Celal Altuntas is a Turkish-Dutch writer who has steeped himself in ‘honour’ issues among the Muslims in Holland. He has written several books and many newspaper commentaries on the question. In a conversation with journalist Hans Moll in a cafe (pub) in Amsterdam he made claims that are of interest to any nation with migrants from Turkey.

He told Moll of his disgust at the ‘hypocritical’ attitude of many Turkish-Dutch citizens: ‘Seventy percent of Turkish-Dutch support Erdogan. This group is born and bred in Holland and has enjoyed all the freedoms and rights that is guaranteed in a fully fledged democratic state with the rule of law. It is therefore hypocritical and dishonest that precisely this group  grants the Turks in Turkey a dictatorial regime.’

Altuntas went on to make an alarming claim: ‘During the conversation,’ writes Moll, ‘Altuntas repeats is his previous claim that the Turkish people (“sheep”) have been taken hostage by Erdogan (“the shepherd”).  Although the process of taking the Turkish people hostage has been more gradual in Holland than in Turkey, Erdogan can count on the overwhelming and unconditional support of the Turkish-Dutch.’

If Altuntas is right, Turkey under dictator Erdogan already occupies that ground in Holland where the Turkish community has pitched camp.

A recent Ipsos survey taken by the Dutch newspaper De Volkskraant showed that ‘two out of three Turkish-Dutch people support the Erdogan government and about the same majority condemned Holland’s role in the diplomatic row with Turkey.’