The denunciation follows reports that Rabin Baldewsingh says he has received from Muslims, and in particular during the month of Ramadan, which is marked by fundraising and charitable obligations to help the needy. “The banks suspect the people who deposit these funds in an account of illegal activities or of financing terrorism and they systematically send requests for explanations on their origin”, relates to the Dutch daily. Fidelity, the national coordinator against discrimination in the Netherlands. To support his remarks, he evokes the case of a business manager whose family name, very common in Pakistan, corresponds to one of the supporters of Al-Qaeda. He claims that his application for a loan to open a new restaurant was followed up by “extensive” investigations by the bank.
To read: Montpellier: victim of banking apartheid, a mosque files a complaint for discrimination
According to Baldewsingh, the application of the law which wants to fight money laundering and the financing of terrorism, the Wwft Act would be at the origin of this “discrimination”. This law obliges banks to report “unusual” transactions or face heavy fines. Faced with this situation, Rabin Baldewsingh calls for a public inquiry into the subject. “I think the Ministry of Finance must face up to its responsibilities,” he said. The government imposed the application of this law on financial institutions, but today we see that it is poorly applied. He proposes that discussions be initiated between the ministry and the banks.
To read: The Council of Mosques of the Rhône denounces a “banking apartheid”
For its part, the Association of Dutch Banks (NVB), rejects these accusations as a whole. “The ethnic, religious or cultural origins of our customers are not taken into account to trigger investigations,” said a spokesperson.