Writer: EU needs of policies to integrate Muslim community

Henrique Raposo

Europe is currently facing a crisis regarding the integration of Muslim communities into its territories and an expert argued that the European Union is in need of creating policies aimed at this very end.

Henrique Raposo, a Portuguese writer and a media pundit, argued in his talk this week at the University of Macau – held as part of the Macau Literary Festival – that the solution to the current challenge is a revival of the classical liberal patriotism.

During the talk, Raposo argued that two conservative forces would decide the future of Europe.

“Either the center-right patriotism of Merkel, Fillon or Macron, politicians determined to defend the cosmopolitan status quo of the last decades; or the far-right nationalism of Le Pen, Brexiteers, Alternative for Germany – political-forces to destroy Europe.”

The center-right patriotism believes that all races and religion can live together under the same legal framework; whilst the extremists are more discriminatory – which is a mistake, according to the speaker.

Nevertheless Raposo acknowledged that one of the reasons for the ongoing discrimination of Muslims is fear of the recent terrorist attacks by the so-called Islamic State (IS).

“The center-left and the center-right didn’t respond to that fear. So they gave room and time for the far-right to grow. We now have to start thinking about integrating Muslims who are born and raised in Europe,” he reasoned.

Raposo then argued that the EU could use Singapore as an example of how to integrate different communities – citing that the country acquires educational and housing policies for residents.

He noted that 80 percent of Singapore residents live in public housing regardless of their nationality. He also argued that there are no exclusive schools targeting specific nationalities.

“They imposed a mandatory diversity. People have to live together [so] in every neighborhood [there are] Chinese, Malay and Indians,” he said.

Meanwhile when questioned on how Europe is currently tackling the issue, Raposo briefly said, “lousy, we’re making a mess of things.”

He blamed the center-right for not developing a policy of integration, resulting in the view of Muslims as visitors to the territories.

“We shouldn’t use the term multiculturalism, we should use segregation or clash of communities,” he argued, recalling the theories of political scientist Samuel P. Huntington who argued that the clash would become the primary source of conflict in the future.

Raposo noted that terrorist attacks are being conducted by Muslims living in Europe and not those from the Middle East.

“We all have the moral duty to integrate refugees and all [the] economic interest [to do so …]. We need immigrants, a lot. It’s crazy to build walls when we need them,” he said, noting Europe’s ageing society.

The media pundit also noted that the strategy of IS in organizing these attacks is to make EU residents fearful of Muslims.

“We’re coming to that point. We’re coming to a place in time where everybody in the streets [or] bus will be afraid of Muslims and we have to stop that immediately.”

Raposo also added that it would take a generation for the EU to fully integrate  Muslim communities in its countries. According to him, the EU has to solve the issue by integrating the community with the laws and values of the host country – without jeopardizing Islamic cultural and religious rights.