IT WAS intended to shock, and it did: the sight of five young already-failed asylum seekers competing on a Dutch TV quiz show last night for €4,000 to spend on a new life in the countries of origin they’d hoped to escape forever.
The contestants, two men and three women, who are awaiting deportation, vied to show off just how well they knew the Netherlands by answering questions on Dutch culture, history, language, politics and current affairs.
The programme awarded consolation prizes to the runners-up: a bag of tulip bulbs to remember their adopted country by and a bulletproof vest for the person returning to the most dangerous place.
Viewers were invited to test their knowledge against that of the asylum seekers by playing along on their tablets, laptops or smartphones, lured by the prize of an air ticket to the Caribbean island of Curaçao – which, the producers stressed, was a return ticket.
As the show prepared to air, Frank Wiering, editor-in-chief of VPRO – a public broadcasting organisation known for its high-quality, provocative programming – defended the show, but admitted that when the idea was first pitched to him, he hadn’t been at all enthusiastic. “My first reaction was, ‘terrible idea, we’re not doing that’. But when I thought about it more deeply, my attitude changed completely and I decided we simply have to do this.
“The programme showed that many asylum seekers being expelled have children who’ve lived in the Netherlands for years. Those children have a good education, speak perfect Dutch, and have only seen their country of birth on TV. We believe it’s time to stop and think about this.”
Mr Wiering added he found programmes such as Idols – the Dutch equivalent of Pop Idols – much more objectionable. “People are led to believe they’re going to be big stars, but after three performances they’re headed for a life of disappointment and drink.”
The programme has already been described as both “sick” and “tasteless”. However, it was defended by the leading refugee support group in the Netherlands.
Wouter van Zandwijk , director of Vluchtelingenwerk, said: “Yes, the programme was sick. But the reality is sick too. First we invest in people. Then, just as we are about to harvest that investment and see them become hard-working Dutch taxpayers, they run out of legal options. That’s when we send them away.”
Around 15,000 people annually apply for asylum in the Netherlands.