Radicalization in Molenbeek; Belgian dual policy obstructs integrated approach Belgisch tweesporenbeleid verhindert integrale aanpak

A visa system covered by criminal law could adequately confront the current issues surrounding terrorism and in particular Foreign Terrorist Fighters (FTF’s). Classical legal research demonstrates that the idea of creating a criminal offense for breaching this visa system does not conflict with relevant human rights parameters of the European Convention, except in cases where journalists or non-journalists with a strong civil expression would be prevented to undertake obvious journalistic activities. The latter differs during a state of emergency, but this is undesirable given the fundamental role of freedom of expression within democratic constitutional societies.

In this article, I report on an ethnographic research project conducted in 2013-2015 in Rotterdam’s neighbourhood Hillesluis on ‘Community Governs’, a community-based program which goal is to solve neighbourhood crime and disorder problems. By making use of the CLEAR model, the article focuses on three factors of effective participation of citizens: ‘Enabled to’, ‘Asked to’, and ‘Responded to’. The results indicate that making residents of a deprived neighbourhood responsible for the governing of safety and security issues is extremely difficult. It also becomes clear that the participants don’t believe that their involvement is making a difference in the neighbourhood. An importantly explanation for this is that the participants are not provided enough information to make the right decisions about which safety problems need to be tackled.