Page 9 - AT

A9
WORLD NEWS Tuesday 8 OcTOber 2019

UN racism rapporteur criticizes Dutch burqa ban

By MIKE CORDER gender equality." is striving for an inclusive so-
Associated Press In a preliminary report fol- ciety, but acknowledged
THE HAGUE, Netherlands lowing a visit to the Neth- "there is still work to be
(AP) — A U.N. racism rap- erlands, Achiume also done." She also welcomed
porteur has criticized the touched on the thorny issue news that a traditional chil-
recently implemented of Dutch colonial history. dren's character called
Dutch burqa ban as doing She said the government Black Piet, a sidekick to the
"more harm than good." should do more to teach Dutch version of St. Nicho-
Tendayi Achiume, a rap- people about the "histories las, has been replaced at
porteur for the U.N. Human of slavery and colonialism a nationally televised cel-
Rights Council, said Mon- as histories of systematic ra- ebration next month with a
day that the small num- cial subordination." version of the Piet charac-
ber of women who wear Last month, a museum in ter who has soot smudges
face-covering Islamic veils Amsterdam decided to on his face rather than full
reported suffering more stop calling the 17th cen- blackface makeup.
harassment since the law tury, when the Netherlands She said the Black Piet char-
went into force on Aug. 1. was a mercantile, military acter, which has sparked
While the law bans all sorts and artistic superpower, heated confrontations in
of face-covering clothing the "Golden Age," saying Tendayi Achiume, a rapporteur for the UN Human Rights Coun- recent years between ac-
cil, answers questions during a press conference in The Hague,
on public transportation, in the term glosses over "the Netherlands, Monday, Oct. 7, 2019. tivists who oppose and
government buildings and many negative sides of the Associated Press support him, "embodies de-
at health and education 17th century, such as pov- grading and dehumanizing
institutions, Achiume said erty, war, forced labor and In her report, following days LGBTI people and urged racial stereotypes about
"the political discourse sur- human trafficking." of meetings with govern- similar efforts to improve ra- black people."
rounding it has made clear The decision ignited heat- ment and municipal of- cial and ethnic equality. About one quarter of the
that Muslim women are its ed reactions, with Prime ficials, rights activists and The final report will be pub- Dutch population of just
intended targets." Minister Mark Rutte, who other groups, Achiume lished next year. over 17 million were born
She added: "This law has studied Dutch history in praised the Dutch govern- Social Affairs Ministry overseas or have at least
no place in a society that college, calling the move ment for promoting gender spokesman Coen Gelinck one parent who was born
prides itself in promoting "nonsense." equality and the rights of said the Dutch government overseas.q

Austria's Kurz given task of putting together new government

VIENNA (AP) — Austrian in May. And Kurz might struggle to
center-right leader Sebas- Kurz can choose between bridge policy differences
tian Kurz embarked Mon- reviving his previous co- with the Greens, who are
day on what could be the alition with the Freedom confident after seeing their
lengthy task of forming a Party, forming a coalition support soar and returning
new government, citing a with the center-left Social to parliament following a
looming economic down- Democrats, or allying with two-year absence.
turn, unregulated migra- the resurgent Greens. Kurz said he will open for-
tion and climate change Although Kurz is in a com- mal discussions with other
among the challenges fortable position, all three party leaders this week.
the next administration will options carry risks. It is ques- "The biggest challenge
face. tionable how stable a new that faces us immediately
President Alexander Van coalition with the Freedom is the question of how best
der Bellen formally tasked Party would be, particularly to deal with the looming
Kurz, 33, with putting to- after it suffered significant economic downswing," he
gether a government after losses in the Sept. 29 elec- said, pointing to U.S.-Eu-
his People's Party emerged tion. rope trade tensions, uncer- Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, left, welcomes Se-
from an election a week An alliance with the So- tainty over Brexit and weak bastian Kurz, right, head of the Austrian People's Party, OEVP,
prior to their talks at the Hofburg palace in Vienna, Austria, Mon-
ago as the strongest by far. cial Democrats, a familiar economic data in bigger day, Oct. 7, 2019.
The resounding win left him and unloved combina- neighbor Germany. Associated Press
poised to return to govern- tion that has frequently run He insisted that the new
ment after a scandal sur- post-World War II Austrian government must also con- along our determined path ous government with the
rounding his junior partner governments, could under- tinue to reduce Austrians' of combating illegal migra- Freedom Party, and to take
in the last administration, mine Kurz's image as a fresh tax burden. tion in Austria and in Eu- national and internation-
the Freedom Party, led to face bringing change to Kurz also said that "it will rope," which was a promi- al action against climate
the government's collapse the country. be important to continue nent feature of his previ- change.q