Belgian Entrepreneur Gains Royal Backing

Although he received numerous death threats, Belgian entrepreneur Rik Remmery has not wavered in his support for his female Muslim employee wearing a headscarf at work. Now, he has gained support from the country's monarch.

photo: Remmery.be
Rik Remmery

​​The car has been polished to perfection: its owner, entrepreneur Rik Remmery is sporting a blue pinstriped suit. He is sitting at the wheel of his limousine, next to him, his wife, in the back, employee Naima Amzil and her husband.

The gates of the Royal Palace in Brussels swing open. The car drives in. For Rik Remmery, an audience with King Albert will give him added courage.

"It is a gesture of support that will strengthen my resolve after receiving those threatening letters," Remmery says.

Remmery runs a food chain. His delicatessen – shrimps and snails – are sold to big supermarkets all over Europe. Now his life is in danger.

Anti-Muslim sentiment

Among his staff of fifty is Naima Amzil, a naturalized Belgian who was born in Morocco. Remmery received an anonymous letter saying Naima should remove her head scarf while at work. More letters followed. Remmery was told to sack the young woman. If he didn't, then a quarter of million euros would be given to anyone who killed him.

There were four letters, Remmery said. In the last one there was just a bullet. That said more than anything else.

Remmery has now had audience with Belgian King, because he stood up to those death threats. Certain malicious individuals says he is exploiting the whole affair for the benefit of his company and turning it into an advertising gimmick. Nevertheless, tens of thousands of Flemish people have signed petitions declaring their support for Remmery.

Remmery is standing by Naima Amzil, whom he values as a good worker. She offered to quit the firm in order to relieve the pressure on him, but he turned her offer down.

Remmery has also found a way to dodge the threats of the anonymous letter writer. Naima doesn't have to wear a head scarf in his firm. This is because she is already wearing the special protective headgear that everybody has to don when working in food processing.

"All staff wear them," says Remmery. "it's a matter of hygiene. Of course, when she leaves the premises, she always puts on her headscarf on."

For her audience with the King, Naima Amzil had put on a silk head scarf.

"He encouraged us," says Amzil. "He praised Rik and myself for what we have done. He supported us. Perhaps he can do something to help."

Personal motives

A suspect who could have something to do with the threatening letters has been questioned by police. He had applied for a job with Remmery, but was rejected.

It came as no surprise that the letter writer who penned those death threats chose to style himself as a spokesman for a New Free Flanders. This was a sharp reminder of the possible consequences of the right-wing populist polices of Vlaams Belang. This overtly nationalist party recently notched up chilling gains at regional elections.

Christopher Plass/Mark Caldwell

© DEUTSCHE WELLE/DW-WORLD.DE 2005