The Coordination of Illegal Immigrants in Belgium is collectively with other organisations calling for a demonstration on 12th November, in Brussels, for the regularisation of the illegal immigrants situation.
It is doing so in conjunction with Ciré (which supports asylum seekers), the CSC (national Christian trade union federation), the FGTB (General Federation of Belgian Labour), the MRAX (the movement against racism, anti-Semitism and xenophobia) and SOS Migrants.
The associations are demanding that such people should be integrated into Belgium. They are inviting Belgians to gather together to specifically demand the closure of closed reception centres, freedom of movement and an end to expulsion and the criminalisation of illegal immigrants. In addition they are calling for respect for their fundamental rights, such as access to medical care and education and the application of children’s rights.
The Coordination of Illegal Immigrants in Belgium says, “The breaking down of European borders gave everybody hope for accessing fundamental human rights. Since 2014, on the contrary, we have seen a regression of human rights. In Belgium, in the name of national security, everyone’s fundamental freedoms have been in danger. Those of illegal immigrants even more so. Current migration policies regarding illegal immigrants but also refugees and those driven from their homes, or to borders, are unacceptable.”
“The Belgian government has become even more radical in the crackdown of illegal immigrants. Such people know that the hostility towards migrants is not a matter for the Belgian population but a single individual: Theo Franken (the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, editor’s note). Illegal immigrants are demanding that Belgians give out a strong signal that they do not agree with the policy of brutal ethnic cleansing by Theo Franken. The time has come to demand an asylum and migration policy which calms down the situation, and respects human rights and individuals.”
The demonstration will begin on November 12th at the Gare du Nord at 2 p.m.
The Brussels Times
