European Muslims: ‘Refusal to integrate the root of most problems’
Muslim immigrants in Europe have faced many challenges post-9/11, and there is a need to enhance intra-community harmony to address the situation. This was stressed at a seminar titled ‘Muslim Immigrants in Europe’, held here on Thursday. The seminar was organised by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), in collaboration with the Pakistan-Norway Association (PANA).
Speakers were of the view that for decades, Muslims have been residing in Europe and have significantly contributed to the economy, unfortunately, after 9/11, all their efforts were forgotten. Now, they are faced with questions related to their identity, affiliations, aspirations and lifestyle.
They pointed out that despite the fact that many Pakistanis living in Europe are third and, even, fourth generation, the linkage and sense of bonding with Pakistan was very strong, which needed to be capitalised on.
However, Pakistanis, like other Muslims in Europe, were at the receiving end in the crisis.
Former PANA President Amir Iftikhar Warraich, claimed that practicing Muslims are facing more discrimination in educational institutes, employment and housing. During interviews, they are being asked questions like, ‘How religious are you or how much you follow Islam?’
“A non-practicing Muslim, who has abandoned all manifestations of Islam from his public and private life, finds all the doors open in social and economic life. But anyone who values his religion is most likely to be accused of disturbing national homogeneity”, Warraich opined.
He said that Europeans are critical of Muslim women, yet welcome those who don’t practice religion. “They consider such women as role models for other Muslim women to come out of their homes.
They also perceive religion as a hurdle in moving forward,” he added.
“If you are well qualified, have an attractive personality but don’t want to lose your Muslim identity, then all doors are closed for you,” he maintained.
Muhammad Athar Javed, Chairperson of the Denmark based Danish International Dialogue, said many Pakistanis were working in top positions and contributing actively in high tech, scientific jobs in Scandinavian and other European countries.
He was of the view that, “Continuous engagement and dialogue among various communities is the way forward.”
Director IPS, Khalid Rahman, said that the main problems faced by these immigrants include the unavailability of infrastructure and social set up to perform Islamic rituals and obligations, legal issues related to citizenship; social issues like assimilation and integration in non-Muslim societies, and other issues such as liberal, secular and anti-religion trends in Europe.
Rahman added that the role of globalisation is becoming critical for Muslims in Europe, as any development in their home country
would affect them and any issue related to immigrants in Europe would raise voices in Muslim-majority countries.
Riyazul Haque, a senior associate at IPS, deplored the fact that while it is prohibited to deny the holocaust as it is seen as hurting the sentiments of Jews, Europeans were showing no regard for the sensitivities of Muslims. He also stressed upon the need to provide a sense of security to the Muslims living in Europe.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 22nd, 2011.
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@Zahid Qureshi:
This is the problem that we have today...thinking in extremes. Islam in the religion of moderation, Allah never told us to forgo the world for Him for that is not a hard thing to do. The real SIRAT-E-MUSTAKEEM is in the middle of the two extremes. If we can't find that, we surely can't find Allah, hence living in our hell claiming it to be the path to heaven
@Arijit Sharma:
"Do more numbers equate to more contributions to humanity ?"
To a certain extent its true. Conscious awakening will always be preferable then outnumbering. Hence it reflects that how people are inclined to mend their lives - a point of departure from the ignorant norms and social customs in which they were leading a miserable life entrenched in darkness.
Why would Muslim integrate with non-Muslims ? it's not allowed that way. It's allowed the other way.
send in more immigrants...that might work...
European Muslims: ‘Refusal to integrate the root of most problems’
Actually this is a problem not just about Europe but any place where there are Muslims. Including in the Islamic countries; where a number of sects of Muslims who think other sects are nonmuslims refuse to integrate with each other. Maybe problem is not Muslim individuals but something else.
Perhaps all the muslims who complain about discrimination in Europe should go back to the Land of the Pure. Failing that they could go back to the epicentre of religious discrimination, Saudi Arabia. I am sure both of these countries will provide heavenly treatment! Furthermore they will not have to rely on the handouts from the Kafirs!
@antony: Something which has been in theory and soon going to be turned into practice is 'There should exist no sub-humans (non-muslims) on the face of earth. So according to this, there is no need to merge hell or asking for separate hell. The infidels are bound to perish in this world and after it ..."
