Letters: Brussels and the Saudi connection

These letters were published in the 25th March – and penultimate – edition of the Independent

As a historian of Islamic culture, I have been concerned about religious developments in Brussels. All attention after the recent attacks seems to have been focused on Molenbeek, riddled with poverty and crime, but perhaps we should also look at the higher end of Brussels’ Muslim society.

The Great Mosque in the Cinquantanaire Parc, founded in 1880 as the Oriental Pavilion of the Belgian National Exhibition, had fallen into disrepair and was restored by the Saudis after a 1967 deal with King Baudoin which provided that its imams should come from the Gulf. This has resulted in a continuing supply of extremist Salafi teachers.

In 2012 the Belgian government did act and expelled Khalid al Abri (or el Ebri), the director of the Islamic Cultural Centre based in the mosque. Al Abri was a supporter of the infamous Takfiri doctrine, which is willing to use violence against Muslims accused of apostasy. It thus spreads immense fear and pressure within the Muslim community as well as outside it, and although al Abri has left the country he may have had continuing influence.

Investigators should look at the wealthier and “respectable” levels of Islamic activity, backed by the huge wealth of the Saudis.

Jane Jakeman

Oxford

Whenever terrorists launch an attack on other societies, such as Chechen attacks in Russia, Tamils in Sri Lanka, or Kurds in Turkey, the media feel obliged, quite correctly, to explain what are the factors that account for such shocking acts. When terrorists strike against us in the West our media and political leaders would prefer us to accept it as irrational madness.

Almost all terrorism is an ultimate expression of frustration fuelled by a sense of social injustice. It is an abomination in human terms and cannot be justified, but nevertheless when it happens the answer to “Why us?” must be sought.

We are seen by many as lacking the moral compass to forcefully condemn brutal repressive regimes because the cost/benefit analysis proves this would be financially damaging. We are seen as the purveyors of terrifying weapons and arms that facilitate mass murder on a staggering scale. And finally, we arrogantly see ourselves as licensed to interfere in any society or culture that incurs our displeasure.

We must decide whether we continue with this deal with the devil and accept the price – terrorism – or change our ways.

John Dillon

Birmingham

The NHS truly is on its knees

In the nearly 18 years that I have been qualified, I have never before felt so hopeless about the state and future of the NHS.

The service is truly on its knees, struggling to meet an insatiable demand, fed in part by a consumer approach to healthcare where it must be available 24/7 irrespective of the actual need.The situation is driven by a number of factors including a population suffering unprecedented levels of obesity and diabetes, an ageing population with complex healthcare needs and relentless cuts to the social care budget.

Add to this a government which believes that, as every part of any public service is wasteful, the solution to all of the problems must lie with endless drives for efficiency savings and continuing pointless reorganisations, when the real problem remains the woeful underfunding of the service. In addition the current Secretary of State for Health believes that the way to address a crisis in junior doctor morale is to impose a hateful contract and tell them that they will come to love it eventually.

One thing is clear: the NHS cannot continue the way it is. Either we are prepared to have an honest cross-party debate between politicians and the public about the type of health care we want and what we are prepared to pay for it, or we accept that the NHS is truly finished, with the private sector ready to swallow up the most profitable parts. Judging by the current state of affairs, I worry that it all may start unravelling sooner than we think.

Dr Justin Edwards

London N21

Older generation had a tough time too

Well done Mary Dejevsky (24 March) for helping to put right the myth that pensioners have never had it so good. When I got married 45 years ago we had little money. My husband and I worked day and night every hour we could to save a deposit for our first property, which was derelict and needed full restoration. We had to do this work ourselves over the course of many years as we could not afford professionals.

While raising our three children I would go out to work when my husband returned home from working long hours. There was not the option of child-minding. Holidays were out of the question. After 25 years’ service in local government I retired in 2014 with a pension of £8,000.

Most pensioners nowadays help the younger generation in many ways. You only need to look around to see grandparents providing free childminding.

I feel really sorry for the younger generation and the struggles they are having with housing and employment. I certainly believe more needs to be done to make this a more equal society. But please don’t lay financial hardship at the doorstep of pensioners. We have had it hard as well and are not all living in mansions dining on caviar.

Eleanor Jarvis

Enfield, Greater London

The customer is all right – no problem!

My experience in dealing with bar staff and shop assistants (letters, 24 March), who tend to be somewhat younger than myself, goes something like this.

Scenario: ordering a pint.

Bar staff: “Yorl right there?”

Me: “Yes I’m fine thank you and how are you?”

Bar staff: “I’m good ta.”

Pause.

Eventually, bar staff: “What can I get you?”

Me: “Ah, I thought you’d never ask. I’ll have a pint of … please,” stating my preference.

Bar staff: “No problem.”

Me: “If I thought there was going to be a problem, I probably wouldn’t have asked.”

Bar staff serves me with my pint, I pay for it.

Me: “Thank you.”

Bar staff: “No problem.”

Aaaargh!

John Sheldon

Holbrook, Derbyshire

Chirpy Barista or Sales Assistant : “Y’ OK there?”

Customer: “How kind of you to ask. We..e..ell... (Insert own choice of current aches, pains and sundry Health Issues, real and imagined).”

Brightens everyone’s day!

Sue Breadner

Douglas, Isle of Man

Entering a Scottish hotel, where I had a reservation, I introduced, myself by saying, “Good evening. My name is Simpson.” I was relieved by her reply: “That’s no problem, sir.”

Robert Simpson

Gorebridge, Midlothian

Tories bray and Labour yawns

A pity that Tom Peck (23 March) did not report on that close-knit little group of MPs sitting just behind the Labour leader as he made his fine response to the Chancellor’s original Budget.

Clearly averse to listening to Corbyn, one of the little group caught on television yawned, fidgeted, played with her iPad and leant across to chat with her neighbours – who demonstrated their boredom by brandishing and consulting a weighty document they all possessed.

I am appalled by the braying hooliganism of too many Conservative MPs. But I am even more appalled by the ostentatious contempt certain Labour MPs show for a leader whose intelligent and restrained behaviour puts most of our politicians as well as certain of our journalists to shame.

Carla M Wartenberg

London NW3

No longer a Christian nation

I was surprised by the claim that less than half of the UK will identify as Christians by 2050 (“Faith restored by rise of ‘churchless Christians’”, 24 March). Actually, we’ve been there since 2009.

The British Social Attitudes survey has been tracking religious affiliations every year since 1983, when 67 per cent of those surveyed said that they regarded themselves as belonging to Christianity. That figure has been falling ever since, first hit 50 per cent in 1998 and has been below 50 per cent every year since 2009. The most recent (2014) figure is 42 per cent.

We may still be living in a resolutely Christian state, but we are no longer a Christian nation.

Toby Keynes

Chair, Humanist & Secularist Liberal Democrats, Purley, Surrey

News with the right balance

Opening your paper has been a visual delight: perfectly balanced layout, gorgeous photos, the peace of the white space, the typefaces. Thank you, creatives, you made news into an art form.

Cathryn Ryall

Stourbridge, West Midlands

The real problem remains the woeful underfunding of the service