigeria sent us this text message:
Bravo America for removing Libya from the blacklist because it may lead to peace-map in the middle-east.
Doctors strike in Germany
University doctors in Germany are threatening to go on strike if they don't get a 30% pay increase. Dr Olaf Guckelberger joined us from Berlin to describe the situation there.
German work hours are at the top of the scale in Europe. We said enough is enough
Obadiah Braimah sent us this text:
I'm a student nurse in Ghana. Actually the reward of health workers esp. nurses is not satisfactory at all and hence the migration.
And we had this anonymous text:
In Tanzania doctors pay is a problem. It was the cause of a strike a few months ago. Pay was increased, but we are not satisfied.
Fauz in Nairobi Kenya sent us this text message:
THE PLIGHT OF DOCTORS AND HEALTH WORKERS OVER POOR RENUMERATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS ARE WORSE IN AFRICA THAN GERMANY. WHAT DO WE DO AFTER LENGTHY PERIOD OF STUDIES BUT END UP BEING MISUSED.
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