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JRS Belgium -
Political Developments
On 1 June 2007, a new asylum procedure was
implemented. The principal aim of this reform was to
accelerate the asylum process. A new administrative
jurisdiction, Conseil du Contentieux des Etrangers, was
created. This reform included the possibility that the
seriously ill, those unable to be treated in their
country of origin, could get a legal residency in
Belgium. Unfortunately, the law also offered new
possibilities to detain asylum seekers. The result was
an increase in the number of detained asylum seekers,
particularly persons who fell under the Dublin II
Regulation.
The detention of children continued to be a contentious
political topic. From 1 June, unaccompanied minors were
no longer detained, but transferred to an open
orientation centre. Two specific cases attracted a lot
of media attention: a Georgian girl, Tiko, who had been
living in Belgium for six years and an 11 years old
Ecuadorian called Angelica. Both were detained with
their parents for several weeks. These stories raised
the issue of the detention of families with children.
Independent research was published, requested by the
Minister of Internal Affairs, on alternatives to the
detention of families with children. The Commissioner’s
Office for the Rights of the Child published a dossier
with a chapter about detained children. Both documents
advocated against the detention of families with
children, due to the associated trauma. Nevertheless,
the detention of children continued.
For more than six months in 2007 there was no new
Belgium government and this political instability has
clear consequences for immigration policy. This was
illustrated by the lack of progress on the legalisation
of undocumented migrants. This issue was kept high on
the agenda by NGOs and migrants themselves who demanded
a legalisation process with clear criteria. Hunger
strikes were used several times to protest against
arbitrary decisions.
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JRS Activities
Detention
JRS
Belgium’s priority remains the accompaniment of and advocacy for
asylum seekers and migrants detained in closed centres. In 2007,
several persons were involved in regular visits to detainees in
the five detention centres in Belgium. The main tasks were
listening, giving moral support and legal counselling and making
contact with lawyers and families.
The main tasks include listening, giving moral
support and legal counselling and making contact with lawyers
and family. This regular presence makes it possible to monitor
the global situation and to advocate for the detainees at
various levels, including that of political decision makers.
This work is carried out in close partnership with other NGOs.
Advocacy and awareness-raising
Before the
general elections in June, JRS Belgium had contact with several
political parties inviting them to include in their programmes
measures enhancing the protection of asylum seekers and
migrants, in particular those in detention.
The report on detention published in October 2006 by several
NGOs, including JRS Belgium, was followed up in 2007 by meetings
with the Aliens Board (the administration in charge of detention
policy) to discuss the report and its recommendations. A few
positive results were achieved, namely in the field of
psychological assistance to detainees. Several political parties
showed their interest in the report, and the French speaking
Socialist party issued a law proposal based on the findings and
recommendations. NGOs met a delegation of MEPs to inform them
about worrying detention practices prior to their visit to
several detention centres in October.
Throughout the year, JRS Belgium advocated against the detention
of children. In addition to offering support to lawyers
challenging the detention of families with children, JRS Belgium
invited other NGOs to sign an open letter asking the Minister of
Interior to immediately halt the detention of children. This
open letter was published in two national newspapers on
International Children’s Day.
On St Nicolas’ Day (6 December), JRS Belgium in collaboration
with other NGOs, visited the Ministry of Interior to hand over
drawings and letters that children from all over Belgium had
made calling for an end to the detention of children.
To mark World Refugee Day JRS Belgium joined JRS Europe in an
inter-religious vigil to mark those who had died while trying to
access European territory.
In April, JRS Belgium took part in the ‘Who can stay?’ campaign.
The public was able to choose between several actors
representing undocumented migrants and decide who should be
legalised. The aim of the campaign was to stress the arbitrary
nature of these decisions. JRS Belgium was present at a national
demonstration asking for clear procedures and criteria for
legalisation.
JRS Belgium
participated in several conferences and workshops about
migration and asylum issues.
Internal News
On December
4, JRS Belgium became a legally recognised non-profit
organisation (asbl). The work on the JRS Belgium website was
completed. The site is regularly updated and is available at
www.jrsbelgium.org
Contact Details
Fr Christophe Renders SJ, Country Director
rue Maurice Liétart 31/9 - B-1150 Bruxelles
Tel: +32-2 738 0818 - Fax: +32-2 738 0809
belgium(a)jrs.net
To send an email, just replace the (a) with @.
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