@Javed: Who is asking you to go to Saudia for getting a prince like reception ? ... Can't you live the life which God has written your fate upon ... Why go and eat scum in other's community. A miserable life will end up miserably no matter how much struggle someone do in and desire to change it ...
@ G. Din; If pak and india stop atomic programs then i belive these arguments. if religion is the base of conflict, why muslim in india and hindus in Pak combat with the countries they living in. merely the comments here don;t work, offensive and defensive comments indicate, how much respect and tolerance these two nations / religions have for each others.
@ Majid Mirza
Only the people of intellect and wisdom can comprehend what is the real message of Islam – Sheer use of force OR a conscience awakening.
If your theory is correct, why is the status of muslim countries so poor. There is poverty , ignorance, violence, everywhere in muslim world. If it was not for the oil riches of middle east, everybody knows what that region would be- a complete cesspool. Making generalised assumptions like- all muslims are good, all hindus are bad, all christians are cheats etc are the bane of today's intolerence. It made people like Hitler a leader.
I am not saying people of other religions are great. My contention is, people should keep their religion aside and work towards the golbal friendship. No acrimony between religions. Islam (rather muslims) get entangled into problems where-ever they live in the world. Why not Hindus?
Your contention that Hinduism is also a combative religon based on Krishna's actions in Mahabharata is laughable to say the least (which proves the quality of your wisdom). Mahabarata is a fable (a mythological story like that of greek and roman gods). You cannot tie up the mahabharata and the actions of present day Hindus.
@Majid Mirza: to Arijit Sharma "With apologies even lord Krishna exhorted Arjuna to fight the war against his brothers – Mahabharata is an open evidence to this fact. " Mr. Mirza, I would caution you not to speak about subjects you have barely any notion of. What Mahabharata teaches us is that not all wars are immoral. There are righteous wars waging which is a bounden duty of the righteous. The war between Pandavas and Kauravs was one such war. In modern times, war against Nazi fascism was a righteous war in which the whole world participated. We are in the midst of another righteous war against Islamic fascism. Again, the whole world is participating in it. So, do not quote the Bible to negate the very basis of Bible! and then:"this is the miracle of Islam " With all due respect, we wish you would keep that miracle to yourself. We want no part of it! It has brought nothing but misery to the rest of the world! @Tauseef: to Arijit Sharma "And you would know because you are an Islamic scholar? " You don't have to be an Islamic scholar to conclude that "“Muslims believe in a combative display of their faith". We witness this poke-fingers-in-the-eye manner of displaying their allegiance to their faith every living moment everywhere!
@Phoenix.
I quite agree with your views.Even while sending my comment I had Turkey and Malayasia in mind though I have a feeling things are changing over there in a sense that hardliners are gaining ground. But again, that doesn't take anything away from the holistic view that you have very nicely articulated.
I agree with you, they should stop worrying about their identity and start worrying about their responsibility!
Never seen so many -VE comments for an article :) Poor author!, he should have choosen a madrassa instead of ET to share his thoughts....
@Arijit Sharma: "If Muslims are being undermined, it is their own fault totally. Unlike other followers of other faiths, Muslims believe in a combative display of their faith"
It would be an intellectual dishonesty to confine Islam with"Combative Display". With apologies even lord Krishna exhorted Arjuna to fight the war against his brothers - Mahabharata is an open evidence to this fact. On the contrary without the use of any force people are embracing Islam after having a direct contact with the Divinely Inspired Book. It Changes there lives. Suffice it to say that in a recent survey conducted by an organization - Faith-Matters: "Survey of converts to Islam in the United Kingdom carried out during August and September 2010 is the largest survey of its kind to date" estimates "the total number of converts in the United kingdom may have risen to as high as 100,000 in 2010" (A Minority within a minority by M. A. Kevin Brice)
Regardless of all prevalent stereotypes, this is the miracle of Islam without using force it transcends and is expanding as well. Only the people of intellect and wisdom can comprehend what is the real message of Islam - Sheer use of force OR a conscience awakening.
Pakistanis could not integrate in their own country in 64 years, how can they integrate in Europe? When we go in another country, we are a drop going in a lake. How can a drop keep itself aloof and still be the part of lake? Muslims who are not happy in Europe should not stay there. They better try Middle Eastern countries and see how many civil rights do they get? Getting the nationality and right to vote like local population is not enough then try Islamic countries. Go get the citizenship of Kuwait, SA or UAE. Even the kids who are born there do not get citizenship and some blame Europe!
