Most Dutch MPs support separating LGBT asylum seekers

A majority in the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch Parliaments, supports the idea of separate shelter for threatened LGBT asylum seekers, parliamentarians from ruling parties PvdA and VVD said in Nieuwsuur on Monday night.

The PvdA decided to support a proposal for separate shelter for threatened gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender asylum seekers, brought by opposition party D66. PvdA parliamentarian Attje Kuiken believes that with the PvdA's support, a majority in the Kamer will vote for the proposal on Tuesday.

The VVD does not agree with the plan, thus standing behind VVD State Secretary Klaas Dijkhoff's view. As State Secretary of Security and Justice, Dijkhoff is responsible for asylum. "Newcomers must respect the Dutch standards. We must tackle the perpetrators", VVD MP Malik Azmani said on the program.

In the proposal the D66 stresses that they do not want to deal with different people separately. But it may be necessary due to the conditions a number of LGBT asylum seekers are living in in the asylum centers, according to D66 parliamentarian Pia Dijkstra.

According to gay interest association COC, LGBT asylum seekers are systematically being threatened and harassed. This problem is especially prevalent in the emergency shelters. In the Heumensoord tent camp threatening letters were placed under one gay asylum seeker's bed and another found a knife stabbed through his mattress.