Hirsi Ali Illustrates in Film How
Muslims Justify Mistreatment of Women

Amsterdam - Perhaps it says more about the nature of leadership in the Muslim community in the Netherlands than what it says about the feelings and reactions of ordinary Dutch Muslims, but the views of spokesmen of Muslim organizations over the film Submission shown by the public broadcasting network VPRO were largely negative. The film was directed by enfant terrible Theo van Gogh and the scenario was written by Miss Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a member of the Tweede Kamer (Lower House) for the Liberal Party.

The film was shown in the last section of VPRO's television summer special, Zomergasten (Summer Guests), on 29 August. In what was a highly static presentation, a Muslim woman appeared in the typical dress reserved for a women adhering to the fundamentalist teachings of the Koran. The woman was naked under a sheer gown with the exception of panties. Her head was covered with the exception of her eyes. The public was presented the first episode entitled Submission. It is the first of what is intended to become a three-part film.

The body of the women, as well as the bodies of other Muslim women who have been beaten, were covered with texts from the Koran used by Muslims to justify their treatment of women. The texts were formulated according to the interpretation of Miss Hirsi Ali.

Miss Hirsi Ali, moreover, is of Somalian origins. She has also forsworn the Islam faith and is responsible as spokesman on behalf of the Liberals in the House for emancipation affairs with emphasis on Muslim women living in the Netherlands and elsewhere.

The thrust of the film is a protest against the mistreatment of women who are born into Muslim families. According to Hirsi Ali, "It is written in the Koran a woman may be slapped if she is disobedient. This is one of the evils I wish to point out in the film". The film deals with one woman who was raped by her uncle, and another who was beaten by her husband.

According to Van Gogh, the film is made as if it were "a pamphlet". Van Gogh was first approached by Hirsi Ali and he agreed to produce the film on his own expense of Euro 18,000. He was supported by the VPRO network with Euro 2,000. Van Gogh hopes the English-language film, once finished in its entirety, will be "...purchased by Al-Jazeera, the television station in the Mideast. Since they broadcast films made by Bin Laden, they should have no trouble with this".

Hirsi Ali expects to be criticized for her effort to end mistreatment of Muslim women. "Women are, of course, oppressed everywhere, but the oppression is justified by the Islamic faith and that is why I wanted to make the film".

The film, according to Mohammed Sini of the Islamic and Citizenship Foundation. is offensive to Muslims. The Muslim leader believes Hirsi Ali has succeeded in drawing yet further attention to herself. "If there is a reaction, Theo van Gogh will have to protect her". Moreover, if the attitude of the Muslim community is going to change with respect to treatment of women, "It will have to come from Muslims and not from a domesticated atheist".

Mr. Nabil Marmouch, the Dutch representative of the Arab Europe League, an organization based in Belgium and led by Abou Jahjah from Lebanon, says "I know what she is up to with this film. She wants extra security and she wants others to feel sorry for her. She is simply looking for attention".

Mrs. Khadija Arib, a member of the Labour Party group in the Tweede Kamer (Lower House) originally from Morocco, says, "I admire anyone who wishes to
point out that the mistreatment and oppression of women is an evil. I question, however, whether this is the right way to do it. I am truly concerned that Hirsi Ali simply wishes to be confrontational when presenting others with this message". 30 August 2004