Ok. So there was conducted a deny-and-blame party. Unfortunately the only means of enjoyment and of soothing of our souls.
@Phoenix: "If they don’t want to eat pork or drink, that’s fine, but at least engage with the locals who’re letting them live in their countries. " It is not as simple as that. Muslims, especially Arabs, engage in such heinous practices as "white slavery". Years ago, when the world was divided into two adversarial blocks, the Soviet Union and its block thought of scoring a moral point over the West. They invited many young people from Arab lands to come study in their best universities. They came and, not unexpectedly, fell in mad love with white-skinned beauties and decided to marry them. Those white-skinned beauties were only too willing as they would escape the harsh economic lives. What happened to those unwary human beings when their "husbands" took them to their native lands was simply quite attrocious. First, they were asked to renounce their citizenships and then sold into slavery. There was no help possible from their original countries as they had changed their citizenships. Now, why did it happen only with Muslims? They should introspect deeply on it!
@Vicram Singh: ""Shiv Sena was it ?" So, you do find some use for Shiv Sena? Answer to your query is: No, it was not Shiv Sena. Common people whose lives were made miserable by those unsocial, insular hoodlums found a simple solution. When they congregated to offer "numaz", the people living up above them poured forth buckets and buckets of water, liberally mixed with unmentionable, though harmless, chemical compounds. The practice ceased quite quickly after that! If it had not, probably Shiv Sena would have had to be called in to handle the problem as our governments appease this kind of unsavoury behaviour. because of vote-bank politics
@Arijit Sharma "Muslims believe in a combative display of their faith".
And you would know because you are an Islamic scholar?
@Majid Mirza: " The question arises if Jews and Evangelical Christians are proud to uphold their religious Identity and they have their right protected under law then how come Muslims be undermined in practicing or confessing their religion?. "
If Muslims are being undermined, it is their own fault totally. Unlike other followers of other faiths, Muslims believe in a combative display of their faith.
'improvable god' - lol, I meant to say an unprovable god. Anyway, the gist of my argument is that yes, Muslims definitely need to appreciate their host societies and try to assimilate. If they don't want to eat pork or drink, that's fine, but at least engage with the locals who're letting them live in their countries.
@Cynical: Perhaps Malaysia? Or Turkey? Muslims countries in South East Asia are perhaps the best examples where minorities are not mistreated. I'm not saying that they're perfect, just a lot better relative to many other countries - they're getting there. The rest of the Muslim world? Not the best minority record. But mind you, it's not always been like this, relatively speaking the European Dark Ages show profound similarities to the current state of the Islamic world, during which the Muslim world was relatively free, albeit not secular, to the West.
The truth is that most minorities all over the world are indeed discriminated against, but Muslims tend to have a profound superiority complex and a culture of exclusion, dividing the world into 'Muslims' and 'Non-Muslims', it is quite sad really, this shouldn't be happening - tolerance is quite a persistent theme in the Muslim holy books.
There are many problems with the European Muslim community - primarily not wishing to integrate, a lack of education and a profound sense of religiosity. I am merely musing here, but perhaps this over religiosity is a reaction to the anti-Islamic sentiment in Europe? It could be a psychological response - sticking to your guns.
I personally feel that spirituality still has a role to play in being a positive force in peoples' lives, but the dogmatic and oft-pedantic issues among contemporary 'staunch' Muslims (and evangelical Christians, Jews et al), from what to eat to how to dress or how to drink a glass of water makes it practically illegal to adopt an alternative lifestyle, as it is perceived as 'sinful' and 'wrong' - this has been so deeply imprinted in the collective psyche of many Muslims that this culture shock of the science-rooted, secular west is practically alien and incomprehensible, perhaps the case is the same among secularists? They can't seem to imagine how people still stick to dogma and rituals, or believe in an improvable god.
But yeah, I agree, the Muslim community really needs to find ways of integrating with the host culture, otherwise they will be hated just like that 'different kid' on the school playground. They need to understand and appreciate the modern concepts of human rights, and realise, just as the Christians had done 500 years ago, that religion has never been timeless or absolute - like everything else, it must evolve with time.
