ROTTERDAM, 24/06/03 - There is a big difference between the involvement in society of Turkish and Moroccan mosques in Rotterdam. Virtually every Turkish mosque tries to contribute to integration in Dutch society, whereas Moroccan mosques do not consider this necessary.

Of the 30 mosques in Rotterdam, eleven are "very active socially". As well as sermons, these nine Turkish and two Pakistani mosques provide boarding schools and organize meetings on aspects of Dutch society. Another nine Mosques are "reasonably active," according to results of a survey presented yesterday by the Centre for Research and Statistics (COS).

The research, commissioned by Rotterdam city council, shows ten mosques are not active socially at all and only concentrate on religious affairs. Half of this group is Pakistani, Surinam or Indonesian and the other five, Moroccan. They are managed by older men, who speak bad Dutch. They unanimously claim their supporters are already integrated in Dutch society.

Christian democrat (CDA) Alderman Van der Tak (Social Integration) termed "the active role of two-thirds of the mosques a breakthrough," but is concerned about the other 10 mosques. Van der Tak wants to "Make contact with them", but acknowledged he cannot force them to do anything on account of the constitutional freedom of religion.