You reap what you sow. Show me one Muslim majority country where the minorities enjoy equal rights in all respects (religious,political,economic,social....) They talk about these rights only when they are in minority.
It is true that East and West have their own systems, cultures, but it is also true that the world has to move on.....
Its time to invest in education and try to find similaries between east and west rather than blaming everything on west....there are many things in our own hand and there are always two sides of coin....
"Our life is what our thoughts make it", a French philosopher. Choose what you want.
A. If it can be established that followers of other religions, who are overtly religious, are allowed to rise to the top in western society and it is only overtly Muslim people who are discriminated against, then, and then only, the accusations of bias against 'Islamic Identity' make any sense. Come to think of it how many Jewish CEOs in a skull cap, or how many Hindu engineers in a Dhoti with a shaven head have you seen. In short, these secular societies are wary of overtly religious people of all religions. The choice as they say is yours.
B. Moreover, how do you explain the fact that these western societies after a time grant you full citizenship, including equal rights and the right to participate in governance, whereas the countries belonging to the Muslim ummah do not extend any such benefits to even the most pious immigrant muslims.The Saudi Arabian laws are a case in point.
@G. Din: "Of course, the local community there found its unique solution which was not quite palatable to Muslims, but it worked!"
Shiv Sena was it ?
Hassan K Bajwa
Just as i type, a bomb goes off in Oslo. Any guess who did it?
The world is growing in terms of assurances for human rights, freedoms, but everybody don't have same ears to listen and mind to process it righty. The human beings must understand that what these rights really means. People have been using religions as weapon to punish for centuries, but now it people using rights as weapon against those who failed to catch up the pace with the international obligations.
I don;t see any difference between the rights given in all religions have any differences, practices are different, but again practices are not compulsions in religions. However, the problem started when followers of relegions started questioning from individuals, why are you looking like us.
The same problem is now likely to errupt, when modern religions will ask from others why they following religion, why you not integrating. On the other hand, the belivers of religions have not left any stone overturned that spreads hatter among human. In reality, human beings need to learn to live, by using wisdom not power.
leave islam and see the change
I liked the article. It gives a sheer insight to the problems confronted by Muslims in European societies. I think to venture that IPS & PANA are in conformity with a recent findings by PEW Research Center which highlighted the tensions do prevail amongst both the sides. Identity with religion or nation is keenly rooted. The report says;
" throughout Europe, most Christians think of themselves primarily in terms of their national identity. Seven-in-ten white Evangelical Christians in the U.S. identify first with their religion.Nearly Six-in-ten (57%) Jews identify first as Jews, while among the country's Muslim community 77% think of themselves first as Muslims" (PEW - Muslim-Western Tensions Persist - pp 5-6)
The question arises if Jews and Evangelical Christians are proud to uphold their religious Identity and they have their right protected under law then how come Muslims be undermined in practicing or confessing their religion?.
As person of mixed pakistani and danish descent i find myself quite embarrassed by all the fuss created by pakistani muslims in scandinavia.
Fact of the matter is that there are very few places in the world where pakistani muslims enjoy the level of freedom, equality and support that they get in scandinavia.
having lived in Pakistan all my life i can certainly assure my fellow pakistanis in scandinavia that they are more free to be muslims THERE than they would in pakistan.
It is true that there is much negativity against muslims at a political, social and legislative level. However such negativity does not appear out of the blue. Unfortunately a large proportion of pakistanis and/or muslims from other nations are currently exploiting the scandinavian welfare model while at the same time denouncing the society that provides them the welfare. On one hand these people have no qualms about receiving handouts from the "immoral west" but on the other hand they waste no time in sending their children back to pakistan (using welfare funds) for "re-education" in madrassas that teach them to despise the west. Is it then any wonder that scandinavian society looks negatively on pakistanis and muslims in general?
I stand side by side with all muslims in the demands for equality before the law. However, as it is, many muslims demand special treatment due to religious and/or cultural reasons even as equality is denied to any non-muslim in their home country.
I am a firm believer in islam. However my belief in islam does not require me to condemn the scandinavian culture. It does not require me to refuse integration into the society in which i live. it does not require me to form an insular community which clearly despises its host contry. It does not require me to force my daughters and wife to dress in a manner not permitted by the laws of my host country (after all people in pakistan justify the persecution of ahmedis by referring to our "democratic laws of 1971" - even though the laws are a clear breach of fundamental human rights). It does not require me to behave with arrogance and a false sense of entitlement that unfortunately characterizes many of the pakistanis i have had the misfortune of meeting in Denmark.
If one does not like the society one lives in, then one ought to LEAVE.
It is hugely embarrassing for me as a pakistani to be associated with those who will not integrate into scandinavian society for XYZ reason, but at the same time also refuse to leave scandinavia on account of the excellent welfare system they have there. This nonsense of insulting the culture that is filling your belly is beyond contemptible.
The author needs to fight for the equal rights of non muslims in a muslim country like pakistan and middle east, before he raise the voice against any secular country.
@gsw: *"...for some of us it requires “losing your Muslim identity”." * Now that you understand that it is a toss up between "losing your Muslim identity" and having a decent lifestyle, much better than you were born to, it should be easy to decide what is more important to you. Dump what is not important to you. World does not owe it to Muslims to ensure that they enjoy both. You should also understand that it does not only affect you but also the host community you go into. Your unsocial attitudes creates problems for those communities which they don't deserve. They extend you hospitality, by any standard an altruistic act but Muslims abuse it at every turn. In town of Hamtramck, in the US, nuisance of azaans became so severe that the city council had to pass an ordnance prohibiting the practice. Muslims have made themselves a nuisance even in those plural communities where they were born. In India, a few years back, we had Muslims in their hundreds offering their prayers on busy streets in Mumbai causing havoc with traffic. Of course, the local community there found its unique solution which was not quite palatable to Muslims, but it worked!
@Amjad claims: ["Do you blame these Muslims for not integrating when they are treated like 2nd class citizens"]
Actually, Amir Iftikhar Warraich stated: "A non-practising Muslim, who has abandoned all manifestations of Islam from his public and private life, finds all the doors open in social and economic life. "
So it would appear that you are mixing cause and effect.
You see, Europe is secularist, not islamic, so all those "manifestations of Islam", such as the burka or expecting a muslim's colleges not to snack because s/he are fasting, rushing off early on Friday, wanting special prayer rooms in schools and - most importantly - suing for 'discrimination' whenever islamic special religious needs are not fulfilled makes for a very unpleasant social field.
An "attractive personality" is subjective, for some of us it requires "losing your Muslim identity".
This article and the statement by PANA make me laugh! I have lived in Sweden and Denmark for a few years, and not once was I asked how religious I was. What I have seen A LOT is that immigrants from Muslim countries absolutely refuse to integrate. They create their own little societies, speak their own language, wear their own clothing, and in general stand out. It is stupid to expect such people to be accepted by the native mainstream, and yet the laws here make no difference between immigrants and natives, they do everything they can to not discriminate.
On the other hand we all know how incredibly discriminatory the middle eastern/Arab laws are, even Pakistan's laws are discriminatory against non-Muslims. Anyone else notice the link between the "victims" in European countries who refuse to integrate and befriend the natives, and the discriminatory laws in most Islamic countries? The common thing in both cases is the Muslim identity of the people involved. In Muslim majority countries, non-Muslims are unwelcome and third rate citizens. In countries they have immigrated to (by their own choice), they demand special treatment.
The way the Saudis treat us is worse than hell but nobody complains. Sheer hypocracy!
Such Pakistani Muslims with their sweeping judgement about Europeans, are totally devoid of any spiritual and intellectual background and try to impose their superficial Muslim identity on every living soul, animals are either haram or halal, humans are either Muslims or devils. With their defected scales they evaluate the life and the living beings. They are so blind and arrogant in their judgements that they fail to see that in fact, it is they themselves who need psychological treatment from these people. The ESSENCE of a society like Germany where I live, is based on "love of neighbour", "Christian charity", "benevolence", "tolerance", "non-violence" and first and foremost "human values" !!!! Last year we had floods in Pakistan, how did these people react? Watch the following live television broadcast.......... http://www.zdf.de/ZDFmediathek/beitrag/video/1123778/Hilfe-fuer-Pakistan---Sondersendung#/beitrag/video/1123778/Hilfe-fuer-Pakistan---Sondersendung.......the State safeguards the basic human rights of every human in this country. On the contrary what is happening in Islamic Pakistan? What is the ESSENCE AND MINDSET of a Pakistani society? People devoid of drinking water, electricity, food, persecutions, mass murders, killings.....IS THERE ANY SHAMEFUL VICE WHICH DOES NOT EXIST IN ABUNDANCE IN OUR SOCIETY? AND DESTITUTES AND POOR ARE CERTAINLY NOT THE ONES THIRSTY AND HOPELESS IN THEIR DARK ROOMS, THE REAL DESTITUTES ARE THESE WELL FED GLUTTON PREACHERS AND THEIR FOLLOWERS OF PEACEFUL ISLAM WHO ARE A MOCKERY TO THE HUMANITY IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY.
very one sided, there are 10s of 1000s of european muslims who do not wish to step out of their ghettos and integration, it always takes2to tango.
Very soon there will be two groups of Muslims in Europe as well as in Pakistan. Those who are not willing to let go of religion for worldly benefits & Those who will have nothing to do with islam and would prefer worldly benefits
Sometime back, I used to work in Dubai for a large educational services company and the boss was a rich Emirati, with a Masters degree from US. (If ever there was one enlightened moderate, it was my boss.) Given a choice between a Muslim and a non-muslim, he always preferred non-muslims.
Muslims from Pak had this habit of going for prayer, right in the middle of work and the Emirati felt this was blackmail, since he can't even scold them. If he scolds them, they will throw the Islam rule book at him. So, he opted for the easy solution, hire non-muslims. The policy is still in force and the company is flourishing.
lol...if given option no pakistani will stay in pakistan in the current conditions and will rush to europe becasue no othe country even muslims will welcome us still we hate west. there are equal opportunies and no discrimination policy in europe, you will get what you deserve, thats u even dont get in pakistan.
@Jameel, I had an opportunity to listen to all the four speeches made in the round-table at IPS followed by the discussion session but I did not find in them any one sided rhetoric or the sweeping statement for that matter. Of four speakers two were the European citizens and one was the former diplomat and none of three was JI member. They all had an opportunity to live in Europe for long time and hence their observations were based on their first hand experiences and not just speculations so their views may not be turned down or downplayed by just saying that it is rhetoric and Occidentalism. With regard to common grounds I am on the same page but it should not be ignored that in order to create such grounds reciprocity is required. However, if Europeans parliamentarians (read Geert wilders) are termed as Voltaire of times by European intellectuals for spitting venom against muslims and their meta narratives, to wish for harmony does not seem in sight.
@Imran..Well said which is an honest assessment . "No common ground ..otherwise Hell and heaven would have to be merged." ..So may I ask seperate hell and earth ...Means let the immigrants come to their country of birth ? Europeans would be pleased of such move..
Typical biased talk consisting of seeping statemnts deprived of any data or facts. Welcome to a Paki "conference." The Muslims as in their home countries can't progress because they are living in the dark ages
@Imran: If there are no common grounds then we should refrain from going to the west. Have you ever seen a muslim seeking asylum in a muslim country as nobody wants to go to these countries. The way the Saudis treat us is worse than hell but nobody complains. Sheer hypocracy!
@Jameel: There is no common ground ... otherwise Hell and Heaven will have to be merged, which will never happen ...
@Amjad: why is it that only arabs are unemployed in france and not other minorities? they are treated equally there and have the same opportunities all the others have so why do they choose to live like that? the problem is they want to impose their own laws wherever they live,they are using their freedoms in western countries to campaign against the freedoms of others. just imagine for a second that what will happen to the indians and pakistanis in arab countries if they decided to riot for being treated like 2nd class citizens.i live in the west and can tell you that everyone is equal here and if someone doesn't treat you equally then you can sue them for their life.its easy to criticize the west without looking at ourselves.
Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) is run by Jamaat Islami members and headed by Jamaat Islami's Prof. Khurshid. One sided rhetoric and sweeping anti-west statements are no surprise. This sort of negative attitude serves no purpose. One should instead aim to create common ground with the rest of the world for everyone’s benefit.
Look at the unemployed Arab youth in France stuck in ghettos and rioting or the Turkish labourers who are hated by Germans or the abuse the Iranians and Afghanis suffer as asylum seekers in Scandinavia. Do you blame these Muslims for not integrating when they are treated like 2nd class citizens and many of them live on state social assistance / khayrat. The ones who are lucky are stuck doing labour jobs that Europeans don